NO SIGNAL

There’s a whole lot going on in the world right now that competes for our attention.  We can get so busy with our daily life, and spend so much time looking at the news and current events, that it’s easy to lose touch with what is going on in the Spirit realm.  One thing I hear a lot from people I minister to is;  “I just don’t seem to be hearing from God right now.  It’s like He isn’t speaking to me anymore.”

I would compare that to a wireless internet connection, when you should be getting reception, but instead the computer says “NO SIGNAL”.  Regardless of what the cause of that lost connection is, the effect is the same, you are cut off from the communication you need.  The first thought may be, “What’s wrong with the transmitter?”  But the problem may not be with the transmitter at all.  It may be with the receiver.  Imagine that.  And the Lord used that situation this week to inspire me for this article.  He often uses everyday circumstances to lead me in what I need to write to the body of Christ, even as Jesus used everyday situations to minister to His followers in a way they could easily understand.  I was in our website server’s office, trying to hook up to his internet, and was having difficulty doing so.  But I had left my big hammer at home, so I had no way to fix it myself, you know….  Of course, it took my friend all of about 10 seconds to figure out that something wasn’t configured correctly on my computer, and he had it up and working in no time. 

You see, the Lord is always “transmitting”, but sometimes we aren’t “tuned in”.  For example, we’ll say I’m sitting at a stop light and I hear my favorite song on the radio in the car next to me.  I ask them what station they’re listening to, and they say 93.5 FM.  So I tune to 93.5, but I don’t hear anything but static.  If I call the station and say, Hey, your transmitter isn’t working, they will tell me the transmitter is working fine, you must have something wrong with your radio.  Well, I might get offended and say, I have a thousand dollar radio in my car.  But it doesn’t matter how much your radio costs, if it isn’t pulling in the station you want to listen to, you’d better get it checked out. 

And it doesn’t matter how long ago you gave your life to Jesus, or how many years ago you were filled with the Holy Spirit, if you aren’t hearing from God NOW, then you have “NO SIGNAL“.  And that is very dangerous.

Knowing God is always speaking to His children, then we can eliminate the problem of the Transmitter being faulty.  Let’s go right to the Receiver.  First off,  is it plugged in?  That may sound like a no brainer, but back in the days when I did furniture repair, I was often called out to repair electric lift chairs for disabled folks.  They would tell me there was something wrong with the chair because it didn’t do anything when they pushed the button.  You wouldn’t believe how many times the whole problem was the cord had been unplugged from the wall.  So simple, yet overlooked.  I could have spent time checking out the switch, the cords, the lift motor, the transmission, the mechanism itself, but I always went for the obvious first…the plug.  And I believe that’s where the Lord would have us look first with our Spiritual problems.  Are we plugged in??

You know, you can’t expect to hear from God if you aren’t His, so when someone tells me they aren’t hearing from God, then first I must ascertain whether or not they should be hearing from Him in the first place, in other words, are they saved?

If not, we start there and get them “plugged in”.  If they’re saved, then I know there’s a connection, however, it may be interrupted at the time.  What would sever our ability to hear from God?  Well, sin that has not been repented of would be a good one for starters.  Let’s eliminate the possibility of that one, too.  Now, where do we check next?  Ah, yes, here’s one, have we forgiven those who have trespassed against us?  Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15;

 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Having done all that, we’re ready to move on to the next step.  The Power is there, it’s turned on, and you’re plugged in.   What about “tuned in”?  If you’re getting reception on the “other channels”, but only getting static from the “God” channel, then maybe you’re still saying “God isn’t transmitting”, but my bet is that something is jamming your signal.  And that “something” is your busy mind.   I’d like to refer you to what Jesus said: 

Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Luk 21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Luk 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

 We’re starting to see some of these things come to pass, and already, many people are becoming so caught up in what is going on around them, they can’t seem to hear from God.  Yes, it’s pretty hard to ignore what’s going on around us.  But we also know from God’s word that fear and uncertainty destroy our faith.  It is written in 2 Timothy 1:7;

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We know by the promises of God that He will take care of all our needs, spiritual or physical.  So why do we insist on looking at what is going on in the world around us as an indicator if God is taking care of us or not? 

When you are experiencing “NO SIGNAL” from God, turn off the jamming signal of the world.  He’s speaking to you right now, if you’re only listening.  Remember the story of Elijah hiding in the cave?  You can read about it in 1 Kings chapter 19.  In that cave, the Lord spoke to Elijah:

1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

And that “still small voice” is the one you need to be listening for, my friends.  Sure, there are lots of voices literally screaming at you out there; the economy, fuel prices, stress of your job, things going on in your family, strife, sickness, you name it.  After God finally got Elijah’s attention, and got his ears off the world,  and tuned in to the “still small voice”, He sent him on one of the greatest missions of his life, and used him mightily.  But until Elijah was able to hear the “still small voice”,  he was just a fearful man in a cave, not able to be greatly used of God at the time.

Some of you are in the cave right now.  You’re letting yourselves be so affected by the world around you, that it’s drowning out that still small voice of God, who wants to use you greatly, and bless you in process.

This is not a time to be suffering from “NO SIGNAL”.  He’s transmitting to you just fine, and He has work for you to do.  So get quiet and hear what the Lord is telling you!

God bless!