How we ‘Tuned in to the Sound of Heaven’
31 July to 2 August 2015
Course led by Andy and Yvonne Hall at the Sannox Christian Centre
The course, which was fully subscribed with over 18 attendees, started on the Friday evening with a session on “The Promptings of our spirit. How to receive from the spiritual realm.” This focused on how God speaks to us through our spirit. The content of each session was always accompanied by scriptural references. We discussed how our spirits interact with our mind, will or emotions and how that changes when we are in Christ.
The first session on the Saturday morning was on guidance and how do we discern God’s guidance? We learned that guidance is a conversation with God about possibilities. We need to develop our spirit to be able to know God’s voice. Jesus said “My sheep know my voice”. We talked about the importance of blessing people and situations in the name of the Lord, again supported by Scripture. This led to our first exercise where we listened for the prompting of God’s Spirit as we blessed each other in Jesus’ name.
The second session on Saturday morning focused on the role that angels play in God’s Kingdom in Heaven and on Earth. Andy took us through scripture looking at how angels are sometimes unseen, seen but with their glory covered and seen in their glory. We looked at what they do on earth.
The first Saturday afternoon session focused how there are three voices trying to speak to our spirit – the voice of God, the voice of self and the voice of satan. We then spent time learning how we can recognise the voice of God and how we can test what we feel is God’s voice. For example, it must be in accordance with His character and His Word. We were then asked to do another exercise. We were to write a letter from God to each one of us on what we felt God wanted to say. We had to go to a private place and listen to God then begin to write the letter. There was some scepticism and apprehension from some of us but it was a deeply moving and emotional time for everyone – much to our surprise! The letters were not shared but the content was amazingly confirmed in many ways over the rest of the weekend – another test of God’s voice.
The second part of this session focused on dreams and how God can use dreams to speak to us. Again we looked at instances in scripture where God used dreams to speak. We then had an open session where a few people talked about dreams they had experienced.
The last session on Saturday in the evening focused on prophetic words. We studied how God uses prophecy in Scripture and how he can use all of us to pass on words of encouragement and confirmation. We looked at how God often drop a word in our spirit, then follows up with interpretation and application. We then split into couples, prayed together and asked God to give us a word of encouragement for the other person. Again there was doubt as to whether we would hear anything but as we prayed we heard something for our partner that was relevant. Many of the words given and the interpretations were in accord with the private letters written earlier in the day. We all found it very encouraging.
The Sunday morning was free time when we had to go off alone and practice what we had been taught the previous two days. Just before lunch we all gathered in Dundarroch to share stories of what God had done over the weekend. It was an amazing time when story after story of how God had touched peoples’ lives in a very gentle but direct way were revealed. It was both moving and powerful and was so in keeping with God’s work at Sannox. One comment was that all was done in a quiet, ordered and unobtrusive way. Some of the quotes from people who attended the course are given below.
The weekend was very significant for all who attended. God was glorified and people were rested and restored. Thanks be to God.
– George Hazel
[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]Testimonials
“We went to a weekend’s teaching by Andy Hall at Sannox on hearing God’s voice. It was a fantastic time of high quality teaching, rest and peace in God’s presence. Having been wrestling with the concept of putting God before all other things for some time, over this short period God gently brought me to a place of desiring nothing more than Him. The times of listening to God were quite astounding and it was just so great to be in a place of such amazing spiritual heritage. We will definitely be back!”
“The weekend was excellent. A lot of what we were told was new to me. We were to ask God to to send us a letter as to what He wanted to say to us. We were to have a pen and paper so we could write down what God was saying to us.
As I sat quietly I believe that God did talk to me. It was incredable – both words and pictures.
Later and on another day we were to ask God for a prophecy for other people in the group,the most amazing thing for me was several people came over to me with a prophecy for me and their prophicies nearly all covered things that God had said to me in my letter from Him, truly amazing.
I feel the whole weekend was a real blessing.”
“It was so good to feel we were back “home” at Sannox and the accommodation is now so smart and so comfortable. Andy’s teaching on the Friday evening – regarding how the Holy Spirit engages with our spirits and seeks to gain control of our minds, emotions and wills – was just so logical but powerful. He made a complex concept seem very clear and also achievable. The input on angels was both hilarious and enlightening, while Yvonne’s session on dream interpretation was intriguing – even a tad scary – but it was certainly thought-provoking. Then Saturday evening was just, as the younger generation are fond of saying these days, “awesome”. There was a really positive take on prophecy, and at the end we received some tremendously encouraging words from a number of people.
The worship times were, as we’ve come to expect at Sannox, very gentle and low-key, but so meaningful and the fellowship throughout was just great. Where did you find such a great bunch of people?”
“You don’t need any special physical place in order to be close to God and seek to hear His voice. But the peaceful and blessed setting of Sannox certainly makes it easier. On the physical, the refurbished accommodation was of a really good quality and felt “home” rather than “weekend away.” The history of Sannox, so clearly shown in the church and the re-refurbished Manse was as fascinating as it was calming. We came together to worship God, to seek Him and listen to Him, and we were all touched and blessed in many ways. It was a wonderful weekend of fellowship. Working through the exercises with each other, and just generally praying with each other, it was an amazing time. We none of us seemed to have to “work at it” and God simply gave to us and blessed us. This was a time when God spoke encouragingly of our time together: “Be still, and know that I am God.” We also all found that the Voice of Heaven is in colour, it is an encouragement and it is unifying. With many thanks to the setting, aspirations of and culture that is “Sannox” and with all glory to Father God, in Jesus’ name and through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
One participant received a poem:
“(Name) ……. I love you
And it will never end.
No, I don’t have any favourites
So stop going round the bend.
I am the roof over your head,
The foundation beneath your feet,
I am the road you’ll travel, and
I’m everyone you’ll meet.
I am the sunshine in your darkness,
The comfort through your pain,
You bring a smile to my face, for
Your life is not in vain.
Stop trying to make it up,
Stop trying to impress;
Don’t rush – but trust,
Then enter in My rest;
And, whatever I say, just do it,
Action out of rest,
Love Me, Love you, Love others,
And we will all be truly blessed.”