We read some verses from 1 Samuel 23:1-12:

1 „And it was announced to David, ‚Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and robbing the threshing floors.‘“ The Philistines had attacked an Israelite town and robbed them of their grain harvest.

2 „Then David asked the LORD And he said, Shall I go and smite these Philistines?‘ And the LORD said to David: Go, you will defeat the Philistines and save Keilah!“

David needs advice, he doesn't know how to decide. On the one hand, he feels responsible for protecting his people. But should he really fight the Philistines with his few men? He asks God and receives the answer: „Yes, attack! You will win.“

Back then, David hid in the desert with a few guerrilla fighters because King Saul wanted to kill him. His men objected: „Do you want to fight a war on two fronts?“

3 „But the men with David said to him, "Behold, we are already afraid here in Judea, and now will we go to Keilah against the army of the Philistines?“

What does David do now? Does he drop the plan? Does he become insecure?

Or does he start a fight with his troupe?

4 „Then David asked the LORD again and the Lord answered him: ‚Go to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.‘“

This is wonderful: when we are uncertain, we can also ask our God for a second answer. We become strong when we know for sure what God wants in this situation. David's men go with him without further objection after their leader has asked for God's advice a second time. One senses that God's answer has completely convinced David. And this also made his men certain and they were all in agreement, although we find no indication that David referred to God's answer to his fighters.

5 „So David and his men went to Keilah and fought against the Philistines and drove away their livestock and struck them hard. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.“

What God had predicted to David had been fulfilled.

7/8 „Then it was announced to Saul that David had come to Keilah, and Saul thought: ‚God has delivered him into my hands, for he is shut up now that he has come into a city with gates and bars.‘ 8 So Saul summoned all the men of war to go down to Keilah to fight, so that they might besiege David and his men.“

Saul thought: „God has given him into my hands.“ Saul thought that what he wanted was the will of God. A blatant mistake! Don't do as Saul did!

David learns from a messenger that Saul and his troops are on their way to Keilah - he wants to encircle the city and take him prisoner there. What does David do? He asks God again.

10-13 „And David said: ‚O LORD God of Israel, your servant has heard that Saul is seeking to go to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the people of Keilah deliver me into his hands? And will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Proclaim this to your servant, O LORD God of Israel!’ And the Lord said‚He will come. 12 David asked further‚Will the people of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hands of Saul?‘ The LORD said: ‚Yes.‘ 13 So David and his men, about six hundred of them, set out and travelled from Keilah, wandering here and there. And when it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah, he stood back from his journey.”

So Saul is on his way to Keilah. David hears about it. God confirms to him that Saul is coming and that the people of Keilah will hand him over. So he leaves the city and hides somewhere else. Saul learns of this and changes his plan: he renounces this campaign.

And David heard from our wonderful God what would happen if he did not flee from Keilah. God can also tell us what will happen if we don't act.

Would you also like to be counselled by God? This is another way in which we experience God's love.

I would now like to briefly tell you how I learnt to ask God for advice.

In the spring of 1964, I had the idea that I could do a year abroad in England. I wanted to study English and a few Bible subjects at Newbold College. I was working in a haulage company at the time and when I asked my boss if he could give me a year's leave of absence, he firmly refused.

Hearing God's voice

A few months later, during my summer holiday, I read the book „About praying“ (Hallesby, Brockhaus). The author compares our praying to the behaviour of a person who goes to the doctor, tells him his problems and then goes away without the doctor being able to examine him or help him. On a walk with my friend, who was spending his holiday in the same place, I told him about what I had just read. I concluded: „We should give God the chance to speak to us.“ My friend, the pastor, said: „Yes, of course.“

I asked him: „Has God ever spoken to you before?“ He replied: „Of course.“ I asked: „How do you hear that?“ He replied: „You can't hear it with your ears, but inwardly, the way you listen to your conscience.“ Then it occurred to me that I could actually ask God if I should go to England.

The next morning I asked God in my prayer whether I should do this year abroad in England or not. Afterwards, I remained silent and suddenly got the impression that God had said to me: „Go to England.“ But shortly after praying, I was unsure whether this was an answer from God or just my wishful thinking. So the next morning I brought my request before God again. In the silence, I received the answer again: „Go to England.“ But I still wasn't sure. At the same time, I realised that I absolutely had to go to England if God wanted me to. That would also have meant quitting my good job if my boss kept saying no. So on the third morning I prayed again: „Father, don't be angry that I'm asking you for an answer again. You know that I have no experience of listening to your voice. Besides, I might have to quit my job. What's more, my wife Ingrid would then be alone with our son for nine months. I would therefore ask you to tell me again. I also ask that when I read today's chapter in the Bible later on, that I find confirmation in it. And I also ask that you give Ingrid clarity, independently of me, that I should go to England. She should tell me of her own accord.“

In the silence, God told me for the third time, „Go to England.“ Then I read my chapter from that day in the Bible: John 15. verse 14 says, „You are my friends if you do what I command you.“ I immediately realised: „This is God's confirmation.“ After my prayer, my dear wife said to me: „Haven't you got an answer about England yet? I'm sure you should go to England.“ So the Lord answered all three of my requests that day and gave me clarity.

When we came home from our holiday, we visited my dear mother. I told her: „I thought about the England question again while I was on holiday.“ She interrupted me and said: „Yes, I know you're going to England.“ I asked her: „How do you know that?“ She replied, „I've been praying about it.“ My dear mum knew that we can ask God about His will in a specific situation. But she had never spoken to me about it.

God can do miracles when we listen to his voice. Please notice now how God has led me in this request.

Hearings

We then prayed together as a family that my boss would grant me unpaid leave for my nine-month stay in England without me having to resign from my position. So the next morning I reported back to my boss from my holiday and - after a brief general conversation - made my request. I asked for 9 months unpaid leave in a year's time so that I could study in England. He approved my request on the spot. He later regretted his decision and tried to talk me out of it, but he still kept his word. We then went on a business trip together. The boss told me that he had increased my salary. The additional sum covered the entire tuition fees for my studies at Newbold College.

A few years earlier, I had established a business relationship that brought our company great profits. This business was now to be transferred to another branch of our group, although this branch had not been involved in this project at all. I thought that the branch could actually pay me DM 500 a month while I was studying in England.

So I asked God if I should ask for the continued payment of a monthly salary of DM 500 for my stay in England. God didn't answer my questions for the next three days. So I decided not to ask my boss for the money and left the matter to God. I said to my wife: „I'm not going to ask for this money; if God wants, he can give it to us without me asking.

The day after next, the boss told me: „I have some good news for you. When you are in England, you will continue to receive a salary of DM 500.“ We were amazed and thanked our God. I also received a DM 500 Christmas bonus.

Years earlier, two doctors had told my wife that she would not be able to conceive another child. But ten years later, she was suddenly pregnant again. Under these circumstances, I wanted to cancel the study visit to England. But my wife said: „We prayed about it. God already knew back then that I would get pregnant. You should therefore go to England as planned. The Lord will take care of me during this time too.“ We found out that my wife would already be five months pregnant when I left and that I could be home for the birth on 21 December during the Christmas holidays. So I went ahead with my plan and travelled to London at the end of August 1965 on the overnight express train via Brussels - Ostend - Dover.

When I woke up on the train in the morning, I saw a young man sitting on his suitcase in the corridor outside my compartment window, sleeping. He had fine, noble features. Suddenly I spotted a tag on his suitcase with the destination: Newbold College, Bracknell, England. He also wanted to go where I wanted to go. We got to know each other. He was Dutch and was studying theology at our English seminary. He spoke English very well - and he knew the way. So I had a travelling companion and guide through London. That was very helpful, because I arrived in this city of millions in the east and had to find my way to a railway station in the west of the city.

Handover

I found a friend in Erik at the mission school. He was a preacher and youth secretary of the Swedish Association. One Friday afternoon, Erik was playing football with the younger students. While running, he collapsed dead. I was very sad. Almost immediately after hearing about it, the question arose in me: „Who will the Lord call to preach the gospel in his place?“ A few hours later, a second question came to my mind: „What if God were to call me?“ That was the end of it for me. There was no way I wanted to be a preacher. I was passionate about business, had a very interesting job, was highly valued in my company and lived in a beautiful part of Germany.

The question worried me a lot. I said to God: „Not everyone needs to become a preacher. I earn a lot of money, so I can pay for a young man to train as a preacher. And: I work in the church and I can get even more involved.“ This went on day after day for a whole week. I struggled with God morning, noon and night. When I knelt by my bed again on Friday evening, I was totally helpless. I didn't know what to do until the thought quietly came to me:

„God loves you! He also loves your wife and your baby boy and the unborn child. He will not call you to be a preacher and then allow you to be unhappy as a family. And if he should call you, then he will also give you the necessary gifts for this ministry. Since God loves you, he will lead you in the best possible way.“

A few moments later, I said to God: „Father in heaven, I believe in your love, omniscience and omnipotence. Unfortunately, I have to say that I don't really want to be a preacher. But if that's what you want, then I'm ready for it. From now on, I want to do your will in all things. But because I don't want to become a preacher of my own accord, I won't let anyone know about my willingness. If you want me, then you must call me, because you are almighty.“

After this prayer I was at peace.

Postponed birth

Then a new problem arose there in Newbold. When I saw the exam dates, I was blown away. They were set for 21 December. That was the day our child was due to be born. What should I do now? I prayed and thought back and forth. Then I said to myself: „I am here because the Lord wanted me here. I will pray that the Lord will delay the birth until I am home after I have passed the exams.“ I shared this with my wife. When she received my letter, she prayed: „Dear God, please help the baby to be born a week earlier so that I am already at home when Helmut arrives.“ Can we embarrass the good Lord?

So I wrote my exams in England on 21 December and left immediately afterwards by train. I arrived in Wangen im Allgäu on 22 December in the evening. My wife was still round as a ball. We rejoiced in God's guidance and spent a lovely evening together with our son Jürgen. After breakfast on 23 December, my wife said: „It's time now. Take me to the hospital now.“ Our Claus was born in the course of the morning. He was healthy and the birth went without any complications.

God's call

I finished my studies at Newbold College in the early summer of 1966 and then went back to work for my company. Another year later, when I travelled to Munich for a meeting of my church in southern Bavaria, I met the president of the association there, Karl Köhler, in the entrance area. He wanted to talk to me for a moment. I knew immediately what was about to happen.

Brother Köhler said: „During the Second World War, no pastors could be trained. Now some preachers have died and this has left a big gap. That's why we want to call some committed church members directly into the pastoral ministry. We have come to the conclusion that you could be one of these brothers.“ I thanked him for his trust and asked him to think about it.

My wife and I decided to pray and fast for four weeks for this cause. We wanted to know from God whether this was his call for us or whether I should help out here in a purely human need. We both came to the certainty that this was God's call. So in 1968, at the age of 38, I became a pastor.

Experience flat Regensburg

To the glory of God and for your encouragement, I would like to share one of many experiences. In May 1968, we were informed that our ministry as a preaching couple was to begin in Regensburg on 1 September. We immediately travelled to Regensburg to look for accommodation. We found a flat in a new building, but it was already rented out. However, the people from the construction company said that the flat would definitely be available when we needed it, as the tenants had not paid their instalments and the case was already being heard in court.

Ingrid and I prayed whether we should wait for this flat. God's answer was „wait“. So we waited a few months. Even our believing relatives couldn't understand why we were just waiting. We contacted the construction company again and were told: „The flat will definitely become available and if it doesn't, we'll give you our show flat.“ We prayed again. God's answer: „Wait.“ So we waited until five days before the moving date. Then a letter arrived from the construction company: they were very sorry that they couldn't keep their promise, we couldn't get the flat we wanted or another one as a replacement ...

We immediately travelled to Regensburg and found an excellent flat in a beautiful residential area with a wonderful view and a swimming pool on the hillside behind the house. When the landlord learnt that I was an Adventist pastor, he reduced the rent because his closest colleague was an Adventist. The rooms were well laid out and there was a large garage and cellar. We were able to move in on time. Eight months after we started, we had a major evangelisation with an evangelist from the USA. We were able to store a lot of equipment in this garage. We can rely on our heavenly Father. The flat we got was much better than the other one!

Important realisation

At the age of 17, I decided in favour of baptism during a sermon. I was convinced that the Seventh-day Adventist Church represented the truth and that it was God's church of the last days. However, 19 years later, through my experience in England, I realised that I had only accepted the general teachings of the Word of God. I had not accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord. Until then, I had determined my own path in life and prayed that the Lord would bless it. The decision to accept Jesus as Lord in November 1965 and to follow him in everything changed my whole life for the better. I am only sorry that I lost 19 valuable years before this decision.

Don't we have a wonderful God? One song says: You can trust him in the darkest night. And another: It is marvellous to trust Jesus.

So, this is how I do it: I thank our Father with all my heart that the Holy Spirit is the „Spirit of advice and strength is“ (Isaiah 11:2), who can give us the right advice in every situation in life. And I would like to praise and thank him for that.

An important note: I believe that the promises of the Bible normally only apply to children of God who are born again and live in a new life in full devotion to Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit. All others may run the risk of being led astray by other influences in this hearing.

Furthermore, God will only give us advice if we are prepared in advance to do what he will tell us to do and he will only advise us if we do not tolerate deliberate and wilful sin in our lives.

When I pray that our wonderful God will show me his will, I refer to two promises. And that is

Psalm 32:8: „I will instruct you and show you the way you should go.“ and

James 1:5: „But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all gladly and upbraids no one, and it will be given to him.“

Further strengthening texts for this path:

„He who is of God hears the words of God; you do not hear because you are not of God.“ (John 8:47)

„Jesus says: "My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.“
(John 10:27)

„He who is of the truth hears my voice.“ (John 18:37b)

„Your ears will hear the word behind you: This is the way; go! Otherwise neither to the right hand nor to the left.“ (Jesaja 30,21)

„The ways of the Lord are only goodness and faithfulness to all who keep his covenant and his commandments. ... Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will show him the way he should go.“ (Psalm 25,10.12)

Before I pray silently for God's answer, I ask him to block all my own desires and wills during the time I listen to his voice. I also ask him to block any outside influence so that I only hear his voice.

I then refer to Jesus„ promise in John 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

I formulate my question in such a way that I bring it before God so that he can give me an answer in just one or two words. God could tell us more, but I think of our „hearing impairment“.

Now an example: „Father, is it your will that I travel to Romania or not?“ If I have the answer: „travelling“ or similar, then I ask the Lord to tell me whether it should be on this date or at a later date. Then the Lord can answer us with a word. Despite corona, I travelled to Romania in 2020 and 2021 without any corona problems.
(The 2020 experience can be read in www.missionsbrief.de - Missionsbrief 54, p. 7)

As long as my dear wife was alive, we brought all decisions that affected us as a family before God together. We agreed on which question we wanted to bring before the Lord. Then we prayed in separate rooms, each for ourselves. We only told each other what we understood the answer to be once we both had the answer. It was essential for us to get the same answer or, if it had different wording, to agree on the matter. If God didn't give us an answer, we came to the conclusion that we shouldn't do anything.

God's answers are generally not answers that we can hear with our ears, but more like the voice of conscience. It is an inner conviction, a strong impression.

In the early days of praying for God's will, I often had a pen and notepaper to hand in case I was distracted by other thoughts. I then jotted down these other ideas briefly and focussed on God again.

Those who have not yet travelled this path should perhaps not start right away with major decisions, but first ask an easier question as an exercise: „Father, does it honour you and is it good for me if I read this book now?“ We have a wonderful God who gives us advice. God is pleased to give us all his love. If we follow his will, we can fully trust that we will receive the answer in time - although this could happen at the last minute.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, God invites us to ask him for advice: „Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, but remember him in all your ways, and he will guide you.“

Ellen White tells us:

„We need to hear God speak to each one of us, and when every other voice is silent and we wait quietly for him, the voice of God will be heard through silence. He says: ‚Be still and know that I am God‘ (Psalm 46:10).“ (The life of Jesus S. 356 [363.3])

Don't do like Joshua and the elders. They thought they could judge the situation correctly and fell for the Gibeonites' trickery. Joshua 9:14 tells us how: „They did not question the mouth of the Lord.“ - It makes a big difference whether we mean, to know the will of God, or whether we have asked God for his will.

And don't do it like Saul. „Saul thought: God has given him into my hands ...“
(1 Samuel 23:7, 8) He thought his evil desire was the will of God.

Would you also like to be counselled by God? I can only say to everyone: this is another wonderful way to experience God's love and gain valuable experience. May God give you his grace.