We all meet all kinds of attitudes within and outside our family members. It would be great to know the best ways to effectively meet each type of person by knowing three basic attitudes to look for. Anyone seeking to share any form of “good news” (parents, pastors, teachers, salesmen, politicians, evangelists, and innovators) will want to discern the heart attitude of the one they are speaking to and adjust their speech accordingly.
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Potential options include:
- I could avoid conversations when I disagree with a person.
- I could argue until they see it my way, or the relationship is broken.
- I could scorn them and deplatform them
- I could ask questions to see where they are at and why, and then seek to answer their questions with revelation-based responses.
Three heart attitudes require three different communication styles
What are the different styles of speech Jesus used when dealing with different types of people?
- Jesus taught those with a love for the truth (2 Thess. 2:10). These are the multitudes who came to Him.
- Jesus healed the disheartened. (Emmaus Road – Asked questions about their experience and then offered insights which illumined their understanding of their life experiences and filled them with joy.)
- Jesus avoided the scoffer as they are under a spirit of delusion (2 Thess. 2:11 – demonized). “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces (Matt. 7:6).
Category 1 – Teaching those with a love for the truth
Untainted children are often in this category, as are hungry, growing Christians, and people in the development stage seeking to become all they can be. For Jesus, this would be the multitudes who followed Him as well as His disciples. Jesus taught them truth, most often using parables and stories. Jesus tells me, “Mark, lead with your story. Your story is your sword. Stories paint pictures. Stories touch the heart. You have also learned to pose questions, as you know, people do not hear the answer if they have not even asked the question. So you pose a dilemma along with a question, to get them primed to hear and receive the answer you are about to offer them.” Let’s learn to tell stories and ask God for meaningful parables that will make truth clear to those who are hungry.
Category 2 – Healing the hurting (Lk. 24:13-35)
People who have gone through pain may be sad (Lk. 24:17). Jesus comes alongside and asks them a general question, “What are you talking about?” They share their perspective of the painful events. Then Jesus shares with them His re-interpretation of those same events, bringing forth God’s perspective on them, as he builds on Scriptures they know and trust, but have never seen applied in this fashion. We can tune to the Spirit (tune to flow with our eyes on Jesus) and do the same with those we are walking with. It is easy and childlike.
Category 3 – Do NOT engage the scoffer, the mocker, the demonized
Jesus compares some people to dogs and swine, who will trample you and the insights you share under their feet and then turn to attack and destroy you. The Bible has many mentions of this type of people and how we are to steer clear of them (Prov. 9:7,8; 13:1; 14:6; 17:21; 21:24; 22:10; 24:9). My prayer for them is that the demons be bound in Jesus’ name and that the Holy Spirit convict them.
Journaling questions
- Lord, what would You say to me concerning ministering to different types of people and asking questions?
- 4 keys to hearing God’s voice: Stillness, vision, flow, journaling. See this link.
God’s response to Mark Virkler
Mark, it is in the asking of questions that a person becomes fully engaged. They must think, ponder, and respond.
What questions would I ask of a person I wanted to introduce to hearing Your voice?
Mark, ask if they have ever heard God’s voice? If so, can they describe the experience? What did God sound like? How did you know it was God and not just yourself? Is it a repeatable experience? If so, how?
These questions draw a person in and grant them self-revelation. Plus, since you are asking them thoughtful questions, they feel honored and esteemed, and in return, they honor you.
Mark, I asked questions all the time. It caused people to disclose their hearts to Me. ASK questions rather the simply providing answers.
Mark, you do begin your seminars by telling the group all the questions you asked and the answers you received back when you were battling to hear My voice. This does draw them in.
You have also learned to ask important health questions when people are seeking your help.
- When did this infirmity first show up?
- What happened in your life at this time (tune to flow and tell me what pops into your mind)?
- Have you ever been through deliverance? Did you feel any release?
- Have you ever been through inner healing? Can you describe one of those occurrences? (I am listening to hear if they actually had a living encounter with Jesus where He spoke and showed them things… as most often they haven’t).
Lord, thank You for Your guidance and help. Strengthen me in asking Spirit-led questions.
I will, My son. I will. Simply ask and you receive.
Dig deeper – learning to ask good questions – free downloadable booklets
- Top 10 Questions from Jesus Christ in the Bible
- 340 Questions that Jesus Asked
- Success Unlocked – The questions that taught leaders to ask smarter questions
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