July 22, 2025
Soul Formation: The Metaphysical Boot Camp
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In this episode of Battleground, we delve into the concept of life as a metaphysical boot camp, where the mission is soul formation. Our host, Merrill, challenges listeners to shift their focus from temporary, external achievements to the eternal shaping of their essence. Drawing from scriptures such as Second Corinthians 4:16 and Romans 12:2, the discussion emphasizes the importance of renewing the mind and developing resilience, not through behavior modification but through intentional soul training. Merrill encourages listeners to embrace the friction of life's challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation, urging them to become unshakable and aligned with their true purpose.
We explore the power of silence as a tool for spiritual training, highlighting the importance of creating space for reflection and discernment. Protocol two is introduced, advocating for one hour of daily silence to combat the tyranny of constant noise and distraction. Through biblical examples, Merrill illustrates how silence can lead to deeper communion with God and clarity of thought. This episode invites listeners to consider the noise in their lives and challenges them to embrace stillness as a form of rebellion and spiritual warfare, ultimately preparing them for the battles of life.
00:00 - Introduction to Soul Formation
02:30 - The Role of Discipline and Training
05:20 - Protocol Two: Silence and Signal Discipline
10:36 - Biblical Examples of Silence
18:21 - The Power of Silence in Spiritual Growth
22:16 - Conclusion: The Metaphysical Boot Camp
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NOTE
Transcription provided by Podhome.fm
Created: 7/19/2025 7:06:02 PM
Duration: 1431.406
Channels: 1
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Welcome back, soldier.
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You've crossed the threshold.
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You're no longer asking if life is training. You're now asking
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before.
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So let's get clear.
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The mission
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is soul formation.
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Your body,
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temporary.
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Your reputation,
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baiting.
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Your money, your social feed, your resume.
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They don't leave the camp.
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But your essence,
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your soul, the you behind your thoughts,
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the one who feels,
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wrestles, chooses,
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that is what's being shaped here.
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The world trains your body.
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Boot camp trains your being.
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Second Corinthians four sixteen,
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though outwardly,
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we are wasting away,
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inwardly,
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we are being renewed
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day by day.
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Scripture doesn't flinch.
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Your flesh is fading, but your thinking essence
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is in training.
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You're not here to master your image.
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You're here
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to become
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unshakable,
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to develop a soul that's not reactive,
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but resilient.
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Not lukewarm,
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but lit with fire from another world.
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And it's not about behavior.
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If this were just about rules,
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a robot could pass.
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But God isn't after machines.
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He's after sons and daughters
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forged through pressure,
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willing hearts,
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awakened minds.
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Romans twelve two,
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be transformed
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by the renewing of your mind.
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It doesn't say conform your behavior.
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It says
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be transformed.
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How?
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By thinking.
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First Corinthians nine twenty seven.
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I discipline my body like an athlete.
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Discipline is soul shaping,
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not punishment.
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It's the friction that reveals your
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form.
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Hebrews five fourteen,
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solid food is for the mature,
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who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish
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good from evil.
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Training,
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constant use.
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It's all about discernment.
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Your ability to perceive what's true and act on it.
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That's boot camp right here. God isn't watching your steps.
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He's watching your sight.
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Plato
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said, the soul is imprisoned in the body and philosophy is training for death.
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Now imagine swapping philosophy
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with faith,
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training for eternity,
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boot camp for the soul.
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Kierkegaard said, the self must be chosen in the anxiety
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of freedom.
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Translation,
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you must become
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intentionally,
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painfully,
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who you were created
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to be.
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You can't borrow identity.
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You must forge it.
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In Augustine,
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he said the soul is restless
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until it rests in God.
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That rest doesn't come through escape.
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It comes through formation.
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So what does this look like now?
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It looks like this.
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You hit a wall of temptation
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and instead of indulging, you ask,
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what is this here to teach me?
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You're in a conversation
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and your ego wants to win, but your spirit says, stay soft,
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stay sharp.
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You're discouraged,
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overwhelmed, and the easy thing is to distract yourself,
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But you don't. You sit.
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You feel. You choose truth
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over numbness.
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Each of these moments
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are training reps,
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forming something eternal inside of you.
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Take sixty seconds with me now.
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Turn down the noise,
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breathe in, and ask, who am I becoming?
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Not,
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am I winning? Not,
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do they like me? Not, did I do enough today?
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But
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who am I becoming?
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Are your thoughts aligned?
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Is your spirit awake?
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Are your choices forming light
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or shadows?
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Boot camp isn't graded on performance.
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It's judged on alignment.
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Here's the paradox.
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God loves you unconditionally,
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but your formation
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still matters
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Because love isn't a free pass, it's
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a call to rise.
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You're not being punished,
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you're being prepared,
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and every hard thing you face is shaping the soldier you're meant to become.
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Next time, we'll talk about
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command structure, why God's authority isn't control, but protection.
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Until then, train well, think clearly, form your soul. This is a metaphysical
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boot camp.
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Now for protocol two,
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things you can actually implement.
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Silence and signal
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discipline.
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The enemy
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speaks in noise.
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Most people will never hear the signal
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because they've made themselves
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allergic to silence.
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We were trained to fill the void.
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Silence feels like failure.
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Stillness feels like death.
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But the signal of truth does not scream.
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It whispers
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beneath the static.
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The objective,
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identify
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the tyranny of constant noise.
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The exercise,
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one hour a day of total silence. No phone, no people, just thought.
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Most aren't afraid of demons. They're afraid of their own thoughts when no one's watching.
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Observe what arises. Is it fear, regret,
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lust, shame?
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These voices are not enemies. They are untrained
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soldiers of thought
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waiting for a commander.
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Ask
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which thoughts belong to me
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and which were planted by the world?
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Why do I need noise to feel alive?
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Whose voice do I mistake for my own?
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Be still and know that I am God.
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Psalms forty six ten.
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The enemy thrives in distraction,
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but the awakened
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hear what the others fear,
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the truth hidden in the quiet.
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Again, protocol two, commit to one hour of silence today. Observe
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what arises when the noise is gone and read Psalms 46.
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Silence used to be sacred.
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Now, it's nearly extinct.
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We live in a world engineered
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to keep our minds full and our souls
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empty.
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Every spare second is filled. Music in your ears when you walk, videos while you eat, podcasts in the shower,
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scrolling before sleep.
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Even your quiet time gets hijacked by your phone vibrating in your pocket.
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And we wonder why we feel
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disconnected from ourselves,
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why we can't hear God.
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Protocol two
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challenges that norm. It says,
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silence isn't a void.
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It's a battlefield.
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Because when you remove the noise, you start to hear what's really inside.
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Fear,
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pain, confusion,
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unresolved memories.
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And most of us are afraid of that, so we stay busy.
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But imagine this, you wake up tomorrow and leave your phone off for the first thirty minutes.
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You sit in silence with a cup of tea.
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You journal whatever comes up. At first, it's uncomfortable.
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Your brain claws for stimulation,
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but then
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something settles.
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Or picture commuting without a podcast,
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walking without a playlist,
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standing in line without a screen.
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These small choices
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create mental space, and in that space,
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clarity
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can finally speak.
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Silence trains your spiritual ears. It reveals your attachments,
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your fears, your untrained
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thoughts, and only in that quiet can you start replacing them with truth.
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So in this world that sells you noise, remember,
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stillness is rebellion.
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Silence is training.
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Listening
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is warfare.
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Here are 20 Bible examples that resonate with this protocol.
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Elijah hears God in the whisper,
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first Kings nineteen eleven twelve.
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God wasn't in the wind,
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earthquake, or fire,
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but in a still small voice.
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Elijah had to wait through the noise
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to hear it. The silence is not empty, but a space where God's presence and communication
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are felt,
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emphasizing that God can speak in subtle ways,
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not just through dramatic events.
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In the silence,
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God asked Elijah what he is doing there and then commissions him for further service,
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demonstrating
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his continued care and guidance.
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Jesus withdraws to lonely places to pray.
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Luke five sixteen.
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Regularly
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escaping the crowd and noise,
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Jesus shows that clarity
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comes in solitude.
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The practice of silence
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as exemplified by Jesus
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allows us to disconnect from the noise and
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distractions
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of the world,
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creating space for deeper reflection,
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prayer, and listening to God's voice,
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creating a habit of disconnecting from technology
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to be present in the moment.
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Be still and know that I am God, Psalms forty six ten.
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Stillness is not weakness. It is sacred
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recognition.
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This is not merely about physical stillness, but also about quieting the mind and heart to be receptive
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to God's presence and guidance.
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Psalms 46
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describes a world filled with turmoil and conflict,
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yet it calls for us to find peace in God's presence amidst the chaos.
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Stillness can be a time of reflection and introspection,
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allowing us to realign our focus and trusting God's plan for our lives.
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While physical quiet is helpful,
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true stillness in Psalms forty six ten involves a surrender
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of anxieties
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and a turning towards God's presence.
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Moses alone on Mount Sinai,
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Exodus twenty four fifteen through 18,
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God calls Moses into the cloud.
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Forty days in complete isolation
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away from the camp's noise.
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Jesus in the wilderness,
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Matthew four one two.
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Before ministry,
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Jesus enters a total silence and fasting.
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Noise is removed
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so the soul can be tested.
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Regularly practicing silence and solitude
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can help us develop spiritual resilience
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and prepare for facing temptations.
272
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This highlights the significance of silence
273
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and solitude in Jesus' experience
274
00:12:14.755 --> 00:12:17.255
as the Greek word used for wilderness
275
00:12:17.795 --> 00:12:20.535
is derived from a word meaning solitude.
276
00:12:21.470 --> 00:12:25.090
It suggests that Jesus sought a quiet place of reflection
277
00:12:25.550 --> 00:12:27.090
and spiritual preparation
278
00:12:27.950 --> 00:12:28.450
before
279
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facing significant temptation.
280
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Job's friends sit in silence for seven days.
281
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Job two thirteen.
282
00:12:37.904 --> 00:12:40.165
Before their unhelpful talking,
283
00:12:40.705 --> 00:12:43.525
they grieve in holy silence,
284
00:12:44.385 --> 00:12:46.485
the only helpful thing they did.
285
00:12:47.025 --> 00:12:51.525
The seven days and nights of silence are a powerful expression of sympathy.
286
00:12:52.040 --> 00:12:58.860
It shows that the friends recognize the depth of Job's suffering and refrain from offering premature
287
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or unhelpful
288
00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:01.500
advice.
289
00:13:03.560 --> 00:13:05.100
Zechariah struck mute.
290
00:13:06.125 --> 00:13:10.305
Luke one twenty. When Zechariah doubted the angel,
291
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his voice was taken,
292
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forcing
293
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internal
294
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reflection
295
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before proclamation.
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Zechariah's muteness serves as a sign to him
297
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and others that God's word is true and will come to pass.
298
00:13:27.830 --> 00:13:30.650
Jesus' silent trial before Pilate,
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Matthew twenty seven fourteen.
300
00:13:33.495 --> 00:13:35.195
He refused to argue,
301
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to prove,
302
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to explain.
303
00:13:39.014 --> 00:13:40.875
Silence was his answer.
304
00:13:41.894 --> 00:13:42.954
Pilate's amazement
305
00:13:43.495 --> 00:13:45.274
at Jesus' silence
306
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underscores the unusual nature of this behavior.
307
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This silence is important
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because Jesus typically
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spoke with authority and wisdom.
310
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His silence could be interpreted as a focus on fulfilling God's will,
311
00:14:02.205 --> 00:14:03.665
even if it meant suffering.
312
00:14:04.285 --> 00:14:09.265
His silence, rather than fear, could be a way of demonstrating his control
313
00:14:09.645 --> 00:14:10.705
over the situation
314
00:14:11.245 --> 00:14:14.065
and his willingness to submit to God's plan.
315
00:14:14.890 --> 00:14:15.390
Silence
316
00:14:15.770 --> 00:14:16.270
demonstrates
317
00:14:16.970 --> 00:14:17.470
control.
318
00:14:19.370 --> 00:14:22.910
David reflects in silence. Psalm sixty two one,
319
00:14:23.450 --> 00:14:26.750
for God alone my soul waits in silence.
320
00:14:27.635 --> 00:14:32.855
The Psalm encourages a deliberate setting aside of distractions and noise to focus
321
00:14:33.315 --> 00:14:34.055
on God.
322
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It's not about physical quiet, but a mental and emotional stillness where one can truly listen for God's voice and guidance.
323
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The silence in Psalm 62,
324
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it's not passive or indifferent.
325
00:14:49.050 --> 00:14:53.070
It's a waiting that is filled with trust and hope,
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00:14:53.529 --> 00:14:55.470
believing that God will ultimately
327
00:14:56.089 --> 00:14:58.110
deliver and provide salvation.
328
00:14:58.875 --> 00:15:02.895
It can be a source of profound peace and inner strength.
329
00:15:03.515 --> 00:15:05.695
By quieting the noise and distractions,
330
00:15:06.235 --> 00:15:10.255
we can connect with God's presence and find solace and reassurance
331
00:15:10.875 --> 00:15:12.495
in his power and love.
332
00:15:14.230 --> 00:15:16.089
Hannah's silent prayer misunderstood.
333
00:15:17.350 --> 00:15:20.009
First Samuel one twelve through 13.
334
00:15:20.709 --> 00:15:24.009
Her lips moved, but no sound came,
335
00:15:24.550 --> 00:15:26.089
yet God heard her.
336
00:15:26.945 --> 00:15:28.565
Silence is not absence.
337
00:15:29.185 --> 00:15:31.525
The fact that Hannah's prayer is silent
338
00:15:31.985 --> 00:15:36.245
contrast with the usual practice of vocal prayer in the temple,
339
00:15:36.705 --> 00:15:39.365
emphasizing the inwardness and intensity
340
00:15:39.985 --> 00:15:41.045
of her devotion.
341
00:15:42.970 --> 00:15:43.870
Jesus says,
342
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go into your room and close the door. Matthew six six.
343
00:15:49.210 --> 00:15:51.150
Prayer is not performance.
344
00:15:52.250 --> 00:15:55.630
Privacy and stillness unlock true communion.
345
00:15:56.575 --> 00:15:57.555
Jesus criticizes
346
00:15:57.935 --> 00:15:59.315
those who pray publicly
347
00:15:59.774 --> 00:16:00.995
to appear pious,
348
00:16:01.695 --> 00:16:05.635
highlighting the contrast between genuine prayer and performance
349
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prayer.
350
00:16:07.295 --> 00:16:14.830
This assures us that God who sees our secret prayers, will reward us implying that true devotion
351
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is recognized
352
00:16:16.570 --> 00:16:18.670
and valued by God.
353
00:16:19.210 --> 00:16:19.710
Habakkuk.
354
00:16:20.410 --> 00:16:24.030
The Lord is his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent.
355
00:16:24.495 --> 00:16:26.115
Habakkuk two twenty.
356
00:16:26.735 --> 00:16:30.435
Reverence is shown not by noise, but by hushed
357
00:16:30.815 --> 00:16:31.315
awe.
358
00:16:32.015 --> 00:16:33.235
The call for silence
359
00:16:33.775 --> 00:16:37.635
signifies deep respect and humility before God's presence.
360
00:16:38.190 --> 00:16:42.530
It's a recognition of his greatness and a submission to his will.
361
00:16:42.910 --> 00:16:46.770
Just as God's essence was in Jesus' body temporarily,
362
00:16:47.710 --> 00:16:50.610
your essence is in your body temporarily.
363
00:16:52.865 --> 00:16:55.045
The silence before the seventh trumpet,
364
00:16:55.345 --> 00:16:56.885
Revelation eight one.
365
00:16:57.425 --> 00:17:00.485
Heaven itself pauses for thirty minutes of silence
366
00:17:01.185 --> 00:17:02.565
before a massive
367
00:17:03.105 --> 00:17:03.605
spiritual
368
00:17:03.905 --> 00:17:04.405
shift.
369
00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:12.400
The silence in heaven for half an hour is a striking contrast to the usual praise and worship described in Revelation.
370
00:17:13.340 --> 00:17:14.240
This silence
371
00:17:14.620 --> 00:17:16.960
suggests a solemn and momentous
372
00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:19.200
occasion is about to unfold.
373
00:17:19.815 --> 00:17:20.794
After the silence,
374
00:17:21.335 --> 00:17:23.514
seven angels are introduced to
375
00:17:23.815 --> 00:17:25.995
who have been given seven trumpets.
376
00:17:27.575 --> 00:17:29.674
God's judgments upon the earth,
377
00:17:30.294 --> 00:17:33.995
marking the beginning of a new phase of God's actions in Revelation.
378
00:17:35.010 --> 00:17:40.950
Another angel is introduced holding a golden censer and offering the prayers of the saints before God.
379
00:17:41.410 --> 00:17:47.110
This act of offering incense with the prayers of believers connects the silence and the coming judgments
380
00:17:47.570 --> 00:17:49.990
with the prayers of God's people.
381
00:17:50.995 --> 00:17:53.174
The angel then fills the censer
382
00:17:53.715 --> 00:17:57.095
with fire from the altar and cast it upon the earth,
383
00:17:57.875 --> 00:17:59.335
resulting in voices,
384
00:18:00.195 --> 00:18:00.695
thunderings,
385
00:18:01.635 --> 00:18:02.135
lightnings,
386
00:18:02.595 --> 00:18:03.415
and an earthquake.
387
00:18:05.370 --> 00:18:07.950
This signifies the beginning of the judgments
388
00:18:08.650 --> 00:18:10.430
associated with the seven trumpets.
389
00:18:11.130 --> 00:18:11.630
Silence
390
00:18:12.010 --> 00:18:12.510
before
391
00:18:12.890 --> 00:18:13.390
judgment.
392
00:18:13.850 --> 00:18:19.790
Isn't this what we fear about silence? The judgment we try to wipe out with noise.
393
00:18:21.524 --> 00:18:23.465
Jesus separates from the disciples.
394
00:18:24.085 --> 00:18:27.705
Matthew twenty six thirty six through 39.
395
00:18:28.245 --> 00:18:31.625
Even among friends, some moments required sacred
396
00:18:32.005 --> 00:18:32.505
aloneness.
397
00:18:34.010 --> 00:18:37.230
Paul's three days of blind silence after conversation,
398
00:18:37.929 --> 00:18:39.549
acts nine eight nine.
399
00:18:40.090 --> 00:18:41.549
After encountering Jesus,
400
00:18:42.250 --> 00:18:47.309
Paul spends three days in silence and darkness before receiving clarity,
401
00:18:47.995 --> 00:18:49.615
neither eating nor drinking.
402
00:18:50.395 --> 00:18:53.695
We need to be silent to be clear on our mission.
403
00:18:55.275 --> 00:18:58.815
The Tower Of Babel, human noise versus God's design.
404
00:18:59.195 --> 00:19:01.215
Genesis eleven one through nine.
405
00:19:01.820 --> 00:19:04.080
Collective noise and self
406
00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:04.960
glorification
407
00:19:05.820 --> 00:19:07.120
led to confusion,
408
00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.640
not clarity.
409
00:19:09.260 --> 00:19:11.440
Isn't our noise and self glorification
410
00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:14.320
also leading us in that direction?
411
00:19:14.765 --> 00:19:17.505
We no longer are able to read the one language,
412
00:19:17.965 --> 00:19:23.985
body language, because we don't take the time to look at people or talk to people.
413
00:19:25.805 --> 00:19:28.945
Mary ponders in her heart. Luke two nineteen.
414
00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.679
Instead of speaking,
415
00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:32.360
Mary quietly
416
00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:35.799
reflects on the mystery unfolding around her.
417
00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:41.880
This verse highlights Mary's deep reflection on the events surrounding Jesus' birth,
418
00:19:42.325 --> 00:19:45.065
especially the visit of the shepherds and in their announcement.
419
00:19:45.685 --> 00:19:47.545
She carefully considered the significance
420
00:19:48.085 --> 00:19:49.065
of their words
421
00:19:49.445 --> 00:19:51.305
and the angelic message.
422
00:19:53.045 --> 00:19:54.985
The Lord was not in the thunder.
423
00:19:55.840 --> 00:19:57.860
Job thirty seven one through five.
424
00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.659
And it's echoed in first Kings
425
00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.700
19.
426
00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.179
Thunder, lightning, and chaos are awe inspiring,
427
00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:07.940
but God often
428
00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:08.820
chooses
429
00:20:09.120 --> 00:20:09.940
the quiet.
430
00:20:10.785 --> 00:20:15.205
Being silent allows one to acknowledge the limits of human understanding
431
00:20:15.665 --> 00:20:23.605
and to approach God with awe rather than attempting to dissect or explain his actions with limited human wisdom.
432
00:20:24.350 --> 00:20:30.770
The friends of Job initially sat in silence with him for seven days, demonstrating their sympathy and support.
433
00:20:31.390 --> 00:20:33.250
Their silence speaks volumes,
434
00:20:33.790 --> 00:20:35.730
emphasizing that in times of sorrow,
435
00:20:36.110 --> 00:20:40.210
physical presence and silent empathy can be more powerful than words.
436
00:20:41.285 --> 00:20:45.145
Set a guard over my mouth, Psalms one forty one three.
437
00:20:45.605 --> 00:20:47.625
A request for verbal
438
00:20:47.925 --> 00:20:48.425
restraint,
439
00:20:49.045 --> 00:20:51.385
knowing that silence can be more powerful
440
00:20:51.845 --> 00:20:52.665
than speech.
441
00:20:53.230 --> 00:20:56.850
The verse also connects silence to a deeper spiritual understanding.
442
00:20:57.789 --> 00:20:58.610
In quietness,
443
00:20:59.149 --> 00:21:03.090
we can better hear God's voice and experience his presence.
444
00:21:04.029 --> 00:21:06.210
Silence can be a form of worship,
445
00:21:06.955 --> 00:21:08.015
demonstrating trust
446
00:21:08.475 --> 00:21:09.855
and surrender to God.
447
00:21:10.395 --> 00:21:10.895
Therefore,
448
00:21:11.275 --> 00:21:13.135
Psalms one forty one three
449
00:21:13.435 --> 00:21:13.935
encourages
450
00:21:14.395 --> 00:21:18.335
us to seek God's guidance in all aspects of communication,
451
00:21:19.035 --> 00:21:19.535
including
452
00:21:20.389 --> 00:21:21.529
when to speak
453
00:21:21.830 --> 00:21:24.009
and when to be silent.
454
00:21:25.110 --> 00:21:29.769
Jesus is teaching on empty words and prayer. Matthew six seven,
455
00:21:30.710 --> 00:21:32.730
do not babble like the pagans.
456
00:21:33.615 --> 00:21:36.195
Words without soul are just noise.
457
00:21:37.055 --> 00:21:39.955
Silence makes space for real dialogue.
458
00:21:40.815 --> 00:21:47.075
Jesus also reminds his followers that God already knows their needs before they even asked.
459
00:21:47.910 --> 00:21:51.050
Further emphasizing the importance of genuine communication
460
00:21:51.910 --> 00:21:52.410
over
461
00:21:52.710 --> 00:21:53.770
mere quantity
462
00:21:54.150 --> 00:21:54.970
of words.
463
00:21:56.070 --> 00:21:59.130
God often speaks in silence, not spectacle.
464
00:22:00.075 --> 00:22:02.575
Stillness is preparation for action.
465
00:22:03.274 --> 00:22:06.015
Noise is often connected to confusion,
466
00:22:06.715 --> 00:22:08.015
pride, or performance.
467
00:22:08.955 --> 00:22:10.815
The world equates silence
468
00:22:11.115 --> 00:22:11.934
with weakness.
469
00:22:12.715 --> 00:22:14.495
God calls it wisdom.
470
00:22:16.290 --> 00:22:16.790
Remember,
471
00:22:17.410 --> 00:22:20.070
what if everything you've been told about life
472
00:22:20.450 --> 00:22:22.630
is only the cover story?
473
00:22:23.410 --> 00:22:25.350
What if the pain you faced,
474
00:22:25.970 --> 00:22:27.670
the battles in your mind,
475
00:22:28.405 --> 00:22:30.185
the silence when you pray
476
00:22:30.885 --> 00:22:32.665
weren't signs of absence,
477
00:22:33.845 --> 00:22:35.705
but signs of training.
478
00:22:36.805 --> 00:22:39.625
What if your body was just a uniform?
479
00:22:40.325 --> 00:22:41.145
Your job,
480
00:22:41.845 --> 00:22:42.585
a simulation.
481
00:22:44.270 --> 00:22:45.169
Your memories,
482
00:22:45.950 --> 00:22:46.690
the battlefield
483
00:22:47.309 --> 00:22:49.970
where your true self is being forged.
484
00:22:50.750 --> 00:22:51.730
In the Bible,
485
00:22:52.350 --> 00:22:57.890
not just a holy book, but a coded manual for soul survival.
486
00:22:58.905 --> 00:23:00.125
This is a metaphysical
487
00:23:00.425 --> 00:23:01.245
boot camp,
488
00:23:01.625 --> 00:23:03.805
a podcast for the spiritual
489
00:23:04.105 --> 00:23:04.605
soldier,
490
00:23:05.145 --> 00:23:05.965
the exiled
491
00:23:06.345 --> 00:23:06.845
philosopher,
492
00:23:07.705 --> 00:23:12.540
the misfit mystic, and the seeker who's ready to wake up.
493
00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:14.160
Each episode
494
00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:17.600
will explore ancient scripture as divine strategy,
495
00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:20.000
challenge shallow beliefs,
496
00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:24.240
and train the one thing that will outlast your body,
497
00:23:24.875 --> 00:23:25.695
your essence.
498
00:23:26.715 --> 00:23:29.855
Because in the end, this isn't about behavior.
499
00:23:30.395 --> 00:23:31.695
It's about allegiance.
500
00:23:32.715 --> 00:23:36.495
Not everyone passes boot camp, but for those who do,
501
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:39.220
the war won't break you.
502
00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:41.539
It will reveal you.
503
00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.580
Welcome to the war before the war.
504
00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.820
I'm Merrill, and this is Battleground.
505
00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.900
Join me for the next episode.
506
00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:50.980
Goodbye.
NOTE
Transcription provided by Podhome.fm
Created: 7/19/2025 7:06:02 PM
Duration: 1431.406
Channels: 1
1
00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:01.860
2
00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:03.699
You've crossed the threshold.
3
00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:08.820
You're no longer asking if life is training. You're now asking
4
00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:09.700
before.
5
00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:11.780
So let's get clear.
6
00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:12.820
The mission
7
00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:14.580
is soul formation.
8
00:00:15.415 --> 00:00:16.235
Your body,
9
00:00:16.535 --> 00:00:17.035
temporary.
10
00:00:17.495 --> 00:00:18.235
Your reputation,
11
00:00:18.775 --> 00:00:19.275
baiting.
12
00:00:19.575 --> 00:00:22.395
Your money, your social feed, your resume.
13
00:00:23.175 --> 00:00:24.555
They don't leave the camp.
14
00:00:25.575 --> 00:00:26.795
But your essence,
15
00:00:27.335 --> 00:00:30.395
your soul, the you behind your thoughts,
16
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:32.340
the one who feels,
17
00:00:32.720 --> 00:00:33.780
wrestles, chooses,
18
00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.739
that is what's being shaped here.
19
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.059
The world trains your body.
20
00:00:39.680 --> 00:00:42.020
Boot camp trains your being.
21
00:00:43.215 --> 00:00:44.915
Second Corinthians four sixteen,
22
00:00:45.375 --> 00:00:46.355
though outwardly,
23
00:00:46.735 --> 00:00:48.035
we are wasting away,
24
00:00:48.495 --> 00:00:48.995
inwardly,
25
00:00:49.455 --> 00:00:50.675
we are being renewed
26
00:00:51.055 --> 00:00:52.035
day by day.
27
00:00:53.055 --> 00:00:54.755
Scripture doesn't flinch.
28
00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:59.100
Your flesh is fading, but your thinking essence
29
00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:01.020
is in training.
30
00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:04.460
You're not here to master your image.
31
00:01:05.320 --> 00:01:06.140
You're here
32
00:01:06.440 --> 00:01:07.260
to become
33
00:01:07.720 --> 00:01:08.220
unshakable,
34
00:01:09.055 --> 00:01:11.954
to develop a soul that's not reactive,
35
00:01:12.335 --> 00:01:13.634
but resilient.
36
00:01:14.814 --> 00:01:15.634
Not lukewarm,
37
00:01:16.255 --> 00:01:19.395
but lit with fire from another world.
38
00:01:20.335 --> 00:01:22.034
And it's not about behavior.
39
00:01:22.735 --> 00:01:24.515
If this were just about rules,
40
00:01:25.030 --> 00:01:26.330
a robot could pass.
41
00:01:26.870 --> 00:01:28.890
But God isn't after machines.
42
00:01:29.510 --> 00:01:31.850
He's after sons and daughters
43
00:01:32.230 --> 00:01:33.610
forged through pressure,
44
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willing hearts,
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awakened minds.
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Romans twelve two,
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be transformed
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by the renewing of your mind.
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It doesn't say conform your behavior.
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It says
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be transformed.
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How?
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By thinking.
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First Corinthians nine twenty seven.
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I discipline my body like an athlete.
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Discipline is soul shaping,
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not punishment.
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It's the friction that reveals your
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form.
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Hebrews five fourteen,
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solid food is for the mature,
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who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish
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good from evil.
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Training,
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constant use.
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It's all about discernment.
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Your ability to perceive what's true and act on it.
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That's boot camp right here. God isn't watching your steps.
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He's watching your sight.
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Plato
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said, the soul is imprisoned in the body and philosophy is training for death.
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Now imagine swapping philosophy
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with faith,
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training for eternity,
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boot camp for the soul.
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Kierkegaard said, the self must be chosen in the anxiety
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of freedom.
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Translation,
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you must become
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intentionally,
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painfully,
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who you were created
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to be.
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You can't borrow identity.
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You must forge it.
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In Augustine,
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he said the soul is restless
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until it rests in God.
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That rest doesn't come through escape.
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It comes through formation.
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So what does this look like now?
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It looks like this.
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You hit a wall of temptation
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and instead of indulging, you ask,
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what is this here to teach me?
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You're in a conversation
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and your ego wants to win, but your spirit says, stay soft,
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stay sharp.
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You're discouraged,
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overwhelmed, and the easy thing is to distract yourself,
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But you don't. You sit.
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You feel. You choose truth
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over numbness.
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Each of these moments
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are training reps,
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forming something eternal inside of you.
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Take sixty seconds with me now.
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Turn down the noise,
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breathe in, and ask, who am I becoming?
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Not,
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am I winning? Not,
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do they like me? Not, did I do enough today?
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But
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who am I becoming?
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Are your thoughts aligned?
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Is your spirit awake?
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Are your choices forming light
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or shadows?
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Boot camp isn't graded on performance.
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It's judged on alignment.
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Here's the paradox.
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God loves you unconditionally,
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but your formation
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still matters
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Because love isn't a free pass, it's
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a call to rise.
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You're not being punished,
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you're being prepared,
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and every hard thing you face is shaping the soldier you're meant to become.
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Next time, we'll talk about
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command structure, why God's authority isn't control, but protection.
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Until then, train well, think clearly, form your soul. This is a metaphysical
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boot camp.
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Now for protocol two,
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things you can actually implement.
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Silence and signal
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discipline.
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The enemy
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speaks in noise.
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Most people will never hear the signal
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because they've made themselves
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allergic to silence.
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We were trained to fill the void.
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Silence feels like failure.
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Stillness feels like death.
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But the signal of truth does not scream.
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It whispers
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beneath the static.
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The objective,
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identify
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the tyranny of constant noise.
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The exercise,
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one hour a day of total silence. No phone, no people, just thought.
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Most aren't afraid of demons. They're afraid of their own thoughts when no one's watching.
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Observe what arises. Is it fear, regret,
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lust, shame?
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These voices are not enemies. They are untrained
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soldiers of thought
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waiting for a commander.
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Ask
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which thoughts belong to me
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and which were planted by the world?
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Why do I need noise to feel alive?
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Whose voice do I mistake for my own?
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Be still and know that I am God.
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Psalms forty six ten.
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The enemy thrives in distraction,
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but the awakened
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hear what the others fear,
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the truth hidden in the quiet.
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Again, protocol two, commit to one hour of silence today. Observe
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what arises when the noise is gone and read Psalms 46.
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Silence used to be sacred.
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Now, it's nearly extinct.
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We live in a world engineered
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to keep our minds full and our souls
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empty.
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Every spare second is filled. Music in your ears when you walk, videos while you eat, podcasts in the shower,
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scrolling before sleep.
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Even your quiet time gets hijacked by your phone vibrating in your pocket.
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And we wonder why we feel
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disconnected from ourselves,
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why we can't hear God.
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Protocol two
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challenges that norm. It says,
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silence isn't a void.
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It's a battlefield.
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Because when you remove the noise, you start to hear what's really inside.
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Fear,
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pain, confusion,
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unresolved memories.
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And most of us are afraid of that, so we stay busy.
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But imagine this, you wake up tomorrow and leave your phone off for the first thirty minutes.
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You sit in silence with a cup of tea.
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You journal whatever comes up. At first, it's uncomfortable.
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Your brain claws for stimulation,
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but then
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something settles.
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Or picture commuting without a podcast,
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walking without a playlist,
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standing in line without a screen.
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These small choices
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create mental space, and in that space,
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clarity
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can finally speak.
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Silence trains your spiritual ears. It reveals your attachments,
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your fears, your untrained
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thoughts, and only in that quiet can you start replacing them with truth.
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So in this world that sells you noise, remember,
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stillness is rebellion.
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Silence is training.
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Listening
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is warfare.
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Here are 20 Bible examples that resonate with this protocol.
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Elijah hears God in the whisper,
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first Kings nineteen eleven twelve.
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God wasn't in the wind,
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earthquake, or fire,
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but in a still small voice.
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Elijah had to wait through the noise
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to hear it. The silence is not empty, but a space where God's presence and communication
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are felt,
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emphasizing that God can speak in subtle ways,
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not just through dramatic events.
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In the silence,
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God asked Elijah what he is doing there and then commissions him for further service,
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demonstrating
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his continued care and guidance.
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Jesus withdraws to lonely places to pray.
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Luke five sixteen.
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Regularly
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escaping the crowd and noise,
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Jesus shows that clarity
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comes in solitude.
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The practice of silence
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as exemplified by Jesus
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allows us to disconnect from the noise and
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distractions
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of the world,
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creating space for deeper reflection,
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prayer, and listening to God's voice,
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creating a habit of disconnecting from technology
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to be present in the moment.
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Be still and know that I am God, Psalms forty six ten.
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Stillness is not weakness. It is sacred
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recognition.
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This is not merely about physical stillness, but also about quieting the mind and heart to be receptive
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to God's presence and guidance.
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Psalms 46
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describes a world filled with turmoil and conflict,
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yet it calls for us to find peace in God's presence amidst the chaos.
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Stillness can be a time of reflection and introspection,
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allowing us to realign our focus and trusting God's plan for our lives.
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While physical quiet is helpful,
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true stillness in Psalms forty six ten involves a surrender
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of anxieties
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and a turning towards God's presence.
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Moses alone on Mount Sinai,
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Exodus twenty four fifteen through 18,
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God calls Moses into the cloud.
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Forty days in complete isolation
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away from the camp's noise.
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Jesus in the wilderness,
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Matthew four one two.
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Before ministry,
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Jesus enters a total silence and fasting.
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Noise is removed
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so the soul can be tested.
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Regularly practicing silence and solitude
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can help us develop spiritual resilience
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and prepare for facing temptations.
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This highlights the significance of silence
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and solitude in Jesus' experience
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as the Greek word used for wilderness
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is derived from a word meaning solitude.
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It suggests that Jesus sought a quiet place of reflection
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and spiritual preparation
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before
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facing significant temptation.
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Job's friends sit in silence for seven days.
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Job two thirteen.
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Before their unhelpful talking,
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they grieve in holy silence,
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the only helpful thing they did.
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The seven days and nights of silence are a powerful expression of sympathy.
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It shows that the friends recognize the depth of Job's suffering and refrain from offering premature
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or unhelpful
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advice.
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Zechariah struck mute.
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Luke one twenty. When Zechariah doubted the angel,
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his voice was taken,
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forcing
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internal
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reflection
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before proclamation.
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Zechariah's muteness serves as a sign to him
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and others that God's word is true and will come to pass.
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Jesus' silent trial before Pilate,
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Matthew twenty seven fourteen.
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He refused to argue,
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to prove,
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to explain.
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Silence was his answer.
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Pilate's amazement
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at Jesus' silence
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underscores the unusual nature of this behavior.
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This silence is important
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because Jesus typically
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spoke with authority and wisdom.
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His silence could be interpreted as a focus on fulfilling God's will,
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even if it meant suffering.
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His silence, rather than fear, could be a way of demonstrating his control
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over the situation
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and his willingness to submit to God's plan.
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Silence
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demonstrates
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control.
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David reflects in silence. Psalm sixty two one,
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for God alone my soul waits in silence.
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The Psalm encourages a deliberate setting aside of distractions and noise to focus
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on God.
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It's not about physical quiet, but a mental and emotional stillness where one can truly listen for God's voice and guidance.
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The silence in Psalm 62,
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it's not passive or indifferent.
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It's a waiting that is filled with trust and hope,
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believing that God will ultimately
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deliver and provide salvation.
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It can be a source of profound peace and inner strength.
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By quieting the noise and distractions,
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we can connect with God's presence and find solace and reassurance
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in his power and love.
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Hannah's silent prayer misunderstood.
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First Samuel one twelve through 13.
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Her lips moved, but no sound came,
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yet God heard her.
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Silence is not absence.
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The fact that Hannah's prayer is silent
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contrast with the usual practice of vocal prayer in the temple,
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emphasizing the inwardness and intensity
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of her devotion.
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Jesus says,
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go into your room and close the door. Matthew six six.
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Prayer is not performance.
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Privacy and stillness unlock true communion.
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Jesus criticizes
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those who pray publicly
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to appear pious,
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highlighting the contrast between genuine prayer and performance
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prayer.
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This assures us that God who sees our secret prayers, will reward us implying that true devotion
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is recognized
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and valued by God.
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Habakkuk.
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The Lord is his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent.
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Habakkuk two twenty.
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Reverence is shown not by noise, but by hushed
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awe.
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The call for silence
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signifies deep respect and humility before God's presence.
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It's a recognition of his greatness and a submission to his will.
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Just as God's essence was in Jesus' body temporarily,
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your essence is in your body temporarily.
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The silence before the seventh trumpet,
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Revelation eight one.
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Heaven itself pauses for thirty minutes of silence
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before a massive
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spiritual
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shift.
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The silence in heaven for half an hour is a striking contrast to the usual praise and worship described in Revelation.
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This silence
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suggests a solemn and momentous
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occasion is about to unfold.
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After the silence,
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seven angels are introduced to
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who have been given seven trumpets.
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God's judgments upon the earth,
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marking the beginning of a new phase of God's actions in Revelation.
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Another angel is introduced holding a golden censer and offering the prayers of the saints before God.
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This act of offering incense with the prayers of believers connects the silence and the coming judgments
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with the prayers of God's people.
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The angel then fills the censer
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with fire from the altar and cast it upon the earth,
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resulting in voices,
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thunderings,
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lightnings,
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and an earthquake.
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This signifies the beginning of the judgments
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associated with the seven trumpets.
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Silence
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before
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judgment.
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Isn't this what we fear about silence? The judgment we try to wipe out with noise.
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Jesus separates from the disciples.
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Matthew twenty six thirty six through 39.
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Even among friends, some moments required sacred
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aloneness.
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Paul's three days of blind silence after conversation,
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acts nine eight nine.
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After encountering Jesus,
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Paul spends three days in silence and darkness before receiving clarity,
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neither eating nor drinking.
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We need to be silent to be clear on our mission.
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The Tower Of Babel, human noise versus God's design.
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00:18:59.195 --> 00:19:01.215
Genesis eleven one through nine.
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Collective noise and self
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glorification
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00:19:05.820 --> 00:19:07.120
led to confusion,
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00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.640
not clarity.
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00:19:09.260 --> 00:19:11.440
Isn't our noise and self glorification
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00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:14.320
also leading us in that direction?
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00:19:14.765 --> 00:19:17.505
We no longer are able to read the one language,
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body language, because we don't take the time to look at people or talk to people.
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00:19:25.805 --> 00:19:28.945
Mary ponders in her heart. Luke two nineteen.
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00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.679
Instead of speaking,
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00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:32.360
Mary quietly
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00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:35.799
reflects on the mystery unfolding around her.
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00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:41.880
This verse highlights Mary's deep reflection on the events surrounding Jesus' birth,
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00:19:42.325 --> 00:19:45.065
especially the visit of the shepherds and in their announcement.
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00:19:45.685 --> 00:19:47.545
She carefully considered the significance
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00:19:48.085 --> 00:19:49.065
of their words
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and the angelic message.
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00:19:53.045 --> 00:19:54.985
The Lord was not in the thunder.
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00:19:55.840 --> 00:19:57.860
Job thirty seven one through five.
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00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.659
And it's echoed in first Kings
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00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.700
19.
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Thunder, lightning, and chaos are awe inspiring,
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00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:07.940
but God often
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00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:08.820
chooses
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00:20:09.120 --> 00:20:09.940
the quiet.
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00:20:10.785 --> 00:20:15.205
Being silent allows one to acknowledge the limits of human understanding
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00:20:15.665 --> 00:20:23.605
and to approach God with awe rather than attempting to dissect or explain his actions with limited human wisdom.
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00:20:24.350 --> 00:20:30.770
The friends of Job initially sat in silence with him for seven days, demonstrating their sympathy and support.
433
00:20:31.390 --> 00:20:33.250
Their silence speaks volumes,
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00:20:33.790 --> 00:20:35.730
emphasizing that in times of sorrow,
435
00:20:36.110 --> 00:20:40.210
physical presence and silent empathy can be more powerful than words.
436
00:20:41.285 --> 00:20:45.145
Set a guard over my mouth, Psalms one forty one three.
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00:20:45.605 --> 00:20:47.625
A request for verbal
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00:20:47.925 --> 00:20:48.425
restraint,
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00:20:49.045 --> 00:20:51.385
knowing that silence can be more powerful
440
00:20:51.845 --> 00:20:52.665
than speech.
441
00:20:53.230 --> 00:20:56.850
The verse also connects silence to a deeper spiritual understanding.
442
00:20:57.789 --> 00:20:58.610
In quietness,
443
00:20:59.149 --> 00:21:03.090
we can better hear God's voice and experience his presence.
444
00:21:04.029 --> 00:21:06.210
Silence can be a form of worship,
445
00:21:06.955 --> 00:21:08.015
demonstrating trust
446
00:21:08.475 --> 00:21:09.855
and surrender to God.
447
00:21:10.395 --> 00:21:10.895
Therefore,
448
00:21:11.275 --> 00:21:13.135
Psalms one forty one three
449
00:21:13.435 --> 00:21:13.935
encourages
450
00:21:14.395 --> 00:21:18.335
us to seek God's guidance in all aspects of communication,
451
00:21:19.035 --> 00:21:19.535
including
452
00:21:20.389 --> 00:21:21.529
when to speak
453
00:21:21.830 --> 00:21:24.009
and when to be silent.
454
00:21:25.110 --> 00:21:29.769
Jesus is teaching on empty words and prayer. Matthew six seven,
455
00:21:30.710 --> 00:21:32.730
do not babble like the pagans.
456
00:21:33.615 --> 00:21:36.195
Words without soul are just noise.
457
00:21:37.055 --> 00:21:39.955
Silence makes space for real dialogue.
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00:21:40.815 --> 00:21:47.075
Jesus also reminds his followers that God already knows their needs before they even asked.
459
00:21:47.910 --> 00:21:51.050
Further emphasizing the importance of genuine communication
460
00:21:51.910 --> 00:21:52.410
over
461
00:21:52.710 --> 00:21:53.770
mere quantity
462
00:21:54.150 --> 00:21:54.970
of words.
463
00:21:56.070 --> 00:21:59.130
God often speaks in silence, not spectacle.
464
00:22:00.075 --> 00:22:02.575
Stillness is preparation for action.
465
00:22:03.274 --> 00:22:06.015
Noise is often connected to confusion,
466
00:22:06.715 --> 00:22:08.015
pride, or performance.
467
00:22:08.955 --> 00:22:10.815
The world equates silence
468
00:22:11.115 --> 00:22:11.934
with weakness.
469
00:22:12.715 --> 00:22:14.495
God calls it wisdom.
470
00:22:16.290 --> 00:22:16.790
Remember,
471
00:22:17.410 --> 00:22:20.070
what if everything you've been told about life
472
00:22:20.450 --> 00:22:22.630
is only the cover story?
473
00:22:23.410 --> 00:22:25.350
What if the pain you faced,
474
00:22:25.970 --> 00:22:27.670
the battles in your mind,
475
00:22:28.405 --> 00:22:30.185
the silence when you pray
476
00:22:30.885 --> 00:22:32.665
weren't signs of absence,
477
00:22:33.845 --> 00:22:35.705
but signs of training.
478
00:22:36.805 --> 00:22:39.625
What if your body was just a uniform?
479
00:22:40.325 --> 00:22:41.145
Your job,
480
00:22:41.845 --> 00:22:42.585
a simulation.
481
00:22:44.270 --> 00:22:45.169
Your memories,
482
00:22:45.950 --> 00:22:46.690
the battlefield
483
00:22:47.309 --> 00:22:49.970
where your true self is being forged.
484
00:22:50.750 --> 00:22:51.730
In the Bible,
485
00:22:52.350 --> 00:22:57.890
not just a holy book, but a coded manual for soul survival.
486
00:22:58.905 --> 00:23:00.125
This is a metaphysical
487
00:23:00.425 --> 00:23:01.245
boot camp,
488
00:23:01.625 --> 00:23:03.805
a podcast for the spiritual
489
00:23:04.105 --> 00:23:04.605
soldier,
490
00:23:05.145 --> 00:23:05.965
the exiled
491
00:23:06.345 --> 00:23:06.845
philosopher,
492
00:23:07.705 --> 00:23:12.540
the misfit mystic, and the seeker who's ready to wake up.
493
00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:14.160
Each episode
494
00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:17.600
will explore ancient scripture as divine strategy,
495
00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:20.000
challenge shallow beliefs,
496
00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:24.240
and train the one thing that will outlast your body,
497
00:23:24.875 --> 00:23:25.695
your essence.
498
00:23:26.715 --> 00:23:29.855
Because in the end, this isn't about behavior.
499
00:23:30.395 --> 00:23:31.695
It's about allegiance.
500
00:23:32.715 --> 00:23:36.495
Not everyone passes boot camp, but for those who do,
501
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:39.220
the war won't break you.
502
00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:41.539
It will reveal you.
503
00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.580
Welcome to the war before the war.
504
00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:46.820
I'm Merrill, and this is Battleground.
505
00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.900
Join me for the next episode.
506
00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:50.980
Goodbye.
