Hearing God's Voice
John 10:11, 14 and 27 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
Have you ever tried to talk to someone on the phone with a lot of noise going on in the background behind you? I hate when that’s happens. It makes it harder to hear the person’s voice on the other end of the line. It is also hard to hear Jesus’ voice with all the distractions in our lives. In Matthew 17:1-5, God commanded the disciples, who were there at the mount of transfiguration, to hear Jesus. You and I should also hear him, and this means to hear with the intent to obey. Let’s look at some of the distractions and the ways in which we can hear Jesus’ voice.
The distractions
1. Sin
Having sins in our lives can prevent us from clearly hearing God’s voice. Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Sin has the tendency to enslave us and take us captive and block out God’s clear voice in our lives.
2. The world
Colossians 3:1-2 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
The other day my sister-in-Law and I had just came out of the dollar store and we saw a lady with two kids. The little baby was in her little carrier in the top of the shopping card and the other six year old had the other shopping cart with the stuff they just bought in it. The six year old had grabbed a bag out of the shopping cart and it fell to the ground and the picture frame in it broke. The mother was so worried about this little cheap picture frame, that she let go of the other shopping cart with her priceless little baby in it to turn and scold her son for breaking the picture frame. The shopping cart with the little baby in it started to roll down the side walk towards the curb, when a bump in the sidewalk stopped the cart before it rolled off the curb. She had her eyes on that worldly possession, that she almost lost the one thing dearest to her.
When we have our eyes on the things of the world, even if it is on things that in and of them selves are not sinful, that can keep us from hearing God’s voice.
3. Selfish ambitions
Philippians 2:19 - 21 “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's”
Seeking the things that we want to achieve in life can often keep us from hearing God’s voice. A few of Paul’s ministry partners had left the ministry in pursuit of their own interest and not the Lord’s. They could not hear God’s voice because they were seeking their own interest. Sometimes we are so busy working towards our goals in life, then we do not hear God’s voice and allow his perfect will for our lives to be clearly heard.
4. Service without worship.
Luke 10:38 -42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:.But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Mary, Martha’s sister, took time out from serving to sit at Jesus feet and to hear his voice. Martha, on the other hand, was so busy serving Jesus, that she did not take time out to worship him and clearly hear his voice. No matter what ministry we are involved in, we still need to take time out of our service to worship him and hear his voice.
How can I hear God’s voice?
1.Confess known sins
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
2.Read God’s word
Nehemiah 9:3 “And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.” The book of the law was the first five books of the Bible and was the only written word of God at the time. In order for us to hear God’s, we need to read his written word.
3.Get alone with God
Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” In order for Jesus to hear his father’s voice, he would go out to a solitary place and there he would pray and seek his father’s will.
4.Be still.
Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. “ Sometime we just need to get away from all the distractions and be still and silent and know he is God. Go to a park or some still place and just sit and allow God to speak to you.
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