Hearing the Voice of God: Part 1
Brad Reiches
Nov 2 2006 10:23PM
Brad Reiches
Nov 2 2006 10:23PM
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Friday, November 3, 2006
GodThoughtsWired!
GodThoughtsWired!
"Hearing the Voice of God"
PART 1
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me."
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me."
John 10:27
As a Christian, there is nothing more important than hearing the voice of God. Nothing. It was the key to Jesus' success. It was the key to EVERY major Bible character's success. And it will be the key to yours as well. The most important thing I heard myself say during a recent sermon on "Hearing the Voice of God" was the following:
IT'S NOT A CHARASMATIC THING.
AND IT'S NOT A PENTECOSTAL THING...
IT'S A BIBLICAL THING.
IT'S A BIBLICAL THING.
Jesus indicates in the above passage of scripture, John 10:27, that the first and foremost evidence of Jesus' sheep is that they "hear His voice." Why do they "hear His voice?" Because they know Him. How do they "hear His voice?" Because they follow Him. It's called "voice recognition." The more time we spend with our Lord, the more our relationship grows. The greater the growth in the relationship, the more recognizable the voice of God becomes.
I gave three different options for sermon titles that Sunday. 1. Your role in the building of Jesus' Church, or 2. How God Fulfills His Purposes in Your Life, or 3. How to Achieve Your Destiny. YOU PICK!
The thesis, of course, is that the key to Jesus' success was contained in His statements, "I only do what I see the Father doing...I do nothing on My own initiative...What I see the Father doing, these things I do in like manner" (see John 5:19; 30; 6:28, etc.) And, of course, the #1 success statement in ALL the Bible (my opinion) was Jesus' comment to the Father, "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do" (John 17:4). How did Jesus know the work that God gave Him to do? He heard His voice!
The #1 priority in Jesus' life was His relationship with His heavenly Father. This should be our emphasis as well. Learning to hear and identify the "voice of God" is not nearly as mystical as many make it out to be. It begins by familiarizing yourself with what He has already spoken. Namely, the Bible. To think that we will be able to hear the voice of God without knowledge of the word of God is folly. "Faithful in little, faithful in much" (Luke 16:10-11).
I gave three different options for sermon titles that Sunday. 1. Your role in the building of Jesus' Church, or 2. How God Fulfills His Purposes in Your Life, or 3. How to Achieve Your Destiny. YOU PICK!
The thesis, of course, is that the key to Jesus' success was contained in His statements, "I only do what I see the Father doing...I do nothing on My own initiative...What I see the Father doing, these things I do in like manner" (see John 5:19; 30; 6:28, etc.) And, of course, the #1 success statement in ALL the Bible (my opinion) was Jesus' comment to the Father, "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do" (John 17:4). How did Jesus know the work that God gave Him to do? He heard His voice!
The #1 priority in Jesus' life was His relationship with His heavenly Father. This should be our emphasis as well. Learning to hear and identify the "voice of God" is not nearly as mystical as many make it out to be. It begins by familiarizing yourself with what He has already spoken. Namely, the Bible. To think that we will be able to hear the voice of God without knowledge of the word of God is folly. "Faithful in little, faithful in much" (Luke 16:10-11).
Successfully learning to hear the voice of God
begins with the reading, study,
meditation and memorization of the Bible.
begins with the reading, study,
meditation and memorization of the Bible.
The Bible is the very words of God. We learn to identify the voice of God by familiarizing ourselves with the word of God. Learning the voice of God begins with knowldege of the Bible. My very best advice to those who burn with desire to hear the voice of God as the great saints of old...
Begin by memorizing a few hundred of your most favorite verses.
Begin by memorizing a few hundred of your most favorite verses.
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