“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27)
As the Jews were looking for a way to kill Jesus, because He told them that God was His father (making himself equal with God), He said something so powerful. He told them that He was not able to do anything independently or of His own accord, but only as He was taught by God, that is, as He got His orders from God. (John 5:30) He said, “As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision. As I hear, I judge.” He said, “I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own purpose, but only the will and pleasure of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30)(Amp). Jesus was not trying to make a name for Himself, nor was He inspired by the applause of man. (John 5:31, 34) I find this very challenging, especially for those of us who are in public ministry.
The question is, are we hearing instruction directly from the voice of our King, or are we only hearing second-hand information from other voices?
God speaks in many ways and forms. To Jeremiah He spoke “visually” by saying, “What do you see?” To some He speaks in words, as it is recorded, “The word of the Lord came to…” Solomon, Jehu, Elijah, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Micah, etc.
The Gospel says, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). The question is, “How do we hear Him and where do we go to hear Him speak?”
When we understand how God designed us, we will better understand His voice. We can never lose sight of His basics, just as the military never loses sight of their basics. A general has decades of training and service to be able to effectively lead, but most of the men in the field affected by his orders are privates who have been freshly taught in what is called Basic Training. This training allows them to hear their superior’s orders and OBEY. It is always good to review the basics.
We are spirit, soul and body. Our spirits are eternal and allow us to connect and fellowship with God. “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Our souls represent our mind, will and emotions. Remember God speaks to our spirits. He is not speaking to your soul. Our souls must be transformed by renewal by the Word. Our bodies are the vessel that house our spirit and soul. Everything from God has to start in the spirit and then be transmitted to our souls.
THREE VOICES
There are three different voices in our lives. Our own heart has a voice, Satan has a voice and God has a voice. Because our own hearts have a voice we must be continually renewed in our minds by the study of the Word of God.
The enemy is continually speaking, so we must recognize his voice immediately and reject it. In going before the LORD in prayer, we must learn to bind the voice of the enemy. The enemy tries to outwit us often by counterfeiting the voice of the LORD. When God speaks to us, the anointing on His voice propels us into the action necessary to carry out His instructions.
Praying With Idols In Our Hearts
God is always speaking. We can hear Him, if we will quiet ourselves and sit before Him. Our model is Jesus, who only did what He heard the Father say.
What happens to us if there is an idol in our heart? “Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that sets up his idols in his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that come ACCORDING TO THE MULTITUDE OF HIS IDOLS” (Ez. 14:4) (KJV).
What is this scripture saying? Anything in our lives that we have put above or before God is an idol. The LORD is saying that, if that is the case, He will allow what that idol represents (our own fleshly desires) to speak to us. In effect, the idol drowns out the voice of the LORD and you reap the desire.
My heart’s desire for those that I mentor are the Words of Jesus recorded in John 5:44.
“How is it possible for you to believe [how can you learn to believe], you who [are content to seek and] receive praise and honor and glory from one another, and yet do not seek the praise and honor and glory which come from Him Who alone is God?” (John 5:44) (Amp).
Lord, this year (2022) may we see the praise and honor and glory that only comes from You. May we only hear Your voice and not the voice of a stranger.
