Follow His Voice

If you have been around the blog for any amount of time, you have heard me mention the importance of seeking God concerning your life and purpose. I have made an assumption each time I wrote that; I assumed you know how to hear God’s voice.  My prayer is that you do but the reality is maybe sometimes you struggle in this area.  Trust me, there are times I have struggled too.  There are moments when I have wondered if what I heard was indeed God. Sometimes what I hear seems so grand and mind-blowing that I question it. My doubt and fear speak louder. I have had to learn how to discern God’s voice versus all other voices vying for my attention. 

Whatever the situation, I have found comfort in knowing that as a child of God, I have the ability to hear His voice, clearly.  Before I move on, I feel inclined to make a statement that to some may seem controversial but it is the truth nonetheless.  We are not all God’s children.  We are all His creation, but we are not all His children.  This is not my opinion, this is in the Bible.

“But to all who believed Him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1:12-13 NLT

If you read the verses preceding what I shared above, you will discover the “Him” is Jesus. Accepting Jesus as Lord and believing He is who He says He is gives us the privilege to be children of God.  Understanding this truth is foundational to what I want to share next.  Without it, what I am about to say is of no bearing. 

Now that I have laid the groundwork, I can get into the meat of what I want to share.  When you are a child of God, you can have confidence that you hear God’s voice so you can follow the path He has set for you.  I learned this truth from John 10 where Jesus tells the parable of the Good Shepard.  In verses 4-5 he says this:

 “And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them, for they know His voice.  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

If my friend and I are in a crowded area and she calls my name, I will recognize her voice because I know her.   We have a relationship.  I have heard her voice repeatedly over time and it is now familiar to me.  If someone I don’t know calls my name I will wonder who is talking to me because I have no relationship with that person. Their voice will not be familiar.  I believe this is the “know” Jesus was referring to in the Scripture above. When we spend time with God, we learn His voice.  We also learn to hear His voice through reading the Bible. The more time we spend with Him, the more familiar His voice becomes to us. In moments when I need to realign my ear, I remind myself that I hear Jesus’ voice and I will not follow other voices.  This is part of my privilege as a child of God. Hearing His voice and following His lead is paramount for my everyday life.  The same is true for you! I highly encourage you to read John 10 in its entirety as it is filled with so much revelation about Jesus, our Good Shepard. 

Before I close, I wanted to add a postscript because I do not want my words to be mistaken.  You can still hear the voice of God when you are far from Him.  I know because it happened to me.  He spoke to me through a bus driver in San Francisco and a song on the television.  He is always speaking.  The daily leading of His voice is connected to our daily relationship with Him.  He is not just a God for Sunday morning service.  He is God for every day, every hour, every minute, every second.  He is always speaking and as His children, we should be positioning ourselves to be hear.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you that I hear Your voice and the voice of a stranger I will not follow. Teach me to hear Your voice with greater clarity. Sharpen my ability to discern when you are speaking as I go through each day. Speak to me through Your written word and grant me revelation and understanding. Thank you for speaking to me. I do not take it for granted. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Until Next Time,

Live Audaciously!

Kay Naomi