"When He brings out His own sheep He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice."
John 10:4
How do sheep learn to follow their shepherd's voice? In the beginning, little lambs follow the other older sheep. They haven't yet learned to hear the shepherd's voice for themselves, so they follow the more mature sheep. But, in time, they learn how to recognize the shepherd's voice for themselves. When they hear His voice, they obey it or they will lose His distinctive sound
I well recall stumbling forward doing what seemed right at the present moment. I'd have done as well with a dart board as I did in my Christan walk. I came to a spiritual crisis and I learned to discipline myself to spend quiet time alone with God. Now, I know through Bible study, meditation and prayer to "hear" God's voice. When I stall in obedience my "hearing" fails; so through failure I have learned the value of immediate obedience to what I hear from God.
This begins a series of posts titled "Hear, Heed, Heal." This is God's pattern with His children. Throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelations we can read of God working through the lives of His "sheep" who know the Shepherd (God) by spending time in His presence so much that they distinguish His voice when He speaks.
I did not come gently to hear God daily to know the direction of my day. No, trouble....big trouble...trouble so terrifying I came to God because nothing else was working; and in laying before Him for hours I learned to "know" His voice. But when God walked me through that trouble; I never wanted to live without His voice guiding my life; even in happy easy times. So, thank God trouble interrupted my life.
How do you hear God? How did you come to know His voice? What scriptures bless you to help you hear Him?
5 comments:
This is something I struggle with daily. How do I KNOW it's God's voice and not my own wants or wishes? I distinctly remember one time a friend had asked me to pray over something - something that wouldn't affect me one way or another - but when I did pray, I got immediate direction on what to tell my friend. I knew then it was God, because the result of the answer had nothing to do with me. It was very exciting to see what would happen. I long to feel that kind of communication with Him.
Beautiful thoughts my friend! For me personally, I know God is speaking when He continually puts the same thing in my face over and over and over and over. I'm a little hard headed (ha ha) so sometimes the Lord has to smack me upside my head before I get it!! =)
I wrote a whole post on hearing God. I said I hear God speak always, sometimes and rarely. You'll have to read the post to know what I mean. I'd be honored if you do. :-)
http://chattykelly.blogspot.com/2008/09/listening-for-god.html
Good Morning, Kay!
I'm going to have to drop over and read Kelly's post, too!!
How do I know if it is God's voice? If I'm reading Scripture or praying, I'll feel this in my heart and my mind. And I ask God before studying His Word to open my mind, my heart, my spirit so that I will hear His voice.
And then--I am still. Still and I ask God, "Is there anything you want to tell me today?" As of this week, I've added, "What do you want me to do today?" because I've gotten bogged down with too many "things" interfering in what God is asking of me.
And then, I wait and listen. If what I'm hearing lines up Scripturally, then I know it is from God. I don't want to mistake my own thoughts for God's voice.
Beth
Blessings Kay, I am looking forward to more of this series of post. God has been speaking the same words to me and I guess others out in blogland. When I first read this,
I was totally moved by that I had also heard God as My Shepherd
(Ro-hi)the HEAR...part of your process...I thought I had heard and now He was asking me to HEED...stop and obey what I had heard but I've decided I was in the HEALING part of this...now after going forward this week...I feel like I'm back to HEARing...HEARing God's VOICE, being in sync...lining up my walk with His Word and what I know but have not heeded very well. I pray that I know God, the Father and Jesus'Word well enough that I have the discernment of His Holy Spirit
to know that it is HIS VOICE I hear. I must admit, I have heard
what I thought was an answer from God, to find out that I was deceived...so I know that I must
be careful daily to HEAR HIS VOICE & confirm what I hear with HIS Word
I will ponder this week on what scriptures speak to me and bless me to help hear HIM! Thank you so much
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