“After the fire came the gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:12b (NIV)
Jesus said “My sheep hear My voice” (John 10:27)! He did not say some of His sheep, or most of His sheep, or the special super spiritual sheep. He said “My sheep!” In that same verse, Jesus equated hearing His voice to being known by Him. Are you one of His sheep? Do you hear His voice? Do you want to hear what He has to say to you? Btw, what He is saying to you right now is of absolute importance!!!
If you aren’t listening you can miss His voice. Listening requires you to slow down, even stop what you’re doing to focus so you can hear. Though I work on many things simultaneously, I cannot listen well when I am focusing on other things! When Shellie (my wife) comes into the room and starts to talk with me, I must stop what I am doing to truly listen and hear what she is saying.
Also, you need to learn to discern His voice over the many other voices chattering around you. Our Lord’s voice competes with many other loud voices, not all necessarily bad, but definitely competing. Definitely creating a lot of static around you. I recently stepped into a friend’s vehicle and on the radio was Elton John’s Rocket Man. Being that I don’t listen to anything but uplifting worship and biblical messages, this was definitely distracting. What we listen to in our homes and vehicles is our choice, so why should we fill the air with stuff that doesn’t draw us to Jesus!
God speaks in many volumes and with various voices. From the thunderous roar that echoes through the valley, to the still small voice that requires very close proximity. It is difficult to ignore the thundering voice that echoes over the waters, that shakes the desert and twists the oaks (Psalm 29:3-9). But it is very easy to miss the smaller more intimate voice, especially when competing against Rocket Man.
Nevertheless, if you are one of His sheep, you need to hear His voice, especially in this hour. A wandering sheep easily becomes a dead sheep! The enemy is luring, deceiving and putting many believers into a foggy funk. If you aren’t hearing His voice, what are you listening to? Please decrease the things that are not drawing you to Him and seek Him to find out why you can’t hear Him better. Ask your friends to pray for you. Stop what you’re doing and sit quietly with Him. He has some beautiful and important things He wants to share with you. Make it your top priority to hear His voice, after all, Jesus said “My sheep hear My voice.” Likewise, pray for your pastor to have ears to hear what He is saying. Jesus said to the seven churches in Revelation 2&3 that He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. You pastor needs to hear it!!! Though the chatter is getting deafening, His voice is growing more and more important!
