Prologue
In this complicated time there are so many voices in our lives. We hear radio, television, the internet, teachers, preachers, mother and father...who do we know to listen to and believe?
The Bible says that amid all the cacophony and confusion there is a “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit 1ki 19:12. In order to know the truth amid all the lies we must train ourselves to listen for that wee small voice.
God wants us to diligently seek Him. He wants us to do it with all our heart. This is why He doesn’t speak, as in olden times, with a thunderous voice (as a whirlwind Job 38:1; thunder (1Sam 2:10; Job 37:2; Psa 104:7; Joh 12:29)
He wants us to separate ourselves and get alone with Him and listen...listen...listen...
HEARING GOD
Hear God? What? Do you hear an audible voice? How do you hear God? These are questions that have plagued mankind for centuries. God wants to speak to you but too many times we don’t listen. It could be for a number of reasons;
a. You don’t believe God talks to people.
b. You have never heard God.
c. You are too busy to listen. Etc.
God said, “My sheep hear my voice” Joh 10:27. I think that the following skit represents what most people experience:
THE LORD'S PRAYER ANSWERED
PERSON: Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
GOD: Yes?
PERSON: Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
GOD: But -- you called ME!
PERSON: Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father who art in Heaven.
GOD: There -- you did it again!
PERSON: Did what?
GOD: Called Me. You said, 'Our Father who art in Heaven' Well, here I am. What's on your mind?
PERSON: But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.
GOD: Well, all right. Go on.
PERSON: Okay, Hallowed be thy name . .
GOD: Hold it right there. What do you mean by that?
PERSON: By what?
GOD: By 'Hallowed be thy name' ?
PERSON: It means. . it means. . good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
GOD: It means honored, holy, wonderful.
PERSON: Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
GOD: Do you really mean that?
PERSON: Sure, why not?
GOD: What are you doing about it?
PERSON: Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control, of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here, you know.
GOD: Yes, I know; but, have I got control of You?
PERSON: Well, I go to church.
GOD: That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read?
PERSON: Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
GOD: Excuse ME. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you -- for example.
PERSON: Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.
GOD: So could I.
PERSON: I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
GOD: Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME. I'm proud of You.
PERSON: Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.
GOD: You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.
PERSON: Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
GOD: Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for. Remember, you called ME -- and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying. ( . . pause . ) Well, go on.
PERSON: I'm scared to.
GOD: Scared? Of what?
PERSON: I know what you'll say.
GOD: Try Me.
PERSON: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
GOD: What about Ann?
PERSON: See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!
GOD: But -- your prayer --What about your prayer?
PERSON: I didn't -- mean it.
GOD: Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness and resentment, isn't it?
PERSON: Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her. Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.
GOD: No, you won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. You know how unhappy you are --Well, I can change that.
PERSON: You can? How?
GOD: Forgive Ann. Then, I'll forgive you; And the hate and the sin, will be Ann's problem -- not yours. You will have settled the problem as far as you are concerned.
PERSON: Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh). All right, all right . . I forgive her.
GOD: There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?
PERSON: Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact , I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
GOD: Yeah, I know. But, you're not through with your prayer, are you? Go on.
PERSON: Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
GOD: Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.
PERSON: What do you mean by that?
GOD: You know what I mean.
PERSON: Yeah. I know.
GOD: Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.
PERSON: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
GOD: Do you know what would bring me glory --What would really make me happy?
PERSON: No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be. So , tell me . . .How do I make you happy?
GOD: You just did.
Even though this is done with tongue in cheek there is probably more truth than fiction present here. We pray and pray but do we stop to listen? John 10:1-5 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. THEY KNOW HIS VOICE AND THE VOICE OF A STRANGER WILL THEY NOT FOLLOW.”
I heard a true story from someone who had been to Israel. He was standing next to a well when two little Bedouin girls came from different directions leading sheep. He noticed that the sheep had a colored spray painted stripe down their backs. One color for one girl and another color for the other. The sheep intermingled around the well while the two girls talked. When they were ready to leave, one girl went one way and the other girl went the other. The sheep followed the individual girls for they knew to whom they belonged. Do we really know to whom we belong?
People go to preachers and evangelists for a word from God when they should be getting it from the Lord. There are many voices out there…the world, the Devil, the Lord… and none without significance.
1 Cor. 14:10 “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.”
Can a Godly, righteous, victorious Christian be seduced by a voice from Satan?
Let’s look at King David’s life. God said that David was a man after His own heart. Act 13:22 “ And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”
To show what manner of man David was we will look at David’s victories and manner of rule: (1 Chr. 13-20)
1. He brought the Arc back home with celebration.
2. Hyram king of Tyre built him a beautiful home.
3. People started to praise him.
4. The Lord preserved David wherever he went. He was loved by God (1 Chr. 18:6) “Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.”
5. He gained reign over All Israel.
6. He was loved by the people (1 Chr. 18:14) “So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.”
7. He gained victory over the Syrians and the people of Amon and Amalek.
8. Now we are down to chapter 20.
9. David was at the height of victory and blessing of God.
After all this David still slipped as we all can. There is hope for us all.
1 Chr. 13 David didn’t inquire of the Lord as to how to bring the Arc of the Covenant home to Jerusalem, he inquired of the congregation. Oops! Uzza died in the process. When he did ask the Lord how, the Lord told him and he was able to bring it in. In our churches today the leaders will go to the congregation for decisions about the Lord’s work instead of inquiring of the Lord.
1 Chr. 20:1 and 2 Sam. 11:1 “And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem.” At this point he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered.
1 Chr. 21:1-4 “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. 3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then doth my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the King's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.”
2 Sam. 24:1 “And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.”
This was at the height of David’s power and happiness. He was a man after God’s own heart, he studied the scriptures and kept them always before his eyes. He delighted himself in the Lord and prayed three times a day. This was a Godly, righteous man yet he was allowed to hear a stranger’s voice. David knew the scriptures but he ignored them to satisfy something inside himself.
Am I saying that you or I could be deceived? (Mat 24:24 KJV) “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” David was, Peter was…
God lets down the hedge
But doesn’t the Bible say that Satan couldn’t get to us unless God let down the hedge as he did Job? Yes, but why does he let down the hedge? To reveal some hidden (to us) sin in our lives. David had something that Satan recognized…pride. Maybe it was his might or splendor of winning so many battles, but Satan saw a foothold and took it.
It was the same way when he saw Bathsheba. He had seen her before and decided to take advantage of the situation of her husband being gone. This was a time when kings go to war. David was a king, so why didn’t he go? The bible teaches us about how temptation works in James 1:14-15 “ But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
If David had just listened to God he wouldn’t have stayed home and walked upon his rooftop. He had seen her before and lusted after her. Then when lust became alive he called for her and committed adultery with her. God had to reveal David’s heart to himself so that he could see the sin hidden there and deal with it. It cost him his family. That is why God says to judge yourself (1 Cor 11:31) “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
How could this happen? We get CARELESS with the word of God. We know it but we don’t obey it. We drown out the wee small voice telling us what to do. When we sin WE KNOW IT but don’t act on it. I have counseled with many people that say, “my husband isn’t meeting my needs and God doesn’t want me to be unhappy so I am divorcing him”. They are hearing a voice but it isn’t the voice of the Lord. How about this one? “Lord forgive me for the sin I am about to commit!” Sounds funny but we are saying it in our heart when we know what the word says and sin anyway. Carelessness is in the Church today. People don’t have a reverent fear of God. We have Gay preachers preaching to Gays and flattering them in their sins. You can go to churches in this town and live comfortably in your sin with no conviction because the word is not being taught. God’s voice is being drowned out by the Prince of the power of the air!
When you are at the height of your blessing and power WATCH OUT! You are stepping on the Devil’s tail. That is when you should pray the hardest to be kept from evil. Paul wrote it this way, (Acts 20:27-29) “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves,… For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” It is impossible to hear the voice of the Lord if there is hidden sin in your life. (Isa. 59:2) “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” The sin becomes an idol in your life.
Ezek. 14:4 “Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;”
To hear God you must be willing to obey God at any cost.
When I was willing to do anything God wanted me to do, I was able to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He will never introduce himself to you. He says “my sheep hear my voice”. He will always line up with His word. He will always be on the side of truth for His Word is truth. He will operate in the atmosphere of peace. Supernatural peace will surround his voice. That peace will make you where you need no one or no thing to make you happy. He will be your all in all. So:
Test the voice
a. Does it line up with the Word of God?
b. Is there peace in your spirit?
c. Does it have to be done immediately? If God gives you something to do He will give you time to do it. Satan wants you to make a decision NOW. It can’t wait!
The Lord says, “My sheep know my voice, and another voice will they not follow”. John 10:4-5.
Words to live by:
Don’t try to change anybody… only God can do that. And don’t look to anyone else to satisfy your needs, only He can do that.