Introduction

Welcome church family! I’m very excited today as we begin a powerful 3-week series together. Called & Anointed draws upon the testimonies of Samuel the prophet and David, the king of Israel.

A.W. Tozer once said, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity we plan only the things we can do by ourselves." May we be a people who learn to listen and respond to God's call, no matter how impossible or improbable it may seem to us.

Today we need our hearts to be opened by the Holy Spirit as we unpack God's calling in our lives, the interference that might be obstructing God's call, and the importance of community in discerning His call.

So, let's buckle up and invite the Spirit to increase our understanding!

God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.

Main Teaching

Let’s begin with a full reading of our passage for the day…

As we journey through this passage, let's be mindful of the spiritual strongholds that may be preventing us from hearing God's call. Let's also remember the importance of community in discerning God's heart for our lives. Together, we will experience revival and an outpouring of God's grace as we boldly answer His call, invading the enemy's territory for the glory of God.

In our passage today, we see that Samuel, a young boy ministering under Eli, didn’t know how to recognize the voice of the Lord calling him. This was not because Samuel was unwilling to listen or respond, but because he had not yet been introduced to the voice of God. The interference in this case was a lack of familiarity with the divine voice.

In our lives, we may face various forms of interference that obstruct our ability to hear and respond to God's call. We need to clear the way!

Interference can come in the form of distractions, busyness, sin, or even a lack of spiritual maturity. We need to identify and clear away these interferences so we can be more attuned to the voice of God and be better equipped to respond to His call.

One common interference that many of us face is the busyness of life. Our days are often filled with work, family, and social obligations, leaving little time for quiet reflection and prayer. This constant state of activity can make it difficult for us to hear God's voice, as we are bombarded with noise and distractions. We need to intentionally carve out time in our schedules for moments of solitude and silence, where we can quiet our hearts and minds and be more receptive to the voice of God.

Another form of interference is sin. Sin creates a barrier between us and God, making it difficult for us to discern His voice and respond to His call. When we allow sin to take root in our lives, it can deafen our spiritual ears and blind our spiritual eyes, preventing us from recognizing God's presence and guidance. It is crucial for us to regularly examine our hearts and lives, confessing and repenting of any sin that may be hindering our relationship with God.

In addition, a lack of spiritual maturity can interfere. Just as Samuel was initially unable to recognize the voice of the Lord due to his lack of experience and knowledge, we too may struggle to discern God's voice if we are not grounded in His Word and growing in our faith. Spiritual maturity is developed through consistent prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers; all of which help to sharpen our spiritual senses and make us more attuned to the voice of God.

We must also be aware of the enemy's tactics to obstruct our ability to hear God's call. The enemy is constantly at work, seeking to sow seeds of doubt, fear, and confusion in our minds, making it difficult for us to discern God's voice amidst the chaos. We must be vigilant in guarding our hearts and minds against the enemy's schemes, standing firm in our faith and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us.

Answering God's call only happens when we align ourselves with the heart of God and participate in His divine plan for our lives ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium