Hearing The Voice Of God
Open: I want you to picture this…I’m out in the yard working in my shorts and T-shirt, when the Holy Spirit speaks to me and says “Put your goggles on!” Now it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you are working with certain pieces of machinery you should have them on anyway…that’s common sense…BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT – THIS WASN’T JUST COMMON SENSE, I SINCERELY FELT PROMPTED BY GOD’S VOICE…It was only a few seconds FTER i put my goggles on that a huge piece a mulch flew up and hit me right in the goggles with a force so strong it would have certainly put my eye out had I not been wearing goggles.
This morning I want to talk to you on the subject “Hearing The Voice of God”
(John 10:1 NIV) "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. (John 10:2 NIV) The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. (John 10:3 NIV) The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:4 NIV) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:5 NIV) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice."
(John 10:27 NIV) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
(Rev 3:20 NIV) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.
First let me ask the question “Why is it important that we hear the voice of God?”
In just a moment I want to tell you about two reasons. But first, let me tell you another true story that happened to me recently…
# 1 – DIRECTION!
We need direction in our everyday lives.
(The late John Osteen, Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston told the story one time of being pulled over by a policeman for speeding…)
Not only do we need to hear God’s voice for direction, but we also need to hear god’s voice for…
# 2 – DECISIONS!
We all face decisions every day.
Some of them are minor.where will we eat lunch, what shirt should I wear.etc.
But some of them could change the course of your life forever!
THE GREATEST DECISION YOU WILL MAKE IS WHETHER YOU WILL FOLLOW JESUS OR NOT.
BUT IF YOU ARE LISTENING TO GOD’S VOICE YOU WILL.
Now in addition to why you need to hear God’s voice let me show you how you can hear God’s voice.
# 1 – Understand We Never Leave God’s Presence!
(Heb. 13:5 God said never will I leave you, never will I forsake you)
It isn’t something we put on and take off!
# 2 – Listen to the Holy Spirit
I can’t give you a formula for this, but I know that if your desire is to stay close to God the Holy Spirit will speak to you…
A good example of this is found in the Bible in Luke chapter 2. There was a man named Simeon…the Holy Spirit had shown him he would not die until he had seen Jesus.
(Rom 8:14 NIV) because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Let me assure you that you don’t have to be “super – spiritual” to hear the voice of God. You just need to love him and desire to stay close to him!
I’m one of the least “spiritual” pastors that I know…
I don’t walk around using Christian vocabulary all day long…
But I know the Lord speaks to me.
