Why We Need To Hear God's Voice Series

HEARING GOD – WHY WE NEED TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

Before refrigerators, people used ice houses to preserve their food. Ice houses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the ice houses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an ice house. He searched diligently for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but didn't find it. His fellow workers also looked, but their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the ice house during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. "I closed the door," the boy replied, "lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking." Often the question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are being still enough, and quiet enough, to hear His voice.

Today we are continuing in our series Hearing God. Last week we talked about the fact that we need the Holy Spirit to help us to hear from God and how we can practically do that. Today I want to talk about why this is important. Jesus said;

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Sheep listen to the shepherd’s voice. Why is it important that we hear from God?

1. So we can be Directed by God - steering us

If you watched my New Year’s Eve message you heard me say that part of being filled with the Holy Spirit is being directed by God. We need to be able to discern God’s voice so that we can follow His leading in where He wants us to go.

Why is direction so important? It is because we are at war. One of the most important thing in any battle is that the soldiers are able to communicate with the ones who are strategically leading and coordinating the battle plan. Communication is essential to victory. We see this often in Israel’s history. It was only when the people listened to God’s direction that they saw victory.

2Ki 6:8-12 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, "I will set up my camp in such and such a place." 9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there." 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. 11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, "Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?" 12 None of us, my lord the king, said one of his officers, "but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom."

We see this often in the life of David. He relied on God’s direction.

2Sa 5:19 so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you."

David could have simply tried to repeat what had worked for him in the past, but in every battle he took the time to again seek God’s direction. Just a few verses later we read;

2Sa 5:23-24 so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

Life is often like this. We face a situation and God tells us to deal with it in a certain way. Latter, we face a similar situation and we may be tempted to simply do what we did the last time but God tells us to now approach it from a completely different angle. We see this dependence on God’s direction also in the New Testament. The apostles relied on God’s direction to know which way to go.

Act 16:6-10 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.