The Practicality of Hearing His Voice

The Practicality of Hearing His Voice

We tend to think that it is easier to hear God's voice for others, than for ourselves. We prophesy on others; we release word of knowledge and word of wisdom. But when it comes to hearing God for ourselves, we have much trouble discerning whether it is the voice of God.

This is a wrong perception that we have held for a long time.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27

We memorized this verse. We recited it. We preached. We quoted it. But we find it challenging to live it out. Unless we bust the wrong belief, we will always have trouble listening to His voice.

Hearing His voice for ourselves should be easier than prophesying and releasing Word to others, because the latter is simply about hearing His voice for others. If we can hear Him for others, it doesn't make sense that it is more difficult to hear Him for ourselves.

The simple disparity between the two lies in this: Familiarity.

When we approach someone whom we are not familiar with, the voice of God (through impressions, visions, emotions, thoughts, etc.) appears to be 'louder' because what we receive from Him is unfamiliar ----- by that, I mean that when we compare the words we receive from Him with our own lives, we can immediately recognize the difference and we are confident that the words are for the person we are prophesying on.

Familiarity should not breed contempt. In fact, it should make it even easier and simpler to hear from the One who loves you. My son can recognize my voice (as his father) much easier, simpler and faster than he can recognize the voice of others.

Similarly, we should be able to recognize the Father's voice for ourselves much easier than recognizing His voice for others. Because it is the SAME VOICE.

Why does it often seem tougher to hear Him for ourselves?

We must first comprehend where He lives. He lives IN us. We are ONE in union and communion. He speaks from within most of the time, instead of from without.

Because we are one in the Spirit with Him, we must not try to hear Him as though He is separated from us ------ by that, I also mean desires, passion, thoughts, emotions, inclinations, etc.They are all NOT separated from who He is IN us and who we are IN Him.

Once we realize this, we will not need to fast and pray for 40 days to hear Him on one decision. We will not need to wait in patient endurance (that's for trials and persecutions by the way) to get one word from Him. If that is the case, my son will be one of the most pathetic beings on earth because he has to do so much and wait so long just to hear my voice as his father.

Christ IN you is the key for communion. Because we are in unbreakable co-union with Him, we have unceasing communion with Him. This is why apostle Paul said, "Pray unceasingly." (1 Thes 5:17) That doesn't mean that you lock yourself in a room and pray for 24 hours. If that is the case, you will never be His disciple because you can't do anything He commanded about the Great Commission.

And to pray unceasingly is the WILL OF GOD for us (1 Thes 5:18). Since it is the will of God, He must have provided the Way to pray unceasingly, which is through the mystery of the Gospel hidden from ages and now revealed ------ Christ IN you, the Hope of glory. Through this union and communion, we can't stop praying because to be thinking His thoughts and desiring His thoughts is already prayer.

For it is God who WORKS IN YOU, both TO WILL and TO WORK for His good pleasure. - Phil 2:13 (emphasis added)

The word 'will' is the exact word used in Matthew 8:3 where Jesus said to the leper, "I am WILLING; be cleansed." It doesn't just speak of a desire. More than that, the word refers to the nature and the will of God. HE WILL-ED it.

Putting the word back to Phil 2:13, when we are born again, God (who is in union with us) has put in us the nature and will to DO HIS WORK. In other words, it is in our natural inclination to move like Him, according to His voice.

Once we realize this privilege, we will realize that we HAVE BEEN hearing His voice throughout the day because He shares our desires; He shares our thoughts; He shares our emotions; He shares our actions, etc.

Don't try to hear His voice. Don't try to separate His voice from your voice. You are not separated from Him. You are joined to Him (1 Cor 6:17). And what God has joined together, let no man separates. #foundationtoHisvoice