Theme Scripture: John10:27-29
[27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Why is it so important to recognize God’s voice?
When you recognize God’s voice either audibly or through His Holy written Word – the Bible, you enter into a wonderful relationship with Him where you can start to enjoy life as meant for you in this earth.
In Judges 6:17-22, 36-40), we see that Gideon had a physical revelation from God, and yet he doubted what he had heard to the point of asking for a sign, not once, but three times.
First of all, we have to understand that we have something that Gideon did not have. We have the complete Bible, the inspired Word of God, to read, study, and meditate on – he did not. The Bible is God inspired – breathed Word and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17)”.
When we have a question about a certain topic, a word given to us prophetically or decision in our lives, we should first and foremost go to the Bible and read what Scripture has to say about it. Why? Because God will never lead us contrary to what He has taught in His Word (Titus 1:2). We also need to consult with Holy Spirit to give clarity to the spoken Word John16:13
Who qualifies to hear or recognize God’s voice?
- Those who have been saved by His grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. God’s Word says that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9). … Grace alone means that God loves, forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but because of the work of Christ. (John3:16).
- They are those who abide in Him (John 15:1-7). Those that dwell in His presence (Psalms 91:1…)
- Those who spend time in God’s Word – (John 15:7, Psalms 91) We hear His voice when we spend time in Bible study and quiet contemplation of His Word. The more time we spend intimately with God and His Word, the easier it is to recognize His voice and His leading in our lives. Employees at a bank are trained to recognize counterfeits by studying genuine money so closely that it is easy to spot a fake. We should be so familiar with God’s Word that when someone speaks error to us, it is clear that it is not of God.
God speaks today primarily through His written Word. God’s leading can also come through the Holy Spirit, through our consciences, through the exhortations of other people, or through prophets. In order to recognize the voices we are hearing, we must compare what we hear to the truth of what is written in the Bible (Scripture), this is how we can accurately recognize and differentiate God’s voice from other voices.
It is also good to note that the sheep who hear and recognize God’s voice, studies or searches out Scriptures daily and so they are able to confirm what they hear. The Scriptures in John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice” speaks of those who listen and acts on what they hear—this kind of hearing causes faith to rise into action. This is what Apostle Paul taught the Romans, “Faith comes from hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17)”. By hearing God’s Word, we get to know Him, and knowing Him produces faith, and that faith causes us to follow and obey.
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