But he said, Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it! (Luke 11:28 ESV)
As parents, and those of us who have leadership responsibilities for children and young adults, we know all too well when they are listening to us and when they are not. The same goes for God. He knows when we are either obedient or disobedient to His Word. As a result, there are consequences in both situations. In the verse above, the Gospel writer lets us know that if we hear His Word and keep it, we will reap blessings. James 1:22 (ESV) declares: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Therefore, James confirms exactly what Luke says. We deceive ourselves when we hear the Word and do not follow the commands of the Lord. If we want to be blessed and not suffer the consequences of disobedience, it behooves us to listen to the voice of God!
Satan has a very powerful way of trying to convince us not to listen to God’s voice: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world,” (I Peter 5:8-9 ESV).
No one is exempt from the devil’s adversarial trickery. We just have to stay prayed up and vigilantly watching for the tricks of the enemy.
I am sure some of you are wondering, “How do I know when God is speaking to me?” First of all, we must know and heed God’s voice in order to know His will for us. How can we know God’s plan for us if we don’t know Him? There are a number of ways in which God speaks to us, but I will mention three. The main point for us to know and consider is not if God is speaking to us, but are we listening to the voice of God.
Get to know God by reading, studying, comprehending, and trusting His Word. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV): “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
In order to hear God’s voice, we must belong to God. John 10:27 (ESV); “Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.’”
God sometimes speaks to us through the voices of others. I Peter 4:11(ESV): “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Have a wonderfully blessed week, be thankful in all circumstances, and never leave home without Him!
(Anna Bright is a minister and educator in Walterboro. She can be reached at abrightcolumn@lowcountry.com)
