Why is it that there is often so much confusion spread throughout the Body of Christ? We have two pairs of ears – a natural pair and a spiritual pair. Confusion results when we listen with our natural ears, applying knowledge from our vast source of available knowledge today and our reason, believing we have heard from God. Our will and our intellect can be a stumbling block to hearing God’s voice clearly.
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice”, John 10:27. If I am not hearing clearly it is because there is something wrong with my “receiver“. I have to learn to listen with my spiritual ears. In order to do this I have to lay down my understanding – what I have heard with my natural ears. When I embrace the voice of my reason, I will not hear the voice of God with my spiritual ears. Proverbs 3: 5 instructs: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING”, verse 7 continues, “Be not wise in your own eyes“. Trust in God and learning to listen for His voice requires us to lay down, or bypass, our limited understanding. God does not require the wisdom of men. He alone is omniscient, but is ever seeking a heart that will listen and obey His voice. He longs to bring us into intimate fellowship with Himself and His Son. He created us for His good pleasure.
Naturally speaking, a deaf person cannot speak because he does not hear. How dumb am I then if I do not hear what God is saying to me. I may spout many words from my intellect of knowledge gathered from the wrong source, that is, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (Genesis 3), instead of eating from the Tree of Life, that is, Jesus Christ – God’s Source. The tree of knowledge is an intellectual position that Jesus over-ruled at Calvary, executing a royal exchange with the Tree of Life – He is now the Source of all wisdom we need.
The Gospel of John 1:1-4 declares that at the beginning of creation, Jesus was the Word, with God and was God, creating all things. We are made in God’s image and likeness, and our words are the vehicle of creation. Examine the words we speak. What are we creating when we speak? Do we speak words of life……or death? Let it not be said of us: “I cannot hear what you say, for the noise of what you are!” Our lives speak.
When I surrender my will and my intellect, I can enter into the disposition of God’s rest. In this sanctuary I will hear the still, small voice clearly that will bypass my limited understanding. The Voice of Truth finds a resting place in a surrendered, uncluttered heart, seeking to hear and do the Father’s will. Not my will, but Thine be done.
In order to hear, I must first learn to listen with my spiritual ears. Listen to the whispers of Jesus!
Dear Lord, I am learning to let You lead, putting all trust in You……
