JESUS MINISTRY ESSENTIALS; TO CLEARLY HEAR VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
MINISTRY LEADERSHIP ESSENTIAL #1 – Recognizing God’s (The Holy Spirit’s Voice)
A. Psalm 85:6-7, 8 – “I will hear what God the Lord will speak.”
1) One of the greatest needs in life is to hear God accurately.
2) Hearing God is key to our continual growth and renewal in our walk with Him – v. 6, 7
3) There are life decisions that are in the process of being made that we need to hear His voice and wisdom on.
4) Whether we hear and follow or not will affect the course and quality of our lives and others and make an impact on Eternity
B. John 10:4, 27 – After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. [27] My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Jesus said that His sheep both hear and recognize His voice.
1) Each born again child of God has the ability to hear and follow Him.
2) One of the problems is that there are many voices competing
and shouting for our attention while God’s voice is primarily a
“still, small voice.” – I Cor. 14:10
3) Following Jesus is essential to safety and success in life and
ministry.
4) If we’re not hearing His voice and following Him we will fail
at the course of life.
5) How many want to follow a pastor or leader who does not know how to hear God’s voice and refuses to follow Jesus.
Conditions Necessary for Accurate Hearing
Spend quality time with God
1) Make and time in His presence a time with Him.
2) The more you spend time with someone, the more recognizable
their voice becomes to you.
3) Example: When my wife calls me on the phone, she does not
have to tell me who it is because I recognize her voice after 20
years of spending time with her.
4) The more time you spend with the Lord and the better you
know Him, the more distinct His voice will become to you.
C. God spoke to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon,
Samuel, Elijah, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc. and they were not
born again.
1) How much more you and I.
2) God hasn’t changed His principle of accomplishing His
purpose in the earth.
3) He speaks to men until He finds one who will hear and obey
D. Circumcise your heart from selfish motives and pre-conceived ideas
1) Our flesh, greed, or pride are voices that will hinder our
hearing God’s voice.
2) God promised to give us the desires of our heart, not the desires of our selfish, prideful flesh.
3) When seeking God for direction and attempting to hear from Him, it is necessary to lay all personal preference aside.
4) This is what Gethsemane was all about for Jesus – “Not My will, but Yours be done, Father.”
5) This step establishes the will of God as a higher priority than our fleshly whims, desires, or comfort.
E. Having a heart that is ready to obey
1) Keeping a “Yes” in your spirit to God at all times. 2) This kind of heart is instant to obey Him once it is certain of God’s voice. 3) Heb. 3:7, 15; 4:7 – “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” No “, Lord” is an oxymoron! 4) Get rid of “never” from your vocabulary with God. 5) What was the last thing you know that God spoke to you about? Have you been obedient to do that?