A Key To Hearing God’s Voice
God can speak to anyone at any time He chooses. Saved or sinner, king or servant, male or female, young or old – God is sovereign, and He will speak whenever and however He pleases!
Every follower of Christ has the capacity to hear God clearly. God created us for intimate relationship, that we would know Him and recognise His voice. And although God is sovereign in all things, it shouldn’t surprise us that He is looking for those who genuinely seek after Him, so that He can share a deeper level of relationship with us.
Psalm 25:14 (NIV) The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
To confide is to trust someone enough to tell them of a secret or private matter, or to entrust something to someone in order for them to look after it. The KJV says ‘the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.’ This word ‘secret’ speaks of close deliberation and familiar conversation between God and mankind from a place of intimacy and relationship.
While we all have plenty of acquaintances, we probably have only a few people who we would trust with very personal things in our lives. In the same way, God is looking for trusted believers who He can share His intimate thoughts with.
A POWERFUL KEY TO HEARING THE LORD IS FEARING THE LORD
Psalm 25:14 tells us that the Lord confides in those who fear Him. So, what is the fear of the Lord? It is not just awe and wonder at His majesty. It is not just to morally revere God or even to tremble in His presence. Yes, it is all this, but it is much more. Scripture shows us that the fear of the Lord is linked to walking in obedience to His ways.
Psalm 25:12 (NIV) Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
Psalm 128:1 (NIV) Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
Psalm 111:10 (NIV) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
The fear of the Lord is not just the EMOTION of reverence or the EXPRESSION of wonder; it is the ACTION of obedience.
We unlock a key to hearing God’s voice through our obedience. Proverbs 3:32 tells us that the Lord ‘takes the upright into His confidence’. Jesus said that we are His friends if we do what He commands (John 15:14-15). When it comes to your relationship with God, are you a casual acquaintance, or are you a trusted friend that He can confide in?
- If you want to hear the Lord, then you have to fear the Lord.
- If you want to receive His revelation, then you have to accept His ways.
God truly delights to speak to His children. If you have any doubt of this, just open your Bible! Ask the Lord to speak to you and ask Him what is on His heart. The Lord wants to confide in you, and a humble heart and obedient response opens the door to hearing God’s voice in greater measure.