How To Listen To God September 17, 2015

Isaiah 50:4-5     The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back.

Psalm 5:3     In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 119:147     I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.

Psalm 143:8     Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.

Proverbs 12:25     Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

Isaiah 54:13     All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.

Isaiah 57:19     creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near," says the LORD. "And I will heal them."

Jeremiah 31:25     I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."

Most of us are better at talking than listening, but communicating with the Lord involves both. God intends for His children to hear His voice. His goal is the same today as it has always been—to be certain that we comprehend the truth about Him, to conform us to His ways, and to equip us for communicating His truth to others.

One of the main instruments God uses to speak to modern-day believers is His Word. For this reason, studying the Bible is more important than getting breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. We can easily live on one daily meal, but we cannot survive in this wicked world unless we feast on Scripture. The result of regular consumption of God’s Word is a discerning spirit. When a Christian shares something the Lord has laid on his heart to tell us, our spirit verifies the truth of the message.

Regardless of how loudly God speaks, we won’t hear unless listening is a priority. We must ask the Lord to teach us to hear and then work at having a quiet attitude. An internal “receiver” tuned to the Father develops only through committed prayer, meditation, and practice at listening. In addition, we need a spirit of submission to obey His commands.

God’s goal for us is a lifestyle of sensitivity so we can hear Him in noisy or calm situations. Listening is a critical skill for ensuring that our hearts are open to divine guidance in every circumstance. In addition to the nourishment provided by our feast of Scripture, there is also “dessert”—recognition of our Father’s voice.