Pastor’s Corner: “Beyond Words”
Psalm 33:6-9 (NLT) – 6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. 7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. 8 Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him. 9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
Often as Christian believers we can make a great mistake when we refer to the Bible as just an instruction manual. It is true that we should use the Bible as a guide, but it is so much more that! The inspired Bible is the Word of God speaking to our hearts and minds. And in referring to the Word of God, I do not mean just the book—printed pages glued together. Rather, I mean the eternal expression of the mind of God, through the Word of God by Holy Spirit. I mean the world-filling breath of God! When God spoke, the world was created and life began. When God speaks to us, we are transformed and given new life.
The human ear is incredibly adept at distinguishing voices. A parent can detect the cry of their child in a group of children and know how much they are hurt. You can hear a voice from years ago and recognize it even though you don’t recognize the person. We are also equipped to hear the voice of the Lord through the Holy Spirit. Do you hear His voice?
Hebrews 3:15 (ERV) – 5 That’s why the Spirit said, “If you hear God’s voice today, don’t be stubborn as in the past when you turned against God.” The writer of Hebrews is talking to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and are turning away from Him by hardening their hearts. This is a danger every Christian faces at times in their daily walk. Our heart is pulled towards another idol, and we run the risk of it hardening as we turn from Christ. During that process, you will hear a voice in your heart that will tell you what you are doing is wrong, and it will ask you to return to Jesus.
Here are some ways that we can discern God’s Voice in our lives: He is persistent: you will receive the same information from different sources. He communicates personally: God knows exactly who you are, and he communicates to you personally. He brings peace: God gives His peace in situations. He speaks with authority: Just like the disciples’ hearts burned within them when He spoke, you will know that it is not your own thoughts.
God’s voice corrects but it never accuses. There is a world of difference between correction and accusation. Correction is accompanied with love and compassion but accusation is filled with disdain and contempt. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). If we’re walking with God, when the Holy Spirit speaks, he may reveal our sin, but he doesn’t accuse us. If the voice we hear is accusatory, it is from the enemy – Revelation 12:10 (NIV) – For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
Here are three mental barriers that can keep your mind closed to hearing God’s Voice. Pride. If you think you don’t need God in your life and you want to handle things yourself, you’re probably not listening for God to speak. Pride keeps you from being open to the possibility that God might want to say something to you. Fear. A lot of people can’t hear God because they’re afraid to hear God speak. Maybe you think that hearing God’s voice or sensing his leading makes you some kind of religious fanatic. Bitterness. When you hold on to hurt, resentment, or a grudge, you’re not going to be able to hear God, because your heart is hardened. It has grown cold and made you defensive, even to God’s love. To hear God’s beautiful and life changing voice, we have to be willing to repent and let go of these and turn to Jesus, surrendering our will to His.
Have you heard God speak to you lately? If you are a Christian, you should know His voice. And as Christians, we must be careful not to allow the world to drown Him out. He has so much to say – and we need to hear from Him, our Good Shepherd.
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton