It’s the nature of God to Speak. The facts are that God is not silent, has never been silent. It is the nature of God to speak. A new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not only a book which was once spoken, but a book that is now speaking. - AW TOZER
John 8:47
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Hearing God is a mark of identity more than it is a gauge of maturity.
Numbers 6:24-26 ESV
The LORD bless you and keep you;25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;26 the LORD lift up his countenance[a] upon you and give you peace.
Hearing His voice is not about something that we do, but hearing God is something that happens because of who we are.
We hear based on who we are and whose we are.
John 10:1-5
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
John 10:27
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Out of a knowing His voice comes a following of His voice.
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1. *Hearing God comes natural to Christ followers. *
John 3:7 AMP
Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’
Eph 2:4-6 ESV
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
*2. Hearing God can be learned. *
Children are born with the ability to communicate, but we need to learn how to talk, and how to listen.
3. Our ability to hear God can Mature.
How God speaks to us changes as we mature in Christ.
Isaiah 65:24 ESV
Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.
Discussion Questions:
AW Tozer said, It’s God’s Nature to speak. Do you believe this? What has been your personal experience of God speaking to you?
Briefly describe the first time you heard God Spoke to you? What did He sound like? Were you taken off guard by it, or did you instantly recognize it.
Describe How hearing God’s voice has changed for you as you have matured?
-Read Isaiah 65:24. How does this scripture bring us assurance that God is in control? What is one area of your life that you are waiting and believing God to speak to you in?