Hearing God’s Voice (Part II)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14

The above scripture is important in what it states and also in what it does not state! This Bible verse does not tell us that those who read the Bible are the sons of God. The truth is that we have theologians who know the Bible but don’ know the Lord! Reading the Bible without a revelation of God is like reading any good literature or history book. It is the spirit of God that quickens the word of God and allows us to see something in it that we have not seen before. The word of God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, speaks to us, and it convicts, corrects, and exhorts us in the way we should go. This allows our relationship with our heavenly Father to develop and we grow as sons and daughters of God.

The above scripture also does not state that those who go to church are the sons of God. When the New Testament church began, people were meeting in each others’ homes to have fellowship and learn the doctrines of Christ. The church as we know it today was not formed and neither were people aiming to just show up to a building once a week to hear a good sermon. They were focused on learning about their newfound faith and what Jesus came to do for them even at the cost of their lives. While there is nothing wrong with having a nice building, but we have to be careful that buildings (nowadays campuses), their cost, and the number of people attending does not take away the focus of the church. Otherwise, it will lead a church to a corporate mentality, and it will focus on maintaining a certain stream of revenue. This would make it difficult to listen to the voice of God or be led by Him! Jesus had much to say to the seven churches in the book of Revelation.

Also, the scripture does not state those who are pastor’s kids or grandkids are the sons of God. As a matter of fact, Jesus rebuked the religious people because they were comfortable and confident with their status in their community but missing the work of Christ among them. Sometimes being part of a religious system, blinds people to their lack of relationship with Jesus. People around them prop them up and shelter them from the work of God in their lives. In addition, some people within a religious system can assume that the voice or the opinion of their leadership is the voice of God, and they rely on it more than they rely on the spirit of the Lord!

One of the marks of any good relationship is communication. If we profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus, then it means that we are in two-way communication to Him. This relationship causes us to want to know Him and hear what He has to say concerning all areas of our lives.  The Lord is looking for those who sincerely want to be in relationship with Him and desire to communicate with Him. How good is your communication with the Lord!? In the above scripture, the Lord tells us that those who are in tune with hearing God’s voice and His leading are His children.  His children remain in relationship to their heavenly Father. They are not running ahead of Him nor lagging behind Him. They don’t come to God only when they want something from Him but remain in continual relationship with Him.

Hearing God’s voice and being led by His Spirit is evidence of a personal relationship with God. It shows that we have learned to abide in Christ, and Jesus has full access to us to direct us a certain way. We have learned to remain in tune with Him, and, on a regular basis, we surrender our plans into His hands for His leading and direction.

Are you led by the Spirit of God? If not, what hinders you? Do you make time to seek Him on a daily basis? Are you able to surrender your plans and allow the Lord to direct your steps? Do you consider any other person’s voice to be the voice of God in your life?