#86: Hearing God with Precision

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When He has brought them out, He goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow Him, because they know His voice. They will not follow someone else, instead, they will run away from such a person because they do not know his voice. John 10:4-5 (GNB)

Every believer yearns to do the will of God. However, the biggest challenge is discerning the will of God. How can I know the will of God? How do I hear God and know He is the one? These are common and regular/frequent questions in the hearts of Christians. At every point we want to make a decision, there are several voices in our heads saying several thing, giving several opinions, yet only one of them is God trying to imprint His will upon your life. God does not intend for us to be confused. As we briefly study this parable of Jesus, this issue will be addressed. Amen.

Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil. (Heb 5:14).

When a child is growing up, sooner than later, he or she knows the voice of the mother. At this point, the child through practice have been able to distinguish… Through practice because there is a relationship between child and mother. You cannot expect to recognize God’s voice when your relationship with Him is suffering. It is through the shepherd-sheep relationship that a sheep is able to recognize the shepherd’s voice and calls. When you are surrounded with things concerning God: the Bible, godly friends, godly music, you are thus learning and mastering how God speaks and what His voice sounds like.

Jesus was very particular in this parable: …the sheep follow Him, because they know His voice. Maybe you are still struggling to recognize God’s voice because you are not even in the sheep folk. The LORD knows those who are His. This is a good time to check whose folk you are in because every member of the LORD’s folk follow His directives and this is because they know His voice.

Vs 5 ended on a strong note. Even though these other voices would be ringing in your head, those who are in the folk of Christ would find these voices rather strange …they will run away from such voices because they do not know his voice. It means our final decision is usually a question of which of the voices we familiarize with. Whose voice is fundamental in your heart? Is the voice of God strange in your heart, and only the inclinations of the world do you synchronize with?

Your relationship with God cuts ties with the Devil and the world. It only when through practice we are able to distinguish…that God can begin to bring weightier things of the kingdom our way. That is when strong food will come to the table. God is now sure that we will not be confused. At this point, we have unlearned all other voices.


Thought: Whose folk do I belong to? How is my relationship with God? Is there a shepherd-sheep relationship between God and I?

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