Learning To Hear God's Voice

How To Hear God Speak

Luke 8:4–15

And while a large crowd was gathering and they were going to him from town after town, he spoke by means of a parable: “The sower went out to sow his seed, and while he was sowing, some seed fell on the side of the path and was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. And other seed fell on the rock, and when it came up, it withered, because it did not have moisture. And other seed fell in the midst of the thorn plants, and the thorn plants grew up with it and choked it. And other seed fell on the good soil, and when it came up, it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he said these things, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

And his disciples asked him what this parable meant. And he said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are in parables, so that

‘Seeing they may not see,

and hearing they may not understand.’

Now the parable means this: the seed is the word of God, and those beside the path are the ones who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. And those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it, and these do not have enough root, who believe for a time and in a time of testing fall away. And the seed that fell into the thorn plants—these are the ones who hear and as they go along are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear fruit to maturity. But the seed on the good soil—these are the ones who, after hearing the word, hold fast to it with a noble and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

The Farmer - God

The Seed - His Word

The Soil - My Mind

How To Hear God Speak

Cultivate an open mind. Posture yourself in a position of praise. Invite the Spirit of the living God in your place of worship but first you must clear out the noise.

Noise is the sound that interferes with hearing. Noise symbolizes the elements of confusion, distraction, dissonance, and dissent. The objective of noise is to create chaos and to overwhelm you. To cause a distraction(s) from the main issue.

This is what happens...

5 A sower went out to sow seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the traveled path and was trodden underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up.

12 Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts, that they may not believe (acknowledge Me as their Savior and devote themselves to Me) and be saved [here and hereafter].

The hardened path - represents a closed mind.

Three causes:

Pride

Fear

Bitterness

II. Allocate Time To Listen

6 And some [seed] fell on the rock, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away because it had no moisture.

13 And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof).

The shallow soil represents the superficial mind. It doesn’t have sufficient root depth.

III. Eliminate the distractions.

7 And other [seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it [off].

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection).

The soil with weeds represents a preoccupied mind

Three types of weeds

Worries

Riches

Pleasures

IV. Cooperate with what He says

15 But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.

Matthew 13

8 Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grain—some a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty.