Strengthen What Remains: Ears to Hear (Final)

Opening:

There is nothing more important for a congregation than to hear the Lord’s voice for their given situation.

The peace of God is associated with His voice.

[Phl 4:7 ESV] 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As we bring our hearts before the Lord to receive His word for our situation, we also receive His peace, which will guard our hearts and minds.

The times I have moved forward with His voice have always been accompanied by His assurance.

Once we have received, we can then move forward with the Holy Spirit's confidence.

“My People move before hearing My voice.”

I have moved forward without God’s voice and with His voice.

Without God’s voice, I expose my heart and mind to confusion and emotional upheaval.

Waiting before the Lord until I hear His voice.

[Isa 40:31 ESV] 31 “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Time pressure . . .

One of the biggest challenges is to wait before the Lord until we receive His word.

The anxiety we feel while waiting to hear God’s voice reveals what needs to be brought to the cross.

I will experience worry, fear, and anxiety in the areas most resistant to the voice of the Lord.

The voice of the Lord will always lead my flesh to be “crucified with Christ.”

The extent to which my flesh remains alive will determine my ability to both hear and obey God’s voice.

Samuel’s call . . .

[1Sa 3:1-10 NIV] 1 “The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days, the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.

2 One night, Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.

4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." 5 And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down.

6 Again, the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.

8 A third time the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.

9 So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

“The word of the Lord was rare” . . .

Has the word of the Lord become rare today?

“Can you hear me now?”

One of the primary challenges in hearing God's voice in our situations is the number of conflicting “voices” that produce static or interference.

To hear, we must first be still.

When we are unable to still competing voices, we default to our best thinking.

We will never accomplish God's will with our best thinking. We must have His voice and, therefore, His plan to do so.

What voices are you hearing in your life right now?

Media? Pain? Culture? Pressure?

“How much of your time is spent listening for God’s voice compared to these other voices?”

“Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.”

God’s voice is associated with His presence.

The ark carried God’s manifest presence.

The Church must carry God’s manifest presence.

We will only receive God’s voice to the extent that we seek His face.

Receiving his voice for the sake of gaining wisdom and insight apart from His presence leads to spiritual consumers.

We seek Him first and foremost, and then we receive the benefit of His voice.

"I did not call; go back and lie down."

“Go back to bed!”

Eli had lost touch with God’s voice.

The “sleeping Church”

[Rev 3:2 ESV] 2 “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

"Speak, for your servant is listening."

The true measurement of success for the believer is: have I heard and obeyed?

Scripturally, hearing equals obeying.

Samuel postured himself for obedience.

The Church today must be postured for absolute obedience to the voice of God.

If we are unable to hear, then we are unable to obey.

God is looking for people who have ears to hear and will obey His instructions.

Are we listening?

Challenge the Church:

What would it look like for us to say, as a congregation, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening’?

Imagine the fruit and impact if we collectively tuned our ears to hear His voice.

Summary questions:

What voices are you hearing in your life right now?

“How often do we act on our own plans and then ask God to bless them, instead of waiting for His direction?”

“Are you in the right place to hear God’s voice?”

“Have you obeyed the last thing God told you to do?”