The Importance of Heeding God's Voice

The Importance of Heeding God’s Voice

Pastor E. Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture:  Genesis 3:1-24

I.              God has given us

A.               His word: God’s covenant boundaries and provisions

B.                His voice: God’s specific direction for our lives within those boundaries

II.           The Voice of Satan

A.               Satan attacked the inspiration of God’s word, “Has God indeed said?”

B.                Satan attacked the integrity of God’s word: “You will not surely die.”

C.               Satan attacked the intention of God’s word: “God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

D.               Eve heeded the voice of the serpent and turned from God’s word

III.        The Voice of Self

A.               The lust of the flesh: “I need” / The tree was good for food

B.                The lust of the flesh: “I want” / It was pleasant to the eyes

C.               The pride of life: “I am” & “I know” / It was desirable to make one wise

D.               Eve listened to her own reasoning and ate

IV.       The Voice of Others

A.               “Come on—everyone is doing it!”

B.                “If you won’t join us, then you can’t be a part of us!”

C.               Adam heeded the voice of his wife and ate (Genesis 3:17)

V.          Consequences of not heeding God’s voice

A.               Guilt: The eyes of both of them were opened

B.                Shame: They knew that they were naked…and made themselves coverings

C.               Fear: I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid

D.               Curse: Adam and Eve brought unnecessary hardship upon their lives

E.                Separation: The Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden

VI.       IMPORTANT:  Heed God’s Voice Today!

A.               Hebrews 3:7-11 (NKJV) “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, “They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest.”’”