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Developing the Discipline of Listening - Part Two


Developing the Discipline of Listening
Part Two – Discerning the Voice of God

We live in a noisy society.  There are a number of voices that compete for our attention every day.  Our meals are interrupted by phone calls on our cell phones. We have hundreds of channels available on our television sets.  Have you noticed that the commercials have greater volume than the shows or movies we watch?  

With the technology we use it has become very difficult to disconnect.  We receive hundreds of emails and text messages every day on our smart phones.  Our houses are wired to the Internet.  Our lives have become so busy that we need to  rediscover the discipline of listening.

        Too often prayer becomes a monologue.  We download our needs, desires, and wants to God.  I believe that we must make our petitions known to our Father, but we must also take time to listen for His direction and instructions.  Prayer is designed for intimacy and communion with God. Prayer is God’s means of communication with His children.  Oswald Chambers wrote, “Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is the most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God." 

As we develop the discipline of listening we learn to still ourselves and listen for His voice.  We learn in Genesis 3:8 that the Lord would come to the garden in the cool of the day to commune with Adam and Eve.  The Psalmist writes in Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.”

There are three different voices that compete for the believer’s attention.  They are voices of the flesh, the voice of the devil, and the voice of God. The voice of the flesh is always self-centered.  It puffs us up and causes pride.  The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans8:5, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things ofthe Spirit.”

The voice of the enemy always seeks to condemn and tear us down. The enemy’s voice is a condemning voice.  What is our answer to condemnation?  Romans 8:1 reads, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk accordingto the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

The voice of the Lord is a comforting voice.  He loves us so much that He longs to encourage and comfort us throughout our journey of faith.  Psalms 37:23 reads, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in hisway.”

Let me encourage you to spend time learning to listen to His voice.  Find a place to commune with the Lord in worship and praise. Your life will never be the same. 

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