Hearing the Voice of God Part 1

John 5:25
Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

John 10:27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Rom 8:14-17
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Hebrews 3, 4 Today if you hear his voice, harden not your heart….

Jesus said that the hour was upon us when the dead would hear the voice of God and live. He said also that his sheep hear his voice and follow him. In Rom 8:14 the Bible says those who are led of the Holy Spirit are the sons of God.

These scriptures are typical of many that indicate that a believer in the New Testament era of grace enjoys a dynamic, living relationship with God, a relationship built on faith,. And the revelation that is central to this dynamic relationship is that we should hear the voice of God.

In the Old Testament they were led by the law, they were guided by a written code and by instructions that came through prophets who were few and far between. But Hebrews 1:1 says that God who in past times spoke to the fathers in different ways by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. (personal!!)
We are now in the era where the key to life is to hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who hear shall live, those who are led by His Spirit are His sons, and all of creation is groaning, travailing as if in birth pains waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, waiting for the manifestation of those who hear His voice, who are led by His Spirit.

My friends, listen carefully. It is not enough for you to try and be a New Testament Christian, a believer, by simply following the rules and regulations of the NT. There is a far greater revelation for you to come into, a far greater realm of existence. God has phenomenal things for you to do, for you to enter into - but the key to walking in the supernatural with Him is to hear His voice. The key to entering into the fullness of your salvation here on earth is to hear His voice, to be led of His Spirit.
It is the difference between being a Christian on impulse power and a Christian in warp drive!
The Bible says that we his people will be willing in the day of his power. The task of transformation is so monumental that it is beyond human ability and capability. If we are going to win the multitudes and transform our cities - even see our own lives and families transformed - it will never happen by simply following a written code. They couldn't do it following an OT code, and neither can we do it following a NT code. WE NEED TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD - WE NEED TO BE LED OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Hearing the Voice of God is the 64,000 dollar question. It is the one question Christians everywhere ask - how can I hear the voice of God? How can I move in the supernatural, how can I receive and give words of knowledge and wisdom, prophecy and exhortation.
We sometimes get jealous when we hear of people who seem to have regular chitchats with the Lord. But do you realise that that is God's plan for you? He wants you to hear his voice as plain as if it were your own thoughts!

God is speaking to you constantly and you are hearing constantly - the problem is one of recognition.

Many of us make the mistake of waiting for an
· External audible voice
· Internal audible third party voice
It's true that some people have heard an external audible voice of God - but that is the exception rather than the rule. And the problem with waiting for an internal audible voice is that we're still waiting for a third party, independent voice, a thought or idea that doesn't sound like ours.

But the NT truth is that if we are born again, if Christ is in us, if our spirit has been reunited with His Spirit, and we are led of the Spirit - then perhaps the voice of God is closer to home than we realise. The voice of God doesn't come as an external, audible, independent "different" voice, it comes as our own thought, thoughts in our own mind. FIRST PERSON. Rom 8:15 says the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirit.
Think of it for a moment - how does satan or a demon put a thought in our mind? You don't hear a cackling, croaky deep-throated voice whispering in your inner ear. You just have a thought. Most people who actually "hear" voices are locked up! So how do we hear the voice of God and secondly, how do we know it is the voice of God that we're hearing.

Three environmental essentials for hearing the voice of God
1. Saturated in the Spirit. Eph 5:18. Don't get hung up on tongues but get to the bigger picture - that God wants you to be filled daily, to be saturated. The Holy Spirit is our umbilical link to God, the means by which Christ dwells in us. Never mind when you were first filled with the Spirit - when were you last filled?
2. Soaked in the Word. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Psalm 119: (repeated ad infinitum, why?) Principle - Grace (v41, 76,77,88,124, 145, 146) Process - Meditation (11, 15, 16, 48, 78, 130, 133, 142-143,148) OT:7878 siyach (see'-akh); a primitive root; to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse (with oneself, and hence, aloud) or (transitively) utter: KJV - commune, complain, declare, meditate, muse, pray, speak, talk, sing (with) Practice - Obedience (v2, 4, 5, 55, 60-64, 145 -146) Too many to count! Result of all this is saving, delivering, rescuing, help, protection, provision, safety, security, redeem me, preserve me, defend.
3. Sacrifice of Praise. Eph 5:18. Enter his gates, into his presence giving thanks Ps100

Four safety checks to confirm it is the voice of God
1. Does it speak according to the Word Is 8:20
2. Let the Holy Spirit umpire Col 3:16
3. Submit to others Prov 24:6 Eph 5:21
4. Get out of the boat! Do all things!! Know in part, prophesy in part; Let it be weighed - room for mistakes, equals room for growth. As Graeme was saying - anointing at first when speaking, but learn to recognise voice. Can't learn to skateboard in a classroom. Can't learn to cycle in theory.