Are You Listening to God?

Are you being disobedient? 

We know that God listens to us all the time which is why we must pray all the time. But did you know that God also speaks to us all the time? Huh? What? How?

Yes He does! And He does it through various ways! You must spend time with God to get to know Him and to understand how He communicates with you. As for me, He can speak regarding a particular situation through the bible, or sometimes it’s through a song, or through the Holy Spirit. While other times, He speaks to me through people or sometimes it’s in mysterious new ways… I once found in my glass of water a heart formed by water particles… that was God telling me He loves me. It was pretty cool, actually, to know that God could communicate a message to me that way. Now, all this is fancy and awesome but the question is, what do we do once God speaks? Do we listen to what He tells us!!?? When He says no, do we listen? Or do we just try to open a door He has already shut?

Once you grow out of that phase when ‘you think you’re always right’, you realize your parents we’re right all along. Don’t you? You say “O.M.G., my parents we’re right about this or that” well… God doesn’t just speak to make noise either. He speaks because He has something to tell you and if it is not beneficial for you right now, it will bring fruit later. That’s one of the reason why each time the Lord speaks to me through the Holy Spirit, I write everything down… even when it doesn’t make sense. Once I even wrote down one of my dreams, it was so weird but I still wrote it down, and once I was going through my phone notes and read it, it ended up being some sort of revelation for me regarding a particular situation I was in. All this is to say that God has an intention when He is speaking. Like c’mon, He’s The Almighty, He knows everything. So, I think at this point, you should start giving in and listening to what He has to say… not just hear! But LISTEN and DO!

There’s a very distinct difference between hearing and listening. We all know that. Sometimes, we like to pretend though, that we’re listening to our parents or listening to our friends telling us all about their problems, when really all we’re doing is hearing and nodding to show we’re paying attention. We do the same to God too. We go to church, hear the sermon, and say “wow good word, that truly convicted me” but once we step out of the church doors, it’s like the message went right out the other ear. We hear the message but we didn’t listen. We don’t listen to that conviction that we must change certain things about ourselves. That’s probably the reason why God still has some of our blessings but still hasn’t released them yet. He’s waiting for us to be obedient and to follow Him wherever He leads. You cannot see the road ahead for yourself, but God can, so trust His voice and allow Him to lead you.

  

Following the Lord’s commands also plays a big role in this. We all hate being told what to do, especially as young people, but understand that the Lord disciplines those whom he LOVES! If you love your friend, and you see them walking towards a big ditch, will you let them walk right in? I said if you love that friend… you won’t right? Same with God. And He loves you with a matchless love. No one will ever love you the way that He does. So if He gives you instructions and restricts you from doing certain things, it’s because He loves you and wants what is best for you. So why are we still stubborn and refuse to listen when He speaks?

I think, it is because we lack faith. Everything comes down to faith. If you believed that the Lord loves you and everything He does in your life is so that you can prosper and have a future, then you wouldn’t question a single thing the Lord says. You wouldn’t doubt or question anything God is doing in your life. You would let go and let God. Plus, it’s not even your life though… you surrendered it to Him remember? So stop taking it back into your hands! That situation you gave to Him to handle for you, why are you taking it back? God has said “Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.” (Luke 17:33). You pretty much have to deny yourself in order to listen to God and to follow His will, I don’t believe you can do both: have God control one area of your life, while you control the other? No! It’s always all or nothing with God. So make a decision. Will you be obedient or will you be disobedient? Will you listen to God or just decide to ignore His voice?

Seek Him on these last few days of the fast, and do so diligently! Day and night! And when the Lord speaks, make sure you listen to what He says and obey and trust Him!

Proverbs 3:11-12 (NIV)

My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

James 1:22 (NIV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Matthew 7:24 (NIV)

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

By: Vicky (Vessel Speaker)