“They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”
(Psalm 84:7)
The word of God above is a sure promise for every believer, that our spiritual life would get stronger and stronger. Ironically, many of us experience the opposite instead! In fact, not a few believers today are spiritually “sleeping”, eventhough their routine ministries go on. God’s life is no longer vibrant in them and there aren’t really new victories. Such spiritual condition is best described by the word Ichabod, found in 1 Samuel 4:21, which menas the glory of the Lord has departed from Israel.
What does it take to actually get stronger and stronger spiritually as the Lord promises it? Listening to God’s voice! Yes, listening to God’s voice is the key to our spiritual awakening, which could lead to godly changes in our ministry, work, community, even our city and nation.
As Jesus spoke to His disciples without parables, so He wants to speak clearly to us. The Lord desires us to be led by His voice everyday. When someone becomes spiritually deaf, his own carnal voice would definitely take the wheel. Being conformed to the world already through his flesh, he would soon fall under its spell. In no time, he’s let the world teach him what is right and what is wrong. Then spiritual death would come rushing like a flood. We simply can’t let it happen to us!
How can we hear God’s voice before it’s too late? The word of God in Isaiah 50:4 says “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” There are two interesting twists about hearing God’s voice that we must know to help us hear better:
- Hearing God’s voice can be enhanced by the right use of our tongue.
If we want to hear God’s voice clearly, then we must watch what we say. Our tongue has the ability to draw us closer to or away from God. When we suse our tongue wisely, our spiritual ears would open. Let us be sincere in our words to God and to men, for there is an undeniably strong connection between the ears and the mouth—even in the natural! If any of us has been given the supernatural ability to speak in pentacostal tongues, use them dilligently in prayer because they could enhance our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading and voice. - Hearing God’s voice enhances the right use of our tongue.
Here is God’s beautiful cycle: not only hearing God’s voice can be enhanced by the right use of the tongue, it actually enhances the right use of our tongue in return! The tongue cab be used as a sharp tool for the Kingdom of God. It is that one body part, though small, is likened to a rudder which could drive a large ship. God wants to anoint our words to create, encourage, bless and overcome. Therefore, our tongue must always be tamed by God’s Word and led by His voice. What we hear, we speak. And what we speak, fueled by the voice of the Almighty, happens! From the tongue of a disciple, indeed, flows the power of God.
Every believer can hear God’s voice without exception because we are all His children. How we decide to use our tongue determines our hearing capacity and range. To be sensitive to God’s voice is a believer’s privilege and goal. Has His voice guided your life today? Wonder no more why you couldn’t hear it clearly. The key is simple: by guarding your tongue! May your ears and mouth be blessed.
by Philip Mantofa
Every believer can hear God’s voice without exception because we are all His children.
