We can begin to hear voices around us. You those voices don't you? "Your not good enough, your not pretty, your not nice, your not going to succeed, your not going to win, your not going to do that right, so why don't you just give up now?" There are lots of voices aren't there? I am sure I have heard a few you haven't and you have heard the ones I have not. That's how Satan works. He knows just what each of our struggles are and just what to whisper and just the right time to get us down. Satan loves whispering in our ears. He can only whisper all the bad things, but he too can tell us all we are doing is right. He can confuse us so that we are mixed up when we hear the voice of God calling us to Him.
God doesn't whisper, "Your no good", He whispers," I love you". God never whispers, "You won't be able to do that". He whispers, You can do that with my strength."
We should be so in tune to God's voice that we know it is Him speaking. So, how do we do that? We find ourselves in His word. We draw close to Him. We learn His ways and hold on tight to His hand.
We can hear whispers not only from Satan but from those around us with well intentions, but not the intentions God has for us. A friend may be calling me out to have a beer with them just to relax and get together. Well, coming from a alcoholic family, and having roots they go deep in addiction I know that would not be a good idea. I know that is not what God would have for me. He wants so much more for me. That doesn't mean the friend had bad thoughts, nor were his intentions crooked, but if I listened to Satan, I could easily hear, "You go ahead, you know you would like one, and one won't hurt at all." One would hurt, it would take me to a road I don't want to be on.
I remember in high school when that first friend asked me, "Hey, you want to try one of these little pills, it'll help you make it through the day?" I knew it was wrong, but I took it anyway, and before long, I was hooked. That led to a life of more destruction, and I don't ever want to go back to that.
It's easy to listen to others when something is not right within ourselves. It's easy to stumble and fall when we are not focused on Christ. See, when I was in high school, I didn't know Jesus as my Savior. I knew who God was, but never knew there was more.
Without Jesus life was difficult and it seemed there were no answers. My life with Christ as the center, has changed dramatically. I do know there is more. Jesus gives us a way out and has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us away from temptation.
Whether you struggle with drugs, drinking, shopping, smoking, anger, lying, gossip, you place in your biggest temptation, there is a better way. Satan knows our biggest temptations and he feeds on them. He feeds on watching us, whispering to us, and setting traps for us.
Jesus offers a different way. There are no traps. He calls, but it is our own free will if we answer. He never forces Himself on anyone. With Jesus we feel love and protection. Along with that love and protection we also have correction. When we are wrong He tells us. When we are in tune with Him, we will hear His voice say, "Um, girl, don't go that way." (Only in His voice and He probably wouldn't say, um) Jesus puts up signs for us. He puts them up so we can see them, its just sometimes we ignore the detour sign and end up on a one way road to no where.
Jesus offers a different way. There are no traps. He calls, but it is our own free will if we answer. He never forces Himself on anyone. With Jesus we feel love and protection. Along with that love and protection we also have correction. When we are wrong He tells us. When we are in tune with Him, we will hear His voice say, "Um, girl, don't go that way." (Only in His voice and He probably wouldn't say, um) Jesus puts up signs for us. He puts them up so we can see them, its just sometimes we ignore the detour sign and end up on a one way road to no where.
Whatever voices you are hearing, learn them, decipher them and tune Satan out, and turn up Jesus so you can hear Him loud and clear.
Have you ever watched a rabbit out in the yard? They don't have big ears for nothing. They can hear everything and they are always on the watch. They might have their head in the grass before them, chewing to fill them up, but they are not doing so unaware. They are aware of all around them. They listen for others approaching and they know if its good or bad. If the sound they hear spooks them, what do they do? They take off running as fast as they can. They don't stick around to see what's going to happen. They run to safety.
We need to know what is around us. We need to be aware and have our ears up. When we learn God's voice, we will know when to run into His safety.
2 Timothy 1:13-14 "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."
Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
