Encouragement

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My Father’s Voice (John 10:3)

“To him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

There is something inside every person which resonates to the voice of God. It is the same deep response a new born baby has to the voice of its parent. We were created to know our Father and to fellowship with Him. We were always meant to communicate with Him - to speak to Him and also to hear His voice. There are many precious people who say they do not hear the voice of God and I pray this message will be a blessing to them!

Old Testament worshipers of God knew Him through the regular rituals, feasts and sacrifices. They also knew Him through the Scriptures and the writings of the prophets. The concept of intimacy with God or hearing His voice on a day to day basis was not something they understood. In this passage of Scripture, Jesus used the illustration of a shepherd and his sheep to explain to His disciples that it is possible for us to have a close relationship with God and to know His voice.

WE CAN CHOOSE WHOSE VOICE WE OPEN OURSELVES TO. The doorkeeper was the guardian of the sheep fold, where flocks owned by different people were kept. When the shepherd of one of the flocks came to the door, the doorkeeper would open it for him, and then the shepherd would come in and call out the sheep of his own flock. You and I are the doorkeepers and stewards of our bodies and senses. There are hundreds of voices that bombard us through the day, from the media, as well as people and situations around us. However, as doorkeepers, we can make wise choices. We can choose to let in only the voice of our Shepherd. We can refuse to open the door to any voice that does not sound like His. How can I know? The voices that do not align with my Father’s Word are not accepted, and not welcome in my life. This includes every negative, condemning, accusatory voice, and the voices that speak doubt and fear instead of faith, disease and death instead of life, hopelessness when we need hope, confusion and not peace with joy. God tells us in Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. Whatever you let in through the eye gate, ear gate, or other gates of your life are what will fill you and flow out of you later. Refuse every voice that is not the Lord’s. His Words are life and power.

THE FATHER CALLS US AND WE HEAR HIS VOICE. Soon after we experience salvation and receive the forgiveness of God through the blood of Jesus, we begin to hear His voice. As any parent would begin to call their new born baby by their name, speak continually to them and smile at them, our Father speaks to us, declares His Word over us, looks into our eyes and says our name! He begins to draw us into relationship with Him. Some of us respond and grow into intimacy with Him, hearing His voice and following His leading. Some others not as much, and this could be because as doorkeepers, we continue to keep an open door to the voice of the world and the voice of darkness. These voices bring fear, doubt, condemnation, guilt and shame, and they work against the voice of God which is about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. His voice tells us who we are – sons and daughters, His righteousness in Christ, a new creation, born to win! Discernment comes through feeding on the Word of God, which carries His voice. The more we hear His voice, the more we recognize it, and the quicker we can respond. We can also learn to filter out the other voices which do not match the frequency of His voice.

HE LEADS US OUT. The Father calls His own by name and leads them ‘out’ into Kingdom purposes and plans. He has a special name for each of us which is our destiny and calling. As He says our name, He is calling us into the fullness of what we were created to be on the face of the earth. He says our name as a Father’s blessing, as a declaration of destiny, hallelujah! There is an assignment for you dear friend, a powerful purpose for which you are alive today. As you love Jesus, yield to the Holy Spirit and listen to God’s voice, He will lead you and guide you into the fullness of His plan. We all have dreams and ambitions, but when we are led by our Father, into His plan, there is no limit to how far we can go!

HE CALLS HIS "OWN" SHEEP. In Jesus’ illustration, there were many sheep in the fold but not all belonged to the one shepherd. We can be called His “own” sheep only when we are owned by Him. A spiritual exchange is made at the point of salvation, when the precious blood of Jesus is given in exchange for our lives, and the hold of sin and death is broken. However, until we consciously and willingly give ourselves body, spirit and soul to the King of kings, (as in Romans 12:1) and receive His love and power, we do not live like His very own, as sons and daughters. Today the Father is calling all His sheep to yield completely to His Spirit and His love and to step into the victory of Kingdom life. He is calling His very own!

Dear Friend, the Father is calling your name today. He calls you “my son” and “my daughter”, because He wants to lead you out into the awesome plans He has for you. Defeat, depression, disease and discouragement were never on His agenda for you. There is victory in store as you begin to hear Him some more. If you are someone who says you never hear the voice of God, it is time to change your confession according to John 10:3, and begin to say instead “I hear my Father’s voice”. You do, and you will! You are stepping into new seasons of real relationship and sweet intimacy. That is what the Father has for you today and always, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Minoli Haththotuwa, 29 September 2014
www.risingonwings.org
[email protected]

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