“MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE!”

John 10:24-28                             (ESV)

“24 So THE JEWS gathered around HIM and said to HIM, "How long will YOU keep us in suspense? If you are the CHRIST, tell us plainly."

25 JESUS answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in MY FATHER's name bear witness about ME,

26 but YOU DO NOT BELIEVE because YOU ARE NOT among MY SHEEP.

27 “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE”, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of MY hand.”

I realize that not everyone wants to hear about the Brain Hemorrhage I experienced in 2007.  The fact is though, when something makes a TREMENDOUS impact in your life, you tend to refer to it quite frequently.  For the first two years or so following the Hemorrhage, I had to turn the radio OFF while driving a vehicle.  I couldn’t FOCUS on two things at once, and not having a wreck was definitely more important than listening to my favorite Southern Gospel CD or song on the radio. 

In the aftermath of the Hemorrhage, I began to drive just talking to GOD, and intently listening for HIS reply.  Hearing from GOD is not for everyone.  THE JEWS, thought by most people to be GOD’s Chosen, were “NOT among MY SHEEP”!  JESUS said “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE”, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME!  Keep in mind, HEARING and FOLLOWING are as different night and day.  We must FOLLOW HIM!

But what about Saul in Acts chapter 9?  He wasn’t YET a follower of CHRIST and he was able to HEAR GOD speaking to him in the road to Damascus.  GOD knew that Saul was going to join HIS flock, for in Acts 9:15-16 JESUS said “...."Go, for he is a CHOSEN instrument of mine to carry MY name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of MY name." Saul had already been CHOSEN to serve GOD, he just wasn’t aware of that....YET!  

Sometimes we have to remove ALL interference before we can HEAR the VOICE OF GOD.  Even listening to Southern Gospel music was keeping me from communing with the FATHER.  At least for me, developing a keen SPIRITUAL EAR has meant that I have to forfeit all the worldly interference and listen very closely for HIM.  1 Kings 19:12 (KJV) says Elijah, a man tremendously closer to GOD than I am, found GOD not in an earthquake, nor in a fire, “and after the fire a STILL SMALL VOICE”!  

“MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE” is a promise, but we may have to adjust our methods for listening to hear HIM?  There are some who can SPIRITUALLY HEAR when all sorts of turmoil is going on around them.  That has not been the norm for me since 2007.  However, “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE” and when HE does speak to me, and I rejoice that HE has CHOSEN to commune with me!!!