Listening to God: The Power of Obedience
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone! Are you excited to be here? I hope you're ready to dive into the Word today because we have a lot to cover. Today, we are focusing on the importance of listening to God and how it can transform our lives. I consider myself a decent listener, especially when it comes to my wife, but there are times when I miss what she says because I'm distracted by other things. This often happens in our relationship with God too. We hear Him, but we choose to listen to something else.
In Luke 5, we see a story where Jesus is teaching by the Sea of Galilee. The crowd is pressing in on Him, so He gets into Simon Peter's boat and teaches from there. Afterward, He tells Peter to go into deeper water and let down his nets for a catch. Peter, despite having fished all night without success, obeys Jesus and catches a miraculous number of fish. This story illustrates the power of listening to Jesus and obeying His commands, even when it doesn't make sense to us.
Wouldn't it be great if we could hear directly from Jesus like Peter did? In John 16, Jesus tells His disciples that it is better for them if He goes away because then He can send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and speak to us the things of Jesus. This means we can hear from Jesus all the time through the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 8, we read about Philip, one of the seven men chosen to serve the early church. After the persecution led by Saul, the believers were scattered, and Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospel. A revival broke out, and many people came to faith. However, in the midst of this success, an angel of the Lord told Philip to go south to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza, a desert place. Philip obeyed immediately, even though it meant leaving the excitement of the revival in Samaria.
On the road, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a high official in charge of the queen's treasury. The Spirit told Philip to go to the chariot, and he ran to it. The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53 but didn't understand it. Philip explained that the passage was about Jesus, and the eunuch believed and was baptized. This encounter shows the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit and being ready to act, even when it seems inconvenient or unclear.
The early church was powerful because they obeyed the Holy Spirit, even in the face of opposition. Philip's obedience led to the gospel reaching Ethiopia, one of the first nations to embrace Christianity. This was a significant moment in the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.
We need to be people who listen to the Holy Spirit. He speaks to us all the time, but we often ignore Him because it doesn't fit our plans or it's too scary. We need to test what we believe we are hearing from the Holy Spirit against Scripture, see if it produces good fruit, and ensure it brings us closer to God and honors Him.
Maybe the Holy Spirit is speaking to you today, calling you to follow Jesus, to forgive someone, or to step out in faith in a new way. Don't ignore Him. Say yes to the Holy Spirit and watch God do powerful things in your life.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Importance of Listening to God: Just as Peter obeyed Jesus' command to let down his nets despite his doubts, we must listen to God's voice even when it doesn't make sense to us. Obedience to God can lead to miraculous outcomes and deeper faith. [32:24]
2. The Role of the Holy Spirit: Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth and speak to us the things of Jesus. This means we have constant access to divine guidance and wisdom, which is even better than having Jesus physically present with us. [36:29]
3. Immediate Obedience: Philip's immediate response to the Holy Spirit's direction, even when it meant leaving a successful ministry in Samaria, shows the importance of trusting and obeying God's guidance without delay. This obedience can lead to significant, unforeseen blessings. [44:37]
4. God's Plans Over Our Comfort: Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch demonstrates that God's plans often take us out of our comfort zones. By obeying the Holy Spirit, Philip played a crucial role in spreading the gospel to Ethiopia, showing that our willingness to follow God's lead can have far-reaching impacts. [47:41]
5. Testing the Spirit's Voice: To discern if what we are hearing is from the Holy Spirit, we must test it against Scripture, see if it produces good fruit, and ensure it brings us closer to God and honors Him. This helps us to step out in faith confidently, knowing we are aligned with God's will. [01:04:32]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:51] - Introduction: The Importance of Listening
[31:11] - The Story of Peter and the Miraculous Catch
[35:00] - Hearing from Jesus and the Role of the Holy Spirit
[39:20] - Philip's Ministry in Samaria
[41:54] - Philip's Encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch
[44:37] - Obeying God's Call to the Desert
[47:41] - The Significance of Philip's Obedience
[50:40] - The Power of Listening to the Holy Spirit
[55:15] - Personal Testimonies of Listening to the Spirit
[58:05] - The Holy Spirit's Continued Work Today
[01:03:20] - Discerning the Holy Spirit's Voice
[01:11:28] - Invitation to Respond to the Holy Spirit
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Luke 5:1-11 - The story of Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish.
2. John 16:7-15 - Jesus promises the Holy Spirit.
3. Acts 8:4-40 - Philip's ministry in Samaria and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.
### Observation Questions
1. What reasons did Peter have for initially doubting Jesus' command to let down the nets in Luke 5? ([33:33])
2. According to John 16, why did Jesus say it was better for Him to go away? ([36:29])
3. What was Philip's immediate response when the angel of the Lord told him to go south to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza? ([44:37])
4. How did the Ethiopian eunuch respond to Philip's explanation of Isaiah 53? ([43:14])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might Peter have chosen to obey Jesus' command despite his doubts and previous experience? ([33:33])
2. How does the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 16 change the way believers can interact with God compared to the disciples' experience with Jesus? ([36:29])
3. What does Philip's willingness to leave a successful ministry in Samaria to go to a desert place tell us about his faith and obedience? ([44:37])
4. How can we discern if what we believe we are hearing from the Holy Spirit is truly from God? ([01:04:32])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was asking you to do something that didn't make sense to you. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? ([33:33])
2. Jesus said it was better for Him to go away so that the Holy Spirit could come. How does this promise impact your daily walk with God? ([36:29])
3. Philip left a thriving ministry to follow God's call to a desert place. Is there an area in your life where you feel God is calling you out of your comfort zone? How can you take a step of faith in that direction? ([44:37])
4. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading Scripture but needed guidance to understand it. Is there someone in your life who might need your help to understand God's Word better? How can you reach out to them this week? ([43:14])
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of immediate obedience to the Holy Spirit. What is one specific area where you feel the Holy Spirit is prompting you to act? How can you commit to obeying that prompting this week? ([47:41])
6. The pastor shared a personal story about missing an opportunity to pray for someone. Have you ever felt a similar prompting from the Holy Spirit that you ignored? How can you be more attentive and responsive to such promptings in the future? ([01:08:27])
7. The sermon mentioned testing the Spirit's voice against Scripture and seeking wise counsel. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are discerning God's voice accurately in your life? ([01:04:32])
Devotional
Day 1: Obedience to God's Voice
Listening to God's voice, even when it doesn't make sense, can lead to miraculous outcomes and deeper faith. In Luke 5, Peter obeys Jesus' command to let down his nets despite having fished all night without success. His obedience results in a miraculous catch of fish, demonstrating the power of listening to Jesus. This story reminds us that God's instructions may not always align with our understanding, but trusting and obeying Him can lead to extraordinary blessings and a strengthened relationship with Him. [32:24]
Luke 5:4-6 (ESV): "And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.' And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking."
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you felt God's prompting but hesitated to act. How can you trust and obey His voice more fully in similar situations moving forward?
Day 2: Guidance of the Holy Spirit
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth and speak to us the things of Jesus. This means we have constant access to divine guidance and wisdom, which is even better than having Jesus physically present with us. The Holy Spirit is our helper, counselor, and guide, leading us in the ways of God and helping us understand His will for our lives. Embracing the Holy Spirit's role in our lives allows us to walk in alignment with God's purposes and experience His presence daily. [36:29]
John 16:13 (ESV): "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."
Reflection: How can you become more attuned to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to listen and respond to His leading?
Day 3: Immediate Obedience
Philip's immediate response to the Holy Spirit's direction, even when it meant leaving a successful ministry in Samaria, shows the importance of trusting and obeying God's guidance without delay. This obedience can lead to significant, unforeseen blessings. Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, which resulted in the eunuch's conversion and baptism, highlights the impact of prompt obedience to God's call. When we respond quickly to the Holy Spirit, we open ourselves to being used by God in powerful ways. [44:37]
Acts 8:26-27 (ESV): "Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship."
Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you feel God is calling you to act immediately? What steps can you take today to respond without hesitation?
Day 4: Stepping Out of Comfort Zones
Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch demonstrates that God's plans often take us out of our comfort zones. By obeying the Holy Spirit, Philip played a crucial role in spreading the gospel to Ethiopia, showing that our willingness to follow God's lead can have far-reaching impacts. God's purposes may require us to step into unfamiliar or challenging situations, but our obedience can lead to significant advancements in His kingdom and blessings for others. [47:41]
Acts 8:29-31 (ESV): "And the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go over and join this chariot.' So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you out of your comfort zone? How can you take a step of faith to follow His leading today?
Day 5: Discerning the Holy Spirit's Voice
To discern if what we are hearing is from the Holy Spirit, we must test it against Scripture, see if it produces good fruit, and ensure it brings us closer to God and honors Him. This helps us to step out in faith confidently, knowing we are aligned with God's will. The early church was powerful because they obeyed the Holy Spirit, even in the face of opposition. By testing and discerning the Spirit's voice, we can ensure that our actions are in line with God's purposes and bring glory to Him. [01:04:32]
1 John 4:1 (ESV): "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Reflection: How can you better discern the Holy Spirit's voice in your life? What practices can you implement to ensure you are hearing and obeying God's guidance accurately?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "I consider myself to be a good listener. I think I'm pretty good, a decent listener, especially when it comes to my wife. I think I'm a pretty good listener. I think I would range above average. But there's been times where she'll say, hey, did you do such and such? I'm like, well, no, I didn't know I was supposed to do that. She goes, well, I told you. Well, when? I'm like, when? I don't remember that. So, like, sometimes, I'll say, I said this in front of her. She was here last service. Sometimes I think she thinks she says things out loud, but she says them in her head. The women didn't like that one. Men, does that not happen sometimes? But more often than not, okay, more often than not, when that has happened and she has asked me to do something or said something. I said, hey, we need to get this done, and I didn't hear her. It's probably because I was listening to something else, right? There's something on the TV. I'm trying to listen to what somebody's saying. I got something on my phone I'm watching, and she'll be saying it. But I, at that moment, consciously or unconsciously, am choosing to listen to something else, right? That happens. I'm sure I'm the only husband that's ever done that in the history of husbands. But that happens sometimes. You choose to, you know, and I think sometimes we do that with God, you know, and we're going to talk about that, where we hear that something's going on, but we choose to listen to something else, right?" [29:51]
2. "Wouldn't it be great if we got to hear directly from Jesus like that? Wouldn't it be so awesome if we got to hear directly from Jesus, right, like Peter did right there, and like the other disciples did? I bet you, if you're like me, you think that too. And you're like, oh man, it'd be so good if he could just look me in the eye and say, this is what I want you to do. It would make doing what he wants us to do a little bit easier. It wouldn't always make it super easy, but man, it would be so great if we got to hear from Jesus like that. Wouldn't that be so great? That's not what Jesus says. Look, in fact, look, turn over to John chapter 16. Look what Jesus says about this. He has a little bit different take on it. John 16, starting in verse 7. Jesus is speaking. He says this, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. He's talking to his disciples. I tell you the truth. I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer. Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in the way of the Lord. And when the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. And he will declare to you the things that are to come. And he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. Therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." [35:00]
3. "Okay, so real quick, if you believe that the Holy Spirit is saying something to you, and it does not go against scripture, it does not produce bad fruit in you, it does not move you away from God, it does not dishonor God, and you've brought it to God, and you've prayed with him, and you've brought it back to him, and you've sought wise counsel, and you're still not sure, I would say if it doesn't do any of those things, then hey, why don't you step out in faith and do it? Let me give you an example of another one of my failures that I should have done, even if I wasn't sure it was from God. When I was down at UC Irvine, you know, I'd have all, I'd have all morning classes, and, but Monday, this, this particular situation, I had a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class, right, and, and it would be probably at eight o'clock, I don't know if it was nine o'clock, but eight o'clock, and so I have to walk from my dorm to that class, and I take the same, I told this at men's retreat, and in my life group, so you guys have heard this, just, you can tune out, but so I had to, I had to walk the same path, you know, every day from my dorm to this class, and then from my dorm back, or from the class back to my dorm, and so, and then, you know, all the other students that have eight o'clock classes are doing the same thing, so after a while, after, you know, you get going through a semester, you're passing a lot of the same people, right, because they're, we're leaving at the same time to be at class, and we're, we're, we're passing each other's crossing paths. Well, so I, I had noticed after a while, I had seen this blind, this blind kid, you know, and I saw him pretty much every day, and when I, when I passed one day, and I was heading back to my dorm, I, I saw the, I saw the blind kid, and again, I don't know if this is from God or not, but I just, I felt this prompting, like, I, I do, I do feel like God was saying, I want, go over and pray that he would receive his sight, and I'm like, no, no, I'm not going to do that, like, that's, what if it doesn't work, like, what if everybody's seeing me pray over and nothing happens, or, well, you know, just, like, I'm just like, no, that's kind of, kind of crazy idea, you know, and so I didn't, I didn't, I left, and I've always held on to that, because I don't know, I don't know, I might have went over and prayed over him, and maybe nothing happened, but what if God really wanted to give him his sight, what if God wanted me to go pray for him, and he was going to receive his sight, and God was going to do a miracle at that moment, I will never know, because I said no, and I held on to, I, I, I remember it so clearly, and I, I feel like maybe God reminds me of it, but I've held on to that, because I use that in other situations, where I'm like, I don't really want to do this, but you know what, I, I don't want to say no again, because this could be a chance for God to do something amazing, and so that's been a motivation for me in, in future situations, where I say, we got to, I want to step out in faith here, and I want to just, I, I'm going to give this, I need to give this a shot." [01:08:27]
4. "Here's a question for you. What's God saying to you? What's he saying to you? He's speaking to you. He talks to you all the time. It can be a thing like, hey, uh, go pray with this person at work. Or it could be, I want you to change careers. I mean, it could be something little, be something big, but I, I think he speaks to us all the time. I'm not saying he always speaks to us all the time. I'm not saying he always speaks to us all the time. He just has a, you know, a very specific, I want you to work at this company for this many years. And I don't think he always does that, but, but he's just speaking to us. What's he saying to you? That's what you have to determine. That's what you got to seek him out for. That's what you got to listen for. That's what you have to figure out. What's he saying to you? Is he saying, I'll help you do that thing that you're scared of. I want you to trust with the, trust me with that decision that's in front of you. Maybe he's saying, hey, I want you to forgive that person that hurt you. Maybe he's saying, I want you to forgive that person that hurt you. Maybe he's saying, I want you to stop neglecting your wife. Stop being harsh with her. Maybe he's saying, I want you to share your faith with your coworker. Maybe he's saying, hey, what you're doing is sinful. I want you to make a change. Maybe he's saying, hey, I want you to help this person. Maybe he's saying, I want you to start serving at your church. Maybe he's saying, hey, that relationship you're in, it's keeping you from me. Maybe he's saying, hey, my approval for you is enough. Maybe he's saying, hey, I don't want you to give up. What is he saying to you?" [01:03:20]
5. "Do believers today need the Holy Spirit to speak to us any less than the early church did? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit speaks any less today than He did in the first century? I don't think there's anything in the Bible to indicate that the Holy Spirit has stopped speaking to believers, that He has stopped speaking the things of Jesus to us. The Holy Spirit was not just for the early believers. He was given to all of us as believers, to all of us who follow Jesus, and He continues to work, and to lead, and to guide, and to speak today. If you're a follower of Jesus, He's speaking to you all the time. I mean, are you aware of that? If you're a follower of Jesus, then you have the Holy Spirit, and He's speaking to you all the time. The problem is that too often, we're either not listening, because we're listening to something else, or we don't want to hear what He's saying. I hear you, Lord. That doesn't fit in with my plan. I hear you, Lord, but that's too scary. I hear you, Lord, but I can't do that. I hear you, Lord, but I've never done that before. I hear you, Lord, but I don't want to stop doing that, because I like doing that." [58:05]
### Quotes for Members
1. "Peter didn't think it was, it could possibly work, but because Jesus asked him to, he went ahead and did it. And what happened? Man, an amazing, miraculous catch of fish. So much so that their, their nets began to break. They had so many fish. Peter got to see God's power because he was willing to listen to Jesus. Wouldn't it be great if we got to hear directly from Jesus like that? Wouldn't it be so awesome if we got to hear directly from Jesus, right, like Peter did right there, and like the other disciples did? I bet you, if you're like me, you think that too. And you're like, oh man, it'd be so good if he could just look me in the eye and say, this is what I want you to do. It would make doing what he wants us to do a little bit easier. It wouldn't always make it super easy, but man, it would be so great if we got to hear from Jesus like that. Wouldn't that be so great? That's not what Jesus says. Look, in fact, look, turn over to John chapter 16. Look what Jesus says about this. He has a little bit different take on it. John 16, starting in verse 7. Jesus is speaking. He says this, nevertheless, I tell you the truth. He's talking to his disciples. I tell you the truth. I go away. For if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. Concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see me no longer. Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you in the way of the Lord. And when the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. And he will declare to you the things that are to come. And he will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. Therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." [35:00]
2. "So the first thing that comes to my mind when we read this passage is, man, what a bummer for Philip. Because he was in Samaria. He preaches the gospel. Revival breaks out. It's exciting. Everything is going great. And he gets pulled away. He gets pulled away from all that excitement going on in Samaria at the height of Philip's success. The Lord tells him to leave that behind and travel, south from a road that went from Jerusalem to Gaza. Yeah, same Gaza, same spot that we hear about today. So he goes, go down to this place from Jerusalem to Gaza. In verse 26, it describes it as a desert place, which it is. It's the Negev. It's very deserty down that way. It was far away from the excitement and the spiritual revival that was going on in Samaria. Now here's a question. Why would God take Philip away from, from all that was going on in Samaria? Why would he take him away from, from that revival that he used him to spark and to get going? Why would he take him away? And then, and here's another question. How many of us, if we were in that situation, would have used that exact question to ignore what God was telling us to do? We'd say, well, look, God's using me here. Why would he pull me, you know, away from that? Why would he take me away from, from this revival? Everything that's going so great to a desert place. I don't even know what's down there. I don't even know what I'm, what I'd be going to. How many of us would, would use as an excuse to disregard what, what we, what we believe we're hearing from the Lord? I, I, I might have done that. Philip, I'm sure, was not certain about God's plan. I, he probably didn't like it at all. I bet he didn't like God's plan at all. Leave where things are going so great to go, this desert place. That, that can't be God speaking. Besides that, this journey from Samaria to Jerusalem down to Gaza would be about a hundred miles. That, that doesn't sound super far for us because we can jump in our car and do that in a while, a short while. Depends on how you drive. But, but, but, you know, hopefully not an hour, but hopefully a little longer than an hour. But, but it would take, you know, a short time. But a hundred miles on foot? Like, that's a, that's a haul. That's a journey. Like, that's, that's far. That, that would make it easier to come up with an excuse to ignore what God is saying to him. But it says that Philip, he got up and he left immediately. God said, go down, leave this, go down there. He got up and left right away. He listened to the Lord and he went. I, I imagine he thought like Peter did in the story. He said, I'm going to go to the story we read earlier. Well, I don't really want to do this, God, but since you told me to, I'll go do it. Then in verse 29, we see the Spirit speaks to Philip again. He tells Philip, hey, you, you see that, see that chariot? See that, there's an Ethiopian there? Go, go over there and join him. And it says in verse 30 that Philip ran to him. He ran to him. I thought, that, that just stood out to me, like, um, just, just more than, than I had ever had when I read that. Philip ran to him. Now, it could have been that he's just so excited to do whatever God told him to do, but here's why, here's what I think is why he had to run over there. It's because the chariot was heading to Ethiopia. It was, it was heading away from him. He's coming down the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, um, and this guy's going, going to go through Gaza, all the way down through Egypt, down to Ethiopia. So he's going away from him. The only way he could catch up to, that chariot was to run, was to run to catch up. Well, that's even another hurdle to me, and that's what comes to my mind. That's another challenge, another opportunity to come up with a reason not to listen to the Holy Spirit. He could have got down there and be like, oh, well, there it goes. There he goes. Okay, Lord, you know, I tried, like, I tried, you know, I'm going to go back to Samaria. I, I think it, like, that, that's, I think, sometimes how we too often do things. Like, like, when it, like, when it comes All right. Well, see you later. Like, oh, God, I tried, you know, big gulps. Oh, well, I, you know, I, I put my neck out there. I, I talked to him, you know, and that, that's our evangelism effort. You know, sometimes we do that, like, okay, man, I really need to call and, you know, call this person and encourage them or God, you know, I feel like God's put them on my heart to call and you call and, and they don't, they don't answer and you're like, okay, good. You're like, okay, God, I tried, right? I tried. You know, I gave it a, I gave it a shot, you know, um, um, and that would have been easy for, for, uh, Philip to, to have done that, but he ran and he caught up. See, one of the things that made the early church such a powerful church, such an explosive fellowship was the fact that they would obey God even in the face of opposition, even when it was challenging. And Philip is such a good example of this for us. The Holy Spirit, he was active in the church, in that early church. In fact, um, in,
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