Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice,” and that word settles the matter. His sheep are not supposed to wander around spiritually deaf, bumbling through decisions, leaning on their own understanding, or heading for a ditch. Hearing Jesus clearly requires moving closer, just like a husband who cannot hear his wife from downstairs has to walk upstairs and get near enough to listen.
Faith comes by hearing, and Romans 10 says that hearing comes by the rhema word of God. Faith is not faith in faith. Faith is the switch that releases the power of God, like flipping a light switch releases electricity already connected to the house. A rhema word is God speaking personally, in real time, so that what has been written in the Bible becomes a living word to the heart.
Abraham’s rhema word changed history. God told one man to leave his country, his family, and his father’s house, and through that one word came Israel, the Scriptures, and eventually the Savior. Isaac’s rhema word told him not to go down to Egypt during famine, and because he stayed where God said, he reaped a hundredfold while everybody else was struggling. Moses heard one word at the burning bush, and Israel came out of slavery. Gideon heard God call him a “mighty man of valor” while he was hiding in a winepress, because God calls things that are not as though they were.
David’s word from God delivered him from Saul. Solomon’s word came after he sought God with costly sacrifice, and God gave him wisdom, riches, wealth, and honor because his heart was set on the kingdom assignment. Elijah’s word told him where the ravens would bring food. Peter and Andrew heard “Follow Me,” left their nets immediately, and never regretted that one simple word.
The call to hear God takes time. Jeremiah says God is found when He is sought with all the heart, not when He is treated like one item on a list. Proverbs says the preparation of the heart belongs to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Hezekiah prospered because he prepared his heart to seek God, while Rehoboam did evil because he did not.
Mary’s choice at Jesus’ feet shows the one thing needed. Martha loved Jesus, but distraction pulled her away from hearing His word. Mary chose the good part, and light came. God’s glorious voice is still meant to be heard, and Isaiah says the ears shall hear a word behind them saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”
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Key Takeaways
- 1. Move closer to hear Jesus Jesus says His sheep hear His voice, so spiritual deafness is not treated as normal Christianity. When His voice seems unclear, the answer is not to accuse Him of silence, but to move closer. Closeness prepares the ear, and the ear makes following possible. [04:04]
- 2. Faith flips the power switch Faith is not the power itself, but faith releases the power of God. The light switch does not contain electricity, but without flipping it, the room stays dark. Faith works like that, receiving the rhema word and triggering what God has already promised. [06:46]
- 3. Rhema makes promises personal The written word may sit in the Bible for centuries, but a rhema word brings it home with force. God is not merely saying, “I said this once,” but “I am saying this to you now.” That personal speaking drains doubt and gives the heart something strong enough to obey. [10:07]
- 4. Seeking prepares the hearing heart God is not hiding because He does not want to be found. God calls for a search with the whole heart because seeking changes the seeker before the answer comes. The prepared heart can receive a word without wasting it, twisting it, or treating it lightly. [31:17]
- 5. Mary chose the needed part Mary was not lazy, and Martha was not godless. Mary chose to stay at Jesus’ feet when good, urgent work was pulling at her. The one thing needed was hearing His word, because everything else has to be governed by what He says.
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