“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me . .
The Shepherd’s voice is like no other; it has authority yet it is filled with melodic, soothing sounds to each of His sheep. His voice soothes with the promise of abundant eternal life. The shepherd’s ever-present help calms and removes fear. He watches over them, protecting them against predators and those sheep who would be wandering too far away from Him.
The sheep know His voice commands to lead them to green pastures or even through the valley of the shadow of death. It’s the Shepherd’s voice they trust. His voice is full of authority, bringing great comfort. Those who have ears to hear, hear — they also know the voices to ignore.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me . . . a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John. 10:5, 27).
To recognize when you hear the Shepherd’s voice is probably the most important thing you could learn after salvation. His spoken Words are written down for you to speak out loud.
Confess to Him when you pray for He’s a covenant God and accountable to his own words.
Even with salvation, you cannot come to Jesus without hearing His voice saying, “Come”
The Holy Spirit draws us closer and helps in our understanding.
Trusting that voice, knowing that voice is a relationship, walking and talking to the one to whom the voice belongs. A little lamb comes to know the voice of the shepherd. We grow to know the voice of the Savior. Sometimes, it is a still, small voice within you, even when all the other voices around you are so loud.
A Psalm of David.
Psalm 23:1-6
The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide, and to shield me], I shall not want.
2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
3 He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with [b]oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.
Voice Recognition
I had an illustration one Sunday morning at the Church. I had several husbands go behind to the baptismal dressing area where no one in the congregation could see them. I also gave them a list of each of their wives’ names, along with a microphone. Every Husband was to speak each name out loud one time. Then, I had each of their wives stay out in the foyer before everyone was seated for morning service so they would not know their husbands were not there. I handed each wife a blindfold and escorted her in. I told her to listen to the one voice that was her husbands and shout out “That’s him!” as soon as she heard his voice. She stood and listened to each one of them speak her name.
Well, every single wife knew their own husband’s voice right away.
I once did the same with their hands, both husbands and wives. Only their hands could be seen, and again, they all knew who their spouses were.
In Hebrew, the word “know” (yada‘) the use of the word “know” (yada‘) does not just relate specifically to an intimate relationship as in the marriage. It is a covenant, therefore, affirming that it maintains loyalty to the covenant with God, for we are not hiding anything from God.
Transparency in Hebrew is Sincerity
Know this truth.
Genesis 2:18-25
18 Now the Lord God said, “It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] [i]suitable and complementary for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 And the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man He made (fashioned, formed) into a woman, and He brought her and presented her to the man. 23 Then Adam said,“This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” 24 For this reason, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.
Psalms 139:23: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts:
The Hebrew word “know” is to be intimate, a very close relationship, or personal (yada’), a common root.
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason, the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:16-18)
If we don’t know, our God-given assignment, well it starts the same for every believer: spend quality time with what’s important to your life, listen to His words, and take counsel from His instructions. There will always be urgent things that dictate how we spend our days. One day at a time, then turn into weeks and weeks into months, then months turn into years and years into a lifetime of always being too busy instead of setting and eating your daily bread.
We pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
God has proven to me His faithfulness in giving me direction and focus. He’s in the details
The Lord values our lives. He does not want us wasting too much time and energy on things with no purpose or other individuals’ rebellion. I saw a car in a ditch on the side of the road, spinning its wheels, going nowhere, and making no progress at all. Help was coming down the road a Tow Truck to the rescue
He hears your voice, call out to His name.
Isaiah 52:6 “Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day, that I am He that doth speak, behold it is I.”
God The Father, YHVH .The word (echad means One) (Deut 6:4) indicates God’s uniqueness among every false god. He is the One True God.
Elohim creator, Trinity three in the unity of uniqueness of the One. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Knowing His name means more than just learning how to pronounce His name, it means having an understanding of who He is. An intimate relationship with that name.
Not an Hey don’t I know you? Or I think, I know of you? My Mom knows you.
Calling Him by His Hebrew name will not win you any points. He desires you to share your life with Him daily and love Him with all your heart, soul, and might.
Even now Brad and I do this often. We will sit someplace here in the family room or outside or take a drive, sharing and evaluating our life choices or praying for a decision to make based on what matters most. Hearing from God.
We begin with Praise and Speak out our gratitude. By then, we are praying in the Spirit of God’s perfect will. Sometimes, our discussions are easy, and other times, we have to pause get in the Word, and come back to issues that take much more prayer, much more spirit, and less and less flesh.
The Father God makes His adjustments to move us forward, and sometimes it hurts to change. Yet we know God’s plan is the only plan the happy way, the perfect fit for us.
Whatever obstacles are in our path, we speak directly to it to be removed. Pull it up today so it doesn’t take root tomorrow.
You will find it amassing by spending moments with God in His word. The Lord Jesus becomes your friend. He sent the Holy Spirit to counsel and help you.
To help you make adjustments how however small or large. It’s such a comfort that’s why he’s called the comforter.
Eph. 2:10 Tells us: for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
…that we should walk in them.