Many times we give strange looks to people who say “I heard from God.” Honestly, I can understand why, especially because some people can be out of control with such things. My thing is, if it’s done out of moderation, it becomes dangerous – just like anything else in life. This explains where we get so many cults and doctrines. It’s easy to take a portion of the Bible or the Christian walk and run with it. But that’s not my point today.
Instead, let’s talk about how cool it is to hear from God. If you haven’t, desire to listen. He is always speaking to His kids – I mean, how can He not when He is the Word itself? There is a sweetness to hearing God’s voice, and the first place to begin is by reading the Bible which contains His very words over the years. Eventually, you will get to the place where you hear God in a more natural way through your dreams, visions, thoughts, conviction in your heart, and songs, among other ways. (He is quite creative with how He talks to His kids. He knows you enough to find His way to you).
But as you are hearing from God, it should be about more than just enjoying His voice. There are things that God will not say to you until He knows you have a willing heart to act in obedience.
When you think about the people who talk about God telling them to do things, they often sound crazy – and maybe they are. You will hear stories of how people had to move cities, abandon relationships, build homes, adopt children, choose different carriers, and even marry specific people. All these instructions sound absurd, but they are not to that specific person.
I was reading up on the life of Moses and how he and the Israelites journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. I love this passage for many reasons, so I keep coming back to it. However, for the first time, something popped up when I read chapter 12.
Exodus 12: 1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.
It’s not my first time to read this text, but it was my first time to read it the way I did. Do you realize that God had the Israelites remake their calendar to be different from other nations? Imagine how that would sound if it was done in your city or country in the modern day. As in God wants you to begin your calendar afresh, the first day recording your day of redemption. This is a big deal – yet the Israelites did it.
I guess they had leaders who understood well enough that once you are a people of God, you move as He instructs. It should be the same for you if you truly are a Christ-like Christian.
Even Jesus Himself said He only does what the Father does/says. Are you any different?
Although it can be tough to take isolated instructions from God, they are necessary to point you to the beautiful future God has in store for you. Some people in the Bible had to abstain from wine and shave their hair because of instructions specific to them. (An example is Samson). If God instructs you to quit taking alcoholic drinks, watch certain movies, eat certain food, or celebrate certain holidays, you cannot be adamant about doing so. Further, you should not start forcing it on others around you to conform to your God-given instructions. Besides, the changes God will ask you to make will benefit your relationship with Him because the Christian faith stands out because of the relationship.
I also realized that the instructions God gives you are not supposed to make sense to everyone. They are unique to you because there is something God is doing in your life. If it was for a group, He would let it be known by the group. However, if it’s only you who hears the instruction, then it is only for you, even when it sounds crazy. There is nothing wrong with being a little crazy for someone you love, is there? If you truly love God, you should feel the same about the strange instructions He gives you. So, the next time God asks you to drop everything and follow Him, I hope you do not hesitate. I hope you will trust His leading – He does a great job at leadership. He is a good Shepherd.
However, the caveat is that you must know it is God’s voice. Usually, when God speaks, He gives a sign. When He asked the Israelites to make big changes, He always gave them a sign for it. You can take it further by asking for more signs as Gideon did. A noteworthy fact, however, is that Moses trusted God’s leading before the Israelites – he had walked with God enough to trust Him with or without signs. Spend enough time with God that you know His voice when He is speaking. And when you do, move hastily to obedience without caring about what it looks or sounds like to other people. If it’s from God, move in faith, whether it sounds crazy or not. Let God take the lead.
