HEARING AND KNOWING THE VOICE OF GOD
By Pastor Jim Jarman

"How can you really hear and know the voice of God?" This is one of the questions that comes up most in conversations that I have with people, especially when someone has a big decision that needs to be made or of course when they are in some kind of trouble. Then the big tug of war on the inside of you raises the question as to whether the voice that you hear is God's or our own. Now, Jesus said that we would hear and know His voice (John Chapter 10), so then the question is, how can we learn to hear His voice? There are many people from the Bible that we can pull from and learn from but today I want us to look at Mary Magdalene. She was the woman that Jesus cast out seven demons. So let's take a close look at how she was able to hear and know the voice of Jesus?

Let's start by reading in (John Chapter 20), were we will find about Mary Magdalene and her encounter with Jesus in the garden shortly after His resurrection.

(John 20:1-18): Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. And so she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the tomb. And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying there, and the facecloth, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.' " Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her.
Now first of all I want you to notice that Mary did not recognize Jesus when she first saw Him, but only after He spoke her name. This gives us a little insight of how walking by faith and not by sight. You see Mary knew His voice, especially once Jesus spoke her name. So even in the middle of this great storm in her life, seeing Jesus crucified and then finding His tomb empty, she was able to hear and recognize Jesus' voice. So to answer the question, Is it very possible for us to hear and know the voice of Jesus? The answer is Yes, because its Gods perfect will for us to hear and to know the voice of Jesus. How was Mary Magdalene able to know Jesus' voice?

Mary had heard the voice of Jesus speak when He cast the demons out of her. We see in the Word of God that Mary Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her by Jesus in (Luke Chapter 8 verse 2). So in the middle of her deliverance Mary heard the authoritative voice of Jesus. This is the very same voice that we read about in
(Psalm 29: 3-5).

(Psalm 29:3-5): The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; The God of glory thunders, The LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

You see, Jesus was never in the habit of making a show of Himself even when He cast out demons. He just got their attention with His voice that carried all power and all authority. I believe the tone that Jesus used to speak to the demons would have been very different from the tone that He would use to speak her name. Now in our world today miracles still happen even in our own personal lives so we must to a place in our relationship with Jesus to hear and to know His powerful voice.

Mary looked for the truth and found it in Jesus.

(John 14:6): Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

(John 18:37): Pilate therefore said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

After Mary was delivered from the demons that held her in bondage, she traveled along with several other women who helped and served Jesus and His disciples. As a result of the time she spent listening to and receiving from Jesus, she realized that He was the only way to have a relationship God. In her searching for the truth, it led her to Jesus. She believed in who Jesus was, had experienced deliverance through Him and came to know and to hear His voice. Even though Jesus is not walking on earth today, we can still meet Him through the Word of God.

(Psalm 119:160): The sum of Thy word is truth, And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting.

(John 1:14): And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus is the Word, the Word of God and Jesus are the truth of God and so when we read the Word with an open heart and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth we will hear Jesus speaking to us. Spending time in the Word is a very important way to hear the voice of the Lord. Matter of fact, reading the Word of God is the number one way that I hear from God. You see the Holy Spirit will teach you about Jesus through the Word of God. Ask Him to speak to you through the Word. Also memorizing scriptures is also important, because in hard times the Holy Spirit can call to your mind back to the Word to guide and direct you.

Mary Magdalene had a personal relationship with Jesus.

The key word here is personal. She would have had multiple opportunities to hear Jesus speak to the disciples and she almost certainly had some personal conversations with the Lord. I can imagine that Mary drew as close as she could to the Lord when He was speaking so that she could hear every word, and she probably asked Him questions as well, and talked to Him about her fears or concerns. When the Lord talks to one of His sheep, to a believer, it is with a still small voice and by name, so it is very personal and intimate.

(John 10:3-5): "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers."

Not only do sheep flee from the voice of a stranger, but they also do not do well with loud noises. So the shepherd speaks to them in soft fashion to keep them calm and give them direction. That is the same way that our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, talks to us. This soft voice of the Lord is mentioned in (I Kings Chapter 19), reading from the King James Version:

(I Kings 19:11-13): And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Our expectations are, perhaps, that God's voice will be in the wind, earthquake or fire, but to believers He will come most often with the still small voice and by name-it is so exciting that the Lord wants our relationship with Him to be on an intimate "first name basis."

How can we have personal, intimate, first-name-basis conversations with Jesus? Through prayer-talk to Jesus about whatever is on your heart-your fears, concerns, your praises, your love for Him, thanksgiving; He will respond to you.

Mary was a humble servant.

She helped care for Jesus and the disciples out of her own means, she traveled with Him and probably cooked and did other tasks for the men, she bought spices to prepare Jesus' body for burial, and she even was willing to carry Jesus' body away. God will speak to those who are humble.

(Isaiah 66:2): "For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being," declares the LORD.
"But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

Note also in the scripture we read previously from I Kings that Elijah covered his face as a sign of humility and reverence and then God spoke to him by name. Be humble before God and He will speak clearly to you.

Mary Magdalene did not fear man.

Not even the disciples had the courage to ask for the body of Jesus, let alone to see where the body was laid. They were afraid of being arrested for being a follower of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and the other women apparently had no fear, just a devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Deuteronomy 13:4): "You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

In the Fear and Worship of the Lord, God Himself will speak to you. Fear and worship man and it will cloud your judgment and make you question whether you are hearing the Lord.

(Proverbs 29:25): The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.

Mary heard the Lord in the quiet of the garden.

(Ecclesiastes 9:17): The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

God can speak to you in any place, any time and the fewer distractions the better. When Jesus spoke to Mary there were no other people in the garden. He had her full, undivided attention. When we are really seeking the Lord's counsel or need an encouraging word from Him, we must find that "garden spot" in our day, that time when we can be alone in the quiet to hear and to know His voice.

Mary Magdalene knew the voice of the Lord, and so can you.

1) Seek the truth through God's Word. He will speak to you through the Scriptures.

2) Have and build a personal relationship with Jesus. Develop that relationship through study of the Word of God and by prayer.

3) Ask for the infilling of the great Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit will teach you, lead you and guide you into all truth.

5) Then ask God to use you to bring others into the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

6) Find and enter into your quiet garden spot. This means to find your secret place where you and God fellowship and communicate together.

CATCH THE VISION
Our mission at Agape Life Family Church is to take back the family, evangelize the lost and awaken the saved so they can live empowered lives by the Word of God and through the power of the great Holy Spirit. At Agape Life Family Church we're making a difference for the Kingdom of God by preaching, teaching and training believers how to study and grab hold of God's Word, and how to walk by faith and not by sight. At Agape Life Family Church we're reaching our community one heart at a time.
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