Which Voice is The Voice?
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,“This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” - Isaiah 30:21
Growing up, I think the biggest thing I ever struggled with as a follower of Christ was hearing the right voice. God speaks to His people in different ways. In the Old Testament, God would speak to His people through prophets. In the New Testament, God would speak through angels, His Word, a person, and Jesus Himself, but you will always have other voices telling you to do different things.
What voice are you listening to?
This is something that I am careful about. Yes, God speaks to me…through His Word…through others…through songs…etc., but in time, you will soon hear “other” voices. For King David, that “other” voice was his older brother Eliab and King Saul. A few verses before that, David says, “Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). David was ticked about Goliath talking bad about his God! And just as David is about to go kill him, his brother Eliab starts to down him by speaking negativity into his life….then Saul comes along and says David is “too young” to fight. I believe the biggest giant David ever faced wasn’t Goliath himself, but the voices of doubt he had coming at him. Has this ever happened to you? Does this seem familiar? It does for me. Anytime I’m about to get a big breakthrough or victory of some sort, there are always those voices in my head and those around me that say, “You can’t do it. That’s too big for you. You’re just 23, what good can you do?”
Who do you say you are?
For John the Baptist, people thought he was Elijah, a Prophet, and the Messiah, but John knew better. You will have opposition your entire life, but what will make you the person God has called you to be, is how you respond to those voices.
Yes, David could have given up right then and there, but no…he chose to persevere and kill Goliath. Yes, John the Baptist could have easily said, “Why, of course! I am a Prophet!” He could of puffed up his chest and lied, but he didn’t. He humbled himself and responded with, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord….I am not worthy to even untie the sandals of Jesus” (John 1:23, 27). You are who you are because of Christ. You are who God says you are. Don’t be deceived and listen to the many voices around you. If it’s God’s voice leading you, you will know. David’s giant was his brother’s and Saul’s negative voice. Don’t allow negative people around you to influence what you do and who you are. You are God’s workmanship, HIS CREATION! God’s voice is never condescending. His voice is perfect. His voice is pure. His voice is real. His voice is THE voice to listen to. Understand the voice of God, fall in love with it, and make the decision today to never listen to another voice again.
Is it that easy?
No, it’s not. It’s hard and it always will be, because Jesus even warns us to be careful about which “voice” to listen to, because there are false prophets out there, but I can tell you this: it’s never easy on the road to greater things. Jesus Himself told us that it would be hard…very hard, but to take heart, because He has overcome the world!
