CAN YOU HEAR THE VOICE?

“But I ask, have they not heard? Yes, they have: Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Rom. 10: 18)
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God is a speaking God. He has been speaking before the creation of anything; in fact he brought all things to being through the spoken words. Again, God speaks in diverse manners using diverse means. The Scripture says: “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Hebrew 1:1,2)
God employs both special and general revelations to communicate his intentions to humanity. The problem has been that, most times, we turn deaf ears to the voice of the Lord. In that Hebrews text, the writer said, God has, in this last days, revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus. That’s a special revelation. The word (Jesus) even became flesh and dwelled among us, so we could behold his glory, even the glory of the first begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14)
Again, David said in one of the Psalms: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” (Psalm 19:1, 2). This is what I mean by general revelation – God communicating his intentions to humanity through his creative works. Can you hear the voice of God as you behold his work in the universe? Do they signal to you that there is a creative designer behind this magnificent universe?
Can you also hear the voice of God calling you to come for the aid of the oppressed; those who are under the oppression of the devil and are in need of the Savior? Isaiah heard that voice and responded appropriately: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom I shall send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me”(Isaiah 6:8).
Paul also heard the voice of the Macedonians and he responded. “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:9-10).
Do you know there is also a voice coming from those who have gone down to hell? They are asking for those who will take the gospel message to their relatives left behind on this side of eternity, so they won’t share the pain of hell. That was the lament of the Rich man. The Bible says: “Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment” (Luke 16:27, 28).
Friends, which voice are you hearing? Which voice will inform the steps you will take and dictate the actions you will exhibit today? The fact remains that God is speaking through various means and you’ve got to hear.
Finally, I wish to pray the same prayer Paul prayed with the Ephesians’ church with you: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:15-18).
May you walk with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation! Selah!

Written by:

Gideon Akanbi, PhD