“The willingness to obey every word from God is critical to hearing God speak.”
Henry Blackaby
Words are important, especially those from God. Scripture is encouraging, instructional, convicting, and nourishing. Jesus responded to the devil with scripture when He was tempted in the wilderness. “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). God’s Logos words from the Bible and His Rhema words, those spoken to us individually and quickened by the Holy Spirit, are life-giving. They cause us to thrive and have an abundant life.
My soul is fed by the personal words God speaks to me. His words of comfort, direction, and courage cause me to feel seen, heard, known, and loved by God. Hearing God’s voice solidifies my healthy attachment to Him and deepens my intimacy with Him. My heavenly Father’s words speak of my identity, who I am, as well as my destiny, what He created me for. Hearing God’s voice is the place where real life intersects with a real God.
In the year 2000, I heard an emphatic word from the Lord, to “mentor the masses.” That one word changed everything for me. At the time I was writing very little and was not speaking. But once I heard God’s Rhema word, it set me on a course that I have been following for over twenty years.
One word from God changed everything for the Apostle Paul. In Acts chapter 18, Paul was in Corinth, preaching and testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But “they opposed Paul and became abusive” (Acts 18:6). If I were Paul, I would have felt so discouraged, I probably would have left and gone somewhere else to minister. But Acts 18:9-10 explained what happened. “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’” Instead of leaving, “Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God” (Acts 18:11).
Recently I’ve reread the words God has spoken to me throughout 2022. The reflection and review have strengthened my soul as I’ve seen how one word from God changes everything.
“Unbelief can render a person stone deaf to God’s voice.”
Henry Blackaby
Relevant Reflection:
Describe a time when one word from God changed everything for you.
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