EVERY BELIEVER CAN LEARN TO LISTEN TO THE LORD

1 Samuel 3:1-10 – What is the Lord saying to you through these verses?

1. Believe Father God wants to speak to us.

1 Samuel 3:4a – “The Lord called Samuel.”

Who is taking the initiative in this conversation?

Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

Father God is pursuing a relationship with us.

 

2. Learn to recognize His voice.

1 Samuel 3:5a – “So he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am for you called me.’”

Samuel thought Eli was calling him.

1 Samuel 3:7 – “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the Word of the Lord yet revealed to him.”

Receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Spend time reading God’s Word.

Realize that God speaks in different ways.

We want to take the time to listen to Him.

 

3. Position yourself to hear the voice of God.

1 Samuel 3:9 – “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak Lord for your servant hears.’’”

Set aside time every day to read the Word, to pray, and to listen.

Pray in the Spirit, and then stop and listen.

Pray with other believers.

Samuel grew in his ability to hear the voice of God. We can, too!

1 Samuel 3:19 – “So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.”

 

4. Obey the voice of God.

1 Samuel 3:15b – “And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.”

The Hebrew word for “hear” is “shama”.

“Shama” has the sense of: hear and obey.

Psalm 81:13 – “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways.”

Psalm 95:8 – “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”

1 Samuel 15:22 – “…behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...”

John 14:15 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

“Unconditional obedience to God should be our first response to Him for His unconditional love for us. Many times, it is not more truth we need; it is more obedience to already revealed truth.” – Joy Dawson

Partial obedience is disobedience.

“Have you obeyed the last thing God told you to do?” – Loren Cunningham