ARE YOU LISTENING?

Nehemiah 4:19 – “Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.”

Nehemiah 4:20 – “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah 4:18 – “Every one of the builders had his sword girded by his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.”

Nehemiah 4:20 – “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Three voices we don’t want to listen to:

a. We don’t want to listen to the voice of the flesh

b. We don’t want to listen to the voice of the world

c. We don’t want to listen to the voice of the enemy.

Nehemiah 4:14 – “And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’”

1. Listen to the Voice of God

Revelation 1:10 – “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,”

Revelation 1:11a – “Saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.’”

John 10:27 – “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

I can hear the Voice of God.

Matthew 4:4 – “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”’”

Colossians 3:16a – “Let the peace of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Acts 8:29 – “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’”

a. The Voice of God always aligns with the Word of God

b. The Voice of God always lifts up Jesus Christ

c. The Voice of God brings peace

Colossians 3:15a – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.”

Psalm 46:5 – “God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her; just at the break of dawn.”

2. Listen to the Voice of the Broken-Hearted

Nehemiah 4:20 – “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Sometimes the people we love the most, we listen to the least.

Romans 12:15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

3. Listen to the Voice of the Lost

Luke 19:5b – “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

“Since I have been reading the Bible, I sense that there is something, something that can bring meaning to my life.” – Albert Camus

1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel. And with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Could you share a time that you heard the Voice of God?

2. What are some of the things that hinder us from hearing the Voice of God?

3. How would you rate yourself as a listener to other people on a scale of one to ten, with ten being the best?

4. What are some steps you can take to become a better listener?

5. Are there people in your family or in our church family that need you to rally around them?