We’ve talked about Shamgar, the woman with the issue of blood, Esther, starting where you are. So what better way to add on to this series with hearing Gods voice
There’s a difference between listening and hearing.

Just like our daily relationships with people, our daily connections. There are some people who LISTEN and some people who HEAR.

The listeners might listen to defend, listen to respond, or be half attentive.

The hearers want to hear everything you have to say, they are hearing with full attention, they allow a closeness that the listeners can’t provide.

Like in our daily relationship with Jesus

The listener might come to church and sit and listen to the message, listen to the worship and leave. The listener will just be.

The hearer will apply the message, soak in the worship. Hear what God is saying to you.

Bible story Abraham (Genesis 22) 

1) Abraham’s sacrifice decision 

Abraham made a destiny decision. He kept making destiny decisions during the trip. 

Destiny decisions Abraham made

Actually obeying and hearing God to go sacrifice his son

1. Riding 3 days to a different region then believing that God would tell him which mountain.
2. As they’re going up the mountain he says God will provide.
3. He ties his son up ready for the sacrifice
4. He is literally has the knife in his hand

Each of these destiny decisions that Abraham made changed the destiny of his life 

Option 1:

Not trust God. Tell God he’s crazy, protect his son. Ask if there’s another way, another test.

Option 2:

Trust and believe that God will provide. Believe that Gods plan is greater than his own plan.

He chose option 2

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.”

How hard is this to do. When we trust God with ALL of our heart and not leaning on our own understanding? Submitting to Him in ALL of our ways.

Just like God gave Abraham 2 options we as well have 2 options.

1. Not trust God. Lean on YOUR understating. Not submit to what he is saying. Ask if there’s other ways or try to get out of whatever God is calling you to do.
2. Trust God with ALL of your heart and lean on HIS understanding. Believe that God will provide.

What will we choose?

2) Gods provisions are there even when we don’t see it. 

What’s great about this moment in Abraham’s life is that God was always providing.

“The Lord will provide.”

Abraham knew God will provide. Even when he couldn’t see it. As they’re going up on the mountain there is a lamb going up with them probably on the other side of the mountain.

Could Abraham physically see the lamb going up the mountain?

No.

Did Abraham know that there was a lamb at the top of the mountain?

No.

Even in the unknown Abraham knew God would provide 

Abraham knew God would provide so much that he named the mountain

The place the Lord provides

In your unknown will you know God will provide?

Internal question to think about:

What is your mountain in life where you have to remind yourself God still provides?

It was in the middle of Abrahams difficulty that God provided, not at the end of the difficulty but right in the middle of that difficulty.

Matthew 6:33

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

When we don’t seek God, when we’re not aligned with Him we won’t recognize the voice that is talking to us. 

How will we know it’s God telling us to move and to go if we don’t communicate with him?

3) Abraham’s hearing decision. 

Abraham had a destiny decision he made. He didn’t make the decision based off of the promises of God. He didn’t make the decision based off of what he might get in return.

Abraham wasn’t only hearing and obeying God because he knew the riches at the end. He heard and obeyed because God had never failed him.

God is looking for the willing heart.

The able heart.

God is looking for the one saying here I am send me.

Abraham’s relationship wasn’t a transactional relationship with God

Abraham’s relationship was a direct deposit relationship. As in God told him to do something and he did.

When we make our relationship transactional, we miss the destiny God has for us. 

When it’s a transactional relationship it then becomes performative, it becomes about us. What can I get. We will put God in OUR destiny

Instead of

Lining up ourselves to HIS destiny He has for us.

We can put God in our box instead of TEARING DOWN all boxes and align ourselves with God and destiny he has for us

This scripture perfectly represents this story. This scripture perfectly represents this destiny decision series we’re in

Revelation 3:20 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

Do you see that word in there.

If anyone HEARS my voice and opens the door, I will come in.

Trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart.

Not some of it. Not most of it. ALL of it. We can think what we know is best, best for our life, best for our family. In all of our ways submit to him. Sometimes that’s a daily thing. Especially the parts we don’t want to, the parts we think are too ugly, the skeletons we have, the part where we’re fearful to submit to the unknown.

Close: 

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you?