PRAY TO HEAR AND OBEY

Have you ever prayed to hear God’s voice?  Have you been stuck, uncertain of your next moves and you need the Lord to speak to you? I have.  I go and pour my heart out asking the Lord to provide clarity.  However, when He gives me an answer I don’t want, I go back with the same prayer request, “Oh God please let me hear your voice!”  But what I am really saying is, “God I heard what you said but I don’t like that response.  I don’t want to do it!   Can you please come up with some other alternative?”  He is God and I am not.  Even though I don’t always like what I hear when He speaks to me, it is always in my best interest to respond in obedience. Deuteronomy 28 lists all the blessing that follow when Israel obeyed God’s instructions.  We love to shout about those promises, ‘blessed going out blessed coming in!’  But before you get to shouting, don’t forget to read that passage in its entirety. The latter verses share the consequences of disobeying God. This passage reminds us that God does provide direction for His people and tell them what He expects of them.  However, the ability to hear His voice demands a response of obedience from the hearer.

God speaks to us in many ways.  It may be in a dream, from His word, through another believer, or just a strong inner knowing, among many other ways. Don’t take for granted that the creator of the universe speaks to you!    Even if it is not what you want to hear, you know He won’t lead you in the wrong direction. As we prepare to enter a new year, do you find yourself with unfinished God tasks?  You know, the things the Lord told you to do when you asked to hear His voice.  The things you did not want to do.  Yeah, those things. The start of a New Year does not mean that God will change His mind. I encourage you to not only pray to hear God’s voice but to also pray for a heart to obey when He does speak even if it is not what YOU WANT TO DO.    His grace is there to attend you!

Anika Jones

About the Author

Anika Jones

Anika Jones is a speaker and author of the book Lessons Learned Along The Way: A 40 Day Devotional. She blogs about faith and family at LivingForLater.com and posts weekly videos on her YouTube channels, Living For Later (@livingforlater) and Living Life Now (@livinglifenow). Anika loves speaking about developing intimacy with God and understanding who we are in Christ. She serves alongside her husband in ministry. They live in Illinois with their 6 children.