Hearing His Voice #200

This word [of God] continues to work in you who believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

When God speaks and hearers reject His words, His words will not be effective in those hearers’ lives. We know this to be true in matters of salvation; those who reject the Good News will not experience its promises. But the same is true in matters of following God, growing in Christ, receiving His blessings and answers to prayer, and more. In many aspects of relating to God, what He speaks only takes shape when we believe what He said.

Faith is the currency of God’s Kingdom, just as surely as dollars and euros and renminbi are the currencies of the world’s systems. We need faith to receive. Jesus said “if you believe” far more often than we want to admit, which implies that His promises about prayer and the blessings of the Kingdom don’t apply if we don’t believe. “Anything is possible if a person believes” (Mark 9:23), for example, tells us that many things aren’t possible at all for those who don’t. “You can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours” (Mark 11:24) tells us that if we don’t believe, it won’t be ours. Whatever promises God has spoken, whatever assurances He has given, they are there for the taking—by faith. They fall to the ground without effect if we don’t believe.

Never make the mistake of thinking that hearing God’s voice is the same as believing it. Many hear what He says and then are disillusioned when it doesn’t come to pass or doesn’t prove true. But many times, they have heard without believing, only waiting to see if it might have been God who spoke. Faith requires letting our hearts step out of their comfort zones, banking on the assurance of having heard. The message that God delivers to us, whether of salvation or some aspect of following Him thereafter, will powerfully work in us—when we believe.

Lord, I have heard Your voice; help me believe it. May I fully embrace everything You have spoken so I can see the reality of it fully manifested in my life.