Hearing Jesus’ Voice
We have misapplied and romanticized that concept to the point of spiritual paralysis. We think Jesus’ voice is always sweet and gentle. That is basically a true statement until you put the “always” in the sentence. Yes, He’s the same yesterday, today and forever, but our problem is that we tend to think He’s “always” the “same” as our idea of Him. His definition of “good” is not “always” the “same” as ours. Our definition is corrupted by our attachment to emotional triggers. His goodness is sweet to those choosing against all odds to follow Him and believe in His definitions rather than their own or, God forbid, the world’s. His goodness is anything but sweet towards the thing that causes you and I to agree with any perception of Him that is contrary to His revelation of Himself in His Book.
His voice, in that case, will not be sweet and gentle. We initially will feel, because of our vulnerability to the delusion in the world, that it is the devil! It will feel foreign, attacking and insulting. Note this carefully – WE are the ones with the sovereign choice to trust and follow our instinct – or – Him. Now, which one of those might desperately need to be re-trained?
In training, especially in sports or the military [see what Paul says about that], in order to change physical and mental programming to win the competition or the war, it takes confrontation and exposure of allegiance to our right to ourselves, which seem insulting but are calls to courage, when the instinct is to whine with self-pity and quit. Contrast the reward for that struggle in sports, even the reward in death in exchange for another’s freedom, with the reward for death to self-deification, personal sovereignty and the isolation and ignorance of individuality. Individuality, which is a prison, a solitary confinement cell, blocks all wisdom and insight from God’s reality. Jesus has opened the cell door and called individuals out to become what He designed us to be, a person. We were made to be integrated into and one with the source of Life itself, to follow the only One who knows the Way. He provides us with His peace and courage to conquer in all encounters with the squatters inside us. He holds the Blood-Deed to the whole of Creation, which includes every dark corner in our hearts.
When confronted by a challenge, hardship, insult, discouragement, even death, feelings ARE NOT what identifies us. Our identity is Yesus Christo! Yeshua HaMashiach! Isa! Yesu! who did not think it robbery to lower Himself to be bruised for our iniquities, tortured for our healing and carry the stake to His own execution. That cross is our transformation, our transition into the Life we were designed for. Let the Holy Spirit make it real in you by renewing your mind. No whining! It’s a choice only you have the authority to make. Rejoice, when you hear His voice and see His light exposing the darkness, and fully participate in the process of replacing it with His Life.
Just one more important question: Who and what will you give permission to be His mouth-piece. He has made all things in the world. Surely, the people He has appointed for you to encounter and circumstances He has orchestrated for you today are the people and opportunities He has designed to give you pause and provide you with a perfectly timed training exercise. No challenging situation or insulting encounter is to be discarded. They’re all part of His promise to “work all things together for your good.” Make sure you know His definition of that world and, think on these things.
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