SPIRITUAL WARFARE

VOICES

    Once you begin to follow Jesus, you can expect to hear many voices that seek to lead you astray from the sound doctrine and teaching of the Bible.
    We are surrounded with many voices; the voice that we obey can determine our eternal destiny.
    Judas heard Satan’s voice and betrayed Jesus-ref Mt 26:14-16. He perished.
    Peter heard Satan’s voice and did not believe the voice of Jesus-ref Mk 8:31-33. Peter got rebuked.
    The high priest heard Satan’s voice and believed Jesus was speaking blasphemy, when Jesus said He was the Son of the Blessed-ref Mk 14:61; Mt 26:63-68. It may have cost him his soul.
    The leper was healed by Jesus. Jesus told him to say nothing to any man, but the leper heard Satan’s voice and disobeyed-ref Mk 1:40-45. As a result, JESUS COULD NO MORE OPENLY ENTER INTO THE CITY-Mk 1:45.
    Which voice do you hear?
    Pontius Pilate had determined to let Jesus go, but the raging of the people’s voices persuaded him to do otherwise-ref Mt 27:23.
    Which voice do you follow?
    Then there is Satan’s voice that will put lying thoughts in your mind, which will contradict God’s Word. He will tell you that you are not a sinner-ref Mk 2:17; 1 Jn 1:8,10. It is written, ALL HAVE SINNED, AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD-Ro 3:23. Which voice do you hear, the voice of truth? or the voice of deceit?

    Then there is Satan’s voice that lies to many, telling them that they are really saved, when, in fact, they will perish to hell-ref Mt 7:21-23; Jn 8:39-45.
    It is written, OBEY MY VOICE, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD-Jere 7:23.
    Which voice do you obey?
    Is it the voice of the desires of your heart?
    Is it the voice of the thoughts of your heart?
    Is it the voice of God and His Word?
    Which voice is louder? Which voice do you obey?
    Jesus said, HE THAT ENTERETH NOT BY THE DOOR INTO THE SHEEPFOLD, BUT CLIMBETH UP SOME OTHER WAY, THE SAME IS A THIEF AND A ROBBER. BUT HE THAT ENTERETH IN BY THE DOOR IS THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. TO HIM THE PORTER OPENETH; AND THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE: AND HE CALLETH HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND LEADETH THEM OUT. AND WHEN HE PUTTETH FORTH HIS OWN SHEEP, HE GOETH BEFORE THEM, AND THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM: FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. AND A STRANGER WILL THEY NOT FOLLOW, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM: FOR THEY KNOW NOT THE VOICE OF STRANGERS-Jn 10:1-5.
    Two voices are portrayed here. One is the voice of the Shepherd, which is Jesus. The other is the voice of the stranger, which is Satan. When we talk about the voice of the Shepherd, Jesus, we may also consider that God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s voice are the same. To follow the voice of Jesus is to follow the voice of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. The sheep (true, born-again Christians) follow the voice of God’s Word, which they know. They do not follow the voice of Satan, for they do not know his voice.
    Which of these following voices is louder to you? Which voice do you follow?
    Which is louder: the voice of your flesh or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of wanting to do your will or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of your desire for pleasure or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of the lusts of your eyes or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of what people think of you or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of laziness or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of wanting to talk too much or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of repeating yourself over and over or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of wanting to be liked or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of fear or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of anger or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of deceit or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of wrong thinking or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of your desire for success or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of hate, love, and just not caring or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of circumstances or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of hurting or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of the cares of this world or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of your desire for money or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of the lusts of the flesh or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of happiness and joy or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of not wanting to change or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of not wanting to offend someone or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of bitterness, envy, and jealousy or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of covetousness or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of gluttony (or eating too much) or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: the voice of obeying those that do contrary to God’s Word or the voice of God?
    Which is louder: these voices or the voice of God?
    Is the voice of your heart leading you to God or to rebellion against God?
    There are many voices that we hear. These voices are from newspapers, the radio, the television, our flesh, our feelings, our emotions, our circumstances, our desires, and from people around us. The world’s voices lead us away from God. The voice of the Bible leads us to God.
    Which voice will you obey?
    Adam and Eve HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD-Gen 3:8.
    Eve heard the voice of the serpent-ref Gen 3:1; she chose to obey the serpent’s voice rather than God’s voice.
    Adam hearkened to the voice of his wife rather than God’s voice-ref Gen 3:17.
    In Ex 4:8, we see these words, THE VOICE OF THE FIRST SIGN...and THE VOICE OF THE LATTER SIGN. Circumstances speak to you.
    Gen 4:10-THE VOICE OF THY BROTHER’S BLOOD CRIETH.
    Gen 21:17-There is THE VOICE OF THE LAD (or children’s voices or crying baby voices).
    Deut 21:18-There is THE VOICE OF (your) MOTHER
    1 Sam 2:25-There is THE VOICE OF (your) FATHER.
    Which voice do you follow?
    1 Sam 15:20-24-Saul obeyed the voice of the people rather than the voice of God, BECAUSE he FEARED THE PEOPLE. The people’s voices were louder than God’s voice.
    Job 4:10-There is THE VOICE OF THE...LION. If you heard the voice or roaring of a lion, you might run.
    Ps 6:8-There is THE VOICE OF...WEEPING. This voice may trigger a compassionate response.
    Ex 19:16-There is THE VOICE OF THE TRUMPET.
    Judges 20:13-There is THE VOICE OF THEIR BRETHREN.
    Which voice do you follow?
    Anger can blot out God’s still, small voice.
    Ps 55:3-There is THE VOICE OF THE ENEMY.
    Ps 102:5-There is THE VOICE OF MY GROANING.
    Which voice do you obey?
    You may be working. Your body feels tired, and there is a voice that tells you to lay down and rest.
    Ps 93:3-THE FLOODS have a VOICE. If a raging flood or water was coming at you, would you not run?
    Dan 10:9-There is THE VOICE OF HIS WORDS (the voice of a person’s words).
    Ecc 5:3-A FOOL’S VOICE IS KNOWN BY (a) MULTITUDE OF WORDS.
    Which voice do you follow?
    There are the voices that preachers hear, saying, "Tell lots of worldly stories and vain janglings. Make the people laugh. Tell some jokes. Entertain the people." These voices enter our thoughts; they come from hearing others preach. These voices come even from Bible schools. Then there is the voice of God, saying, PREACH THE WORD-2 Tim 4:2. Most teachers of the Bible hearken to the voice of deceit. They teach only small portions of God’s Word with lots of other things mixed in. They might think, "Doesn’t everyone do it this way?" So they hearken to the stranger’s voice. Many in today’s churches are this way.
Which voice do you follow?
    Isa 48:20-There is A VOICE OF SINGING.
    Isa 66:6-There is A VOICE OF NOISE FROM THE CITY.
    Lk 4:33-There is the LOUD VOICE of AN UNCLEAN DEVIL.
    Which voice do you follow?
    Jn 10:5-There is the VOICE OF STRANGERS.
    Rev 19:6-There is THE VOICE OF A GREAT MULTITUDE.
    Rev 19:6-There is THE VOICE OF MANY WATERS.
    Rev 19:6-There is THE VOICE OF MIGHTY THUNDERINGS.
    1 Cor 14:10-THERE ARE...SO MANY KINDS OF VOICES IN THE WORLD.
    Which voice do you follow?
    Pv 8:1-UNDERSTANDING (puts) FORTH HER VOICE.
    Beware. Fear can blot out or suppress God’s voice. Pressures, pleasures, lusts, riches, and cares of this world can blot out or suppress God’s voice. Many of these voices can override God’s voice.
    Which voice will you follow?
    Will you follow the voice of truth or error?
    Will you follow the voice of truth mixed with error?
    What voices will you fill your spirit with?
    If you can read, but do not diligently study God’s Word and obey it, then are you not obeying a wrong voice?
    Consider Paul’s words, FOR I KNOW THIS, THAT AFTER MY DEPARTING SHALL GRIEVOUS WOLVES ENTER IN AMONG YOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK. ALSO OF YOUR OWN SELVES SHALL MEN ARISE, SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, TO DRAW AWAY DISCIPLES AFTER THEM. THEREFORE WATCH, AND REMEMBER, THAT BY THE SPACE OF THREE YEARS I CEASED NOT TO WARN EVERY ONE NIGHT AND DAY WITH TEARS-Acts 20:29-31.
    Isa 66:6-The VOICE OF THE LORD THAT RENDERETH RECOMPENSE TO HIS ENEMIES. The Lord’s voice, the Word of God, the voice of Jesus is the only voice to follow.
    Consider. Which voice do you follow?