Recently, a friend of mine shared an awesome message on Psalm 23, and the care we receive from Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Since then, I’ve been studying more about sheep and the way they behave and one thing stands out. Sheep can’t be tricked. This is a great comfort when it comes to learning to hear God’s voice.
Sheepish-ness
Here’s what I learned:
- Sheep have excellent hearing.
- Sheep are intelligent (contrary to popular belief).
- Sheep follow other sheep to escape danger or to move toward a friend / shepherd.
- Sheep aren’t easily fooled.
It’s this last point I want to talk about. Here’s the way it’s explained in the Illinois Livestock Trail. Sheep move toward the shepherd who feeds them. But if the shepherd doesn’t feed them, they stop responding. In other words, the sheep can’t be tricked.
Do you struggle to hear God’s voice? Maybe you’re afraid to listen because you fear you’ll follow the wrong voice. Take heart my friends. It’s not complicated. You are created to follow Him, and you will follow Him because He’s the one who feeds you. You can’t be easily tricked!
How it works in everyday life
When you hear what you think might be God’s voice, ask yourself, “Does this word help me? Does it nourish my soul? Does it bring help, strength, healing, or understanding?” If so, you can be certain it’s Him speaking.
Take a look at this passage:
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all His kind deeds
He who forgives all your iniquities
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit
and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion,
who satisfies you with good things,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:2-5)
When He speaks to us, we should expect to hear His tender, forgiving voice. We should expect to hear His healing voice. We should expect to be satisfied with good things! In fact, what He feeds us is so good that it satisfies us through the years. And as we age, His food renews us with youthful energy.
Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
(Psalm 103:5*)
Don’t be afraid to put what you think you hear to the Good Shepherd test. If the words feed your soul, they come from Him. If the words bring confusion, fear, or uncertainty, you will run from them. Know for certain that you have excellent hearing. You are intelligent. You only follow those who follow Him. And best of all, you can’t be tricked!
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.
(John 10:4-5)
*New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved.
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