There are a lot of voice vying for our attention these days. If it’s not on an electronic billboard, it’s an ad spot on a YouTube feed or other social media thread. Companies are really pushing to get their products out there; this is what funds the film and television industry; advertisements. It’s no different in the media; the liberal left attempts to create a narrative that many buy into, forming opinions and making decisions that are contrary to God’s Word. It’s as unfortunate as it is true, however, God has shown us a better way.
In John 10 the Lord gives us some great teaching on listening to and following after His voice. This is something that true believers in Jesus do, we listen to and follow the Master’s voice because we love the Lord and we long to be with Him. Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus was teaching us who listen to His voice.
Jesus the True Shepherd:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” – John 10:1-5
- The sheepfold is heaven, the door is Jesus. Anyone attempting to gain access into heaven without going through the Door is a ‘thief and a robber.’ These same are not saved and attempt their own way to access the Father; on their own terms, with their own beliefs, lifestyle and religion.
True believers in Jesus will enter by the door, by the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper grants us access to the sheepfold because the sheep (Christians) hear His voice and follow after it and after Him. We won’t follow after a stranger or a strange voice, but rather flee from it because it is the voice of a stranger, the enemy.
Which voice am I listening to? If I listen to the voice of the Lord, the voice of the Spirit, the voice of Jesus, I will feel peace, calm, comfort, and a sense of security, even in the midst of an uncertain circumstance. If I listen to the voice of the enemy, I will feel anxiety, stress, uncertainty, fear, doubt, worry and an array of other negative emotions. One of the main ways the Lord speaks to us is through His Word; the more we read it, the clearer we hear His voice. If you’re feeling anxious about something, be advised, you’re probably listening to the wrong voice. Step back from your situation and ask, ‘Which voice am I listening to right now?’
Jesus the Good Shepherd:
“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” – John 10:7-10
- Jesus repeats the previous passage, reminding His people that He is the door of the sheep; all others are thieves and robbers and we must not listen to or follow after them. We’re saved if we enter through the door who is the Christ. We stay saved as we walk with, listen to, and dwell within His presence.
The thief is the devil and he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus, the true door, has come to give us life and that, more abundantly. I believe this speaks to both this side of the veil, this life; and the life that awaits us in the kingdom of heaven. My heart breaks for the many souls who have not listened to the voice of the Lord, the true Shepherd, but have followed after the thief and robber and received their shame. We see these people everyday and in our attempts to share our faith with them, even in the slightest ways, many tend to resist because they are listening to and following after another voice. God is faithful and will continue to speak to them through His Word, if they read it; through nature, if they observe Him; and through us, if they listen.
Jesus makes it ever so clear,
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:11-16
- Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He has already given His life for us, the sheep, His sheep. Hirings and stewards, even though they may love the ministry, are not true shepherds if they leave the sheep vulnerable and untrained. They must care about the sheep as the Good Shepherd does, and love them as Christ loves them. Jesus will never leave you in a lurch, He will see you through; trust Him.
Jesus loves the heavenly Father and the heavenly Father loves Jesus. Jesus does the will of His Father by laying down His life for the sheep. This is the gospel, that Christ came to earth and gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sin so that we could be with Him forever in heaven. The devil, on the other hand, attempts to thwart God’s plan of redemption by being that other voice that sways the sheep, distracting them, and getting them to stray away from the Good Shepherd by speaking into their spirits many frightful words that destroy, create fear, and spark discouragement. We must NOT listen to the devil’s voice, but only listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd.
In verse 16 Jesus makes a peculiar statement, speaking of other sheep that are not of this fold that He must bring into the fold. He says that they too will hear His voice and that ‘there will be one flock and one Shepherd.’ While I have heard many a wild speculation as to what the Master meant here, I am convinced that Jesus is speaking about the future NT Church. His audience was Jewish and the time He spoke this which was prior to His crucifixion. In a relatively short time, we would see Jesus’ death and resurrection, coupled with His ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, thus birthing the Church, the other sheep.
While the Lord has not forsaken the Jewish people (and we should not either), we can see that He has been building His Church for the past 2,000 years. When He returns for us in the Rapture, the Church age, as we know it, will end and the focus will return to the Jewish people who will be caught in the throes of the seven-year tribulation. There was only one door on Noah’s ark and all who entered it were saved from the flood. In like manner, there is only One Door to heaven and He is Jesus, the only way to the Father is through Him. The only voice we should be listening to is the Lord’s. We know we are listening to Him by how we feel; peace.
The Shepherd Knows His Sheep:
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt (suspense)? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” – John 10:22-30
- Some of the Jews were upset with the words of Jesus and the way that He carried Himself. Jesus was confident in that He was doing the will of His Father. The same way He was listening to the Father’s voice, we should listen to His voice and follow after Him with confidence that we are doing God’s will.
The life that Jesus gives us is eternal and we shall never perish. When we are in Christ, we are secure in our faith and follow after Him in His Word and through our obedience to Him. Our salvation is a work that Christ did on the cross, our obedience to the Lord is what we do in response as we follow Him and listen to His voice. The same way that Jesus is one with the Father, so we must be one with the Christ. We must repent of our sin, receive Jesus into our heart, and believe on Him. We must listen to His voice and follow after Him daily.
I challenge you today man of God (and ladies), to quench any voice that speaks against God’s Word or His will for your life. The more you read the Word, the stronger your faith in God will become and the clearer you will hear the Good Shepherd’s voice in daily matters. Remember, when the Lord speaks, you will feel His peace, His calm, His presence. When the devil speaks, you will feel anxiety, stress, worry, and an array of other negative emotions that will draw you away from the fold of your Good Shepherd. Stand strong in these last days, we must walk with confidence, with God-fidence that we are in His will and doing what He has called us to do, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Trust in the Lord and listen to His voice.
Maranatha!
Encouragemen is a blog written by Pastor Rob Lee, recently relocated to Northwest Missouri. He lives with his wife of 33-years, near their three adult children, their spouses, and children (their grandchildren). Pastor Rob is an Ordained Assemblies of God minister, a former Lead Pastor (25 years), police chaplain, and community advocate. He continues to serve, consult, and disciple men of God, including those who are in the ministry.
Encourage Men 