Unclog Your Receiver: What Stops You Hearing God's Voice
Dr RJ Sing, 1 hr 13 min
Originally recorded as “Five Hindrances to Hearing from God”
Sermon outline
God speaks to His sheep every day, so remove the unbelief, bitterness, hardness and neglect that clog your receiver, and test every voice against His Word.
Main text
- John 10:1-5
Opening
He celebrates the launch of the church's monthly Faith Chronicles, thanks the team who put it together, and blesses a couple married 42 years before the offering. Before the teaching he brings balance on healing: not everyone's faith is at the same level, so nobody should feel condemned for going to a doctor, a dentist or the chemist, or for sending out CVs while trusting God for a job. 'Do the natural, God will do the supernatural.' Then he announces 'five hindrances to hearing from God' and reads John 10.
1. The true sheep will hear the voice of the Shepherd and be led by Him
To fulfil your destiny you must remove whatever stops you hearing God, because missing His voice leads to decisions that cost you time and money. God calls His sheep by name, they know His voice and will not follow a stranger. He speaks every day, through His Word, a sermon, a book or a person in the car park, so expect to hear Him and confess it.
Illustration: God once spoke to a prophet through a donkey, so do not restrict the ways He can speak to you.
“You cannot receive the instructions of God if your receiver is clogged.”
- John 10:1-5
- Romans 8:31
- Numbers 22:28
2. Unbelief hinders your ability to hear from God
Unbelief breeds distrust, which makes you waver and become double-minded, and a double-minded person receives nothing. With the tithe, the real hindrance is the fear of insufficiency. Let principles from God's Word rule your life rather than circumstances or emotions, prove your faith by action, speak what you want to see, and shake yourself free of anything that holds you down.
Illustration: Smith Wigglesworth's story of a woman at a bus stop who politely told a little dog to go home until, in desperation, she shouted at it and it ran off with its tail between its legs: that is how you treat the devil.
“Some of you are just not mad enough at your negative circumstances.”
- James 1:6-8
- James 2:26
- Psalm 23:1
- Psalm 45:1
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Romans 4:17
- Romans 4:20
- Judges 16:20
3. An undeveloped spirit hinders your ability to hear from God
God wants your whole spirit, soul and body preserved so that He can lead you, and He is faithful to do it. Develop your spirit by studying and reading the Word, praying, and speaking in tongues. The Word of God is the will of God and the connection to manifestation.
“The word of God equals the will of God.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
4. A spirit of deafness hinders your ability to hear from God
Three things clog the spirit: unforgiveness, dwelling on painful memories, and anger, jealousy, bitterness, resentment and malice, which grieve the Holy Spirit. Do not compare yourself with others, because each person has a different season and test. These things will not go away by themselves; you must make a quality decision to put them away and keep a short account with God.
Illustration: Some people cannot receive healing when hands are laid on them because they are holding anger or unforgiveness against someone.
“Unforgiveness is a luxury a Christian cannot afford.”
- Ephesians 4:26-27
- Ephesians 4:30-31
5. A calloused conscience hinders your ability to hear from God
Keep a soft, tender conscience: when God says apologise, apologise. A tender conscience keeps His voice clear, so that He can tell you whom to pray for, while every act of disobedience makes it harder to hear. People may take advantage of you for it, but the anointing is worth it, so put things right quickly.
Illustration: Some people are angry from Monday to Friday, take a break on Saturday and are angry again on Sunday.
“Every time you disobey the spirit of God it becomes harder and harder and harder for you to hear his voice.”
- Ephesians 4:26
- Nehemiah 8:10
6. Neglect hinders your ability to hear from God
Neglecting prayer, Bible study, fellowship, praise, worship and involvement in the things of God hardens the heart. That neglect affects your thoughts, actions, habits, character and finally your destiny. Stay in His presence and it becomes easy to pick up His signals.
“It's very expensive to miss God's voice.”
Last point: line up your mindset and decisions with the Word of God
Everything you hear must line up with the Word. Quitting your job because you are fed up is your emotions speaking, not God; the fruit of the Spirit gives you tenacity to endure. If you are unsure, seek godly counsel, and do not throw away your tablets in the name of faith before your spirit is built up in the Word.
Illustration: He used to say he forgot things until he changed his confession to 'my mind's like a computer'; now the Lord reminds him which jacket pocket holds an envelope or where a book is.
“Men of God and women of God have tenacity.”
- Galatians 5:22-23
- 1 Kings 19:4
- Philippians 1:6
Putting it into practice
- Confess daily: 'God speaks to me. I hear His voice.'
- Let God's principles, not fear or emotions, decide your giving and your choices.
- Feed your spirit with the Word, prayer and praying in tongues.
- Forgive, let go of painful memories, and put away anger and jealousy by a deliberate decision.
- When you disobey, put it right quickly and seek godly counsel before big decisions.
Closing
He leads the church in confessions of wisdom, a sound mind, a clean conscience and forgiveness, and teaches them to stop holding a 'court case' in their minds about whether they are good enough and to declare what the Word says instead. He shares the scriptures he speaks over himself while driving, writing and going to sleep, prophesies promotion and blessing over the people, and calls for a fast song to celebrate.
Declarations he led
- God speaks to me. I hear His voice. I'll respond to His voice.
- The Lord is my shepherd to feed, to guide and shield me. I shall not lack.
- I hear from God. No cross signals. I hear his voice.
- I forgive everybody, Lord. That's my choice tonight.
- I have the wisdom of God in my financial affairs, in my relationships, in everything I do. The wisdom of God's functioning in me. I have a sound mind. I have a clean conscience.
- I forgive those that hurt me. I let go. I'm anointed of God's Spirit.
- Everything about me is blessed. I don't care what I see. I'm just a blessed man.
In his words
- “Do the natural. God will do the supernatural.”
- “You cannot receive the instructions of God if your receiver is clogged.”
- “Unforgiveness is a luxury a Christian cannot afford.”
- “It's very expensive to miss God's voice.”
- “Many of you are having a court case in your mind.”
Every scripture in this message
- John 10:1-5
- Romans 8:31
- Numbers 22:28
- James 1:6-8
- James 2:26
- Psalm 23:1
- Psalm 45:1
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Romans 4:17
- Romans 4:20
- Judges 16:20
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
- Ephesians 4:26-27
- Ephesians 4:30-31
- Nehemiah 8:10
- Galatians 5:22-23
- 1 Kings 19:4
- Philippians 1:6
- Psalm 139:14
- Proverbs 23:7
- Proverbs 10:22
- Philippians 4:13
- Psalm 127:2
- Romans 1:16