Have you ever wondered why we have so many different denominations and beliefs, based the same Bible? Some belief one thing, while others believe something else. Which is right and which one is not? You cannot know which voice to follow, unless you do as Romans 12:2 (Amp) says and "Not conformed to the world or this age" or haven't renewed your mind by God's Word? We have been trained to learn, instead of being trained to think. We must renew our minds by God's Word and stop listening to what the world says.
American children are being taught an entirely foreign history in public schools, than the one we were taught. The history books of today, read nothing like the true history of our nation. They're being trained to learn, but not to think and seek out the truth for themselves. Every believer must seek God for him/herself and renew our minds with His Word, so that we can know and follow the Voice of the Shepherd. We each have the responsibility of seeking and hearing Him for ourselves. If we know His Voice, then we won't be led astray or follow a "Judas goat," who is leading some sheep to the slaughter house, instead of the Master's House.
Many believers today, learn and trust the mainstream news media, instead of learning from God's Word for themselves. The only way we can really "know" God, is by knowing Jesus. Jesus said, "When you see Me, you see the Father. I only do what I see Him do, say what I hear Him say, go where He tells Me to go. He and I are One." Jesus also said, "It's not Me, but the Father in Me, Who does the work."
Many today are still walking under the Law, while trying to obtain the Grace that Jesus has brought, because they have failed to see that Jesus was, and still is, the revealed will and Presence of God Himself. God didn't change what He said, He fulfilled it in Jesus. Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, "Be not conformed to the world's way of thinking, but renew your minds by God's Word." This is pertinent to who we are in Christ Jesus. Everything we know and have heard about our Father before being born-again, came through the knowledge of the world's point of view. We were taught to learn, but not to think. Sadly, many learned to the point where they no longer believe God exists.
Many public schools teach evolution, instead of creation. Prayers and Bibles have been removed from our schools today. Paul says in 2Corinthians 10:5 (Amp), "In as much as we refute arguments and theories and reasonings, every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the True knowledge of God, and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."
We must think with the mind of Christ, instead of being conformed to the world's mindset. We are a new creation people, who are born of the Spirit of God and we must renew our minds by the Word, in order to bring our previous understanding into subjection to the Word and God's Spirit. Paul instructs us to "Lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ." "Lead away captive" implies that what is held captive, doesn't have freedom to think it's own way. We must renew the old thoughts and ways we followed before being born-again, so we can follow "God's way of doing and being right," like Matthew 6:33 says.
Some of the things we've been taught are right, but other things might not be. Before we knew and were called to walk by the Word, we didn't know what which was right. Now that we're born-again, we have the Holy Spirit living in our own spirit and can rightly divide the Word, by renewing our mind in Truth. This is an individual responsibility every believer has. We won't be able to say to the Lord, "I'm sorry I did this, but that is what so and so said to do and I believed him." We must know and follow the Voice of the Good Shepherd, so we can hear Him say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant," when we come before Him.
We each have been given "the measure of faith." Romans 12:3 (KJV) says that "You are responsible to develop your own faith, which is the faith of Jesus Himself." Paul writes in Galatians 2:20 (Amp), "I have been crucified with Christ, in Him I have shared His crucifixion; it is no longer I who lives, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the Body I live by faith in the adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in, the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
We are part of the Body of Christ, but we have different parts to play, so the Body can function properly. We're all called to adhere to certain things, but we each have an individual part to play. You must hear the Voice of the Shepherd for yourself, so you can know His will for you. We've relied on someone else's faith, in our walk with Jesus. God freed the people from Egypt's bondage, but the people depended on the faith of ten spies to hear His Voice, causing them to die in the Wilderness, instead of entering the Promised Land, in Numbers 13-14.
You've been given God's Own faith, which is a Spiritual force that came with receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior. God didn't give you a lesser amount of faith than He gave others, but you received enough faith to do everything He asks of you. Thank God for the men and women who hold crusades where miracles and healings are performed. Don't put your faith in their faith though, but develop your own faith to do His will and help others in doing so. All God has ever needed is someone who has enough faith to hear the Voice of the Shepherd for him/herself and who will follow that Voice.
When God called me to move or follow His Voice, not all the sheep heard that Voice. It wasn't for everyone to hear, but for the one He called. Many called me crazy or misled, when I told them what God called me to do. I could have followed the rest of the sheep, instead of hearing the Shepherd's Voice for myself, but I chose to follow Him. We must train our spirit to know, trust and follow His Voice, so we can fulfill the calling and purpose God has for each of us.
In Galatians 1:11-12 (Amp) Paul says, "For I want you to know brethren, that the Gospel which was proclaimed and made known by me is not a man's gospel (a human invention), according to or patterned after any human standard For indeed I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through a direct Revelation given by Jesus Christ (the Messiah)." Many voiced their disagreement with Paul, but He knew the Voice of the Good Shepherd for himself and followed that Voice. Peter had a confrontation with Paul, because Peter taught that salvation is for the Jew and not the Gentile. Paul knew the Voice of God and adhered to His Voice though, because he received the Revelation directly from Jesus and followed His Voice.
Every believer is required to know the Father's Voice for our own lives. If God calls you to go to minister to a certain person, then He shouldn't need to tell the whole flock of sheep. If you keep putting your faith in someone else's faith to hear from God, then you might miss when He speaks to you. God gave you the faith, which makes you able to hear Him. Don't let the faith he gave you be determined by someone else's faith. We must have faith in the faith He gave us and learn to hear the Shepherd's Voice over the bleating of the sheep that are still in the sheep fold.
There are many people who need Jesus and you might be the one they will hear. In order for them to hear, you must first hear Him. Put faith in your faith and be led by the Voice that guides it. Many marvel at the ability of other Christians and put their faith in their ability to pray, heal, and hear from God. They follow the voice of others and use their faith, instead of relying on their own God-given faith. We must use the measure of faith God has given us and listen to the Voice that activates it.
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