Obey God’s Voice 2

B. RELATIONSHIP – NOT FORMULA

We need to realize that God’s life-giving word seldom comes in response to religious forms or formulas. Jesus healed one blind man by mixing dust and spittle, forming mud and applying it to the blind man’s eyes. The blind man was then sent to the pool of Siloam to wash the mud out of his eyes, and was healed (John 9).

If I mixed dust and spit and put it in blind men’s eyes, probably all they would get is mud in their eyes. If God told me to do it (as He told Jesus) then the blind would be healed.

It is not the form or formula. It is hearing God’s voice and taking obedient action in response to what God has said. On other occasions, Jesus healed the blind with other means (Matt 9:29; Mark 10:52).

A proper relationship with His heavenly Father was the secret of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father” (John 8:29). Because the condition of Jesus’ heart was always right with His heavenly Father, He could easily hear and obey His Father’s voice.

Jesus made it clear. “The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing, and in the same way he sees the Father doing it” (John 5:19 tlb).

1. Spend Time With God.

Jesus knew the Scriptures. He confounded the wise men in the temple at age twelve with His Bible knowledge. But the secret of His ministry was His sensitivity to the Father’s voice – doing what He saw the Father doing, in the same way He saw the Father doing it.

When Jesus needed to hear from the Father, He went away for times of prayer (and sometimes fasting). You remember that Jesus’ ministry began with forty days of fasting and prayer. Often thereafter, we see Him spending nights in prayer (as before choosing His twelve disciples). We find Him withdrawing from the multitudes and going into the desert to pray.

Out of that devotional life came the sensitivity to hear the Father’s voice. Have you developed your relationship with the Father in times of prayer and fasting? If not, why don’t you try it and see what happens? You may be surprised.

Next Week

The Real Thing