Hearing Is Not a Guarantee For Doing

We’ve been on a spiritual journey for leaders the last few weeks regarding hearing the voice of God. You know from my previous writing that if you desire to consistently hear God’s voice, you must be available, willing, and humble in your heart toward His voice. We must have a sensitive heart towards the Father.

Many people complain about not hearing from God or that they feel God is not active in their life, yet they do not position their hearts to be available, willing, and humble to hear Him in the many ways He speaks. Even hearing the audible voice of God is no guarantee that the hearer will become a doer, no guarantee that the message will become rhema to your soul and spirit. It’s no guarantee because of the condition of the heart.

The heart must be soft towards the Father, and hard towards evil. Even a loud, audible voice of God may deflect off the surface of a hardened heart. The condition of your heart controls the sensitivity of your spiritual ears.

The Crossfire Minute Switches to Blog Format Only

Dear Crossfire Minute subscriber,

Beginning today, The Crossfire Minute will be transitioning from a five-times weekly message to a three-times weekly message. We will now be posting Crossfire Minute messages on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This transition is due to the fact that The Crossfire Minute will no longer air on KLTT AM 670 in Denver, Colorado.

This new format will contain slightly longer messages since the message will not be limited to a 60 second radio spot. However, they will come to you only three times per week as opposed to five times per week. We hope you enjoy the new format, and as always, comments are welcome!

Pastor Harvey

A Leadership Calling That Requires A Close Relationship With the Father

I’m continuing with the leadership series on hearing the voice of God. Today we segue to discussing hearing God’s voice as an audible voice. God spoke to Moses in an audible voice. It was a voice that Moses could physically hear, and in some cases, a voice that others could also hear. In Numbers chapter 12 God reminded Miriam and Aaron that while God spoke to prophets in visions, dreams, and riddles, He spoke to Moses clearly and face to face.

The call of leadership on Moses was so great and so filled with obstacles that it demanded a very clear, personal communication with the Father. This was in the era when God only chose one or two men or women to hear His voice. He communicated directly with a chosen few. It was also a leadership call that required a close relationship with the Father.

Does your leadership call require a closer relationship with the Father?

Truth Must Be Spiritually, Not Intellectually, Discerned

I’m continuing with the leadership series on hearing the voice of God. Paul told the believers in Corinth that the Word of Truth could not be understood by natural intelligence but must be ‘spiritually discerned’ (1Cor. 2:14). To spiritually discern implies that scripture is more than just words on paper. They are words to be spiritually understood in order for them to affect our life.

People can read the Bible and never get saved because they do not spiritually discern the Truth. They simply use intellect to try to understand and interpret. Even born-again believers can find themselves leaning upon intellect so much that the Bible becomes boring as they struggle to read it. Leaders cannot afford to be in such a position. We lean not unto our own understanding but unto a spiritual discernment to hear God’s voice in His written word.

Leaders Must Combine Faith With Hearing the Word

I’m continuing with the leadership series on hearing the voice of God. Hebrews 4:2 says that people heard a message "but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." Whether you hear a prophecy, experience a dream, see a vision, or read the written word, if you don’t combine it with faith, it will have no value. It will not affect your life. It will not impact your decisions. It will not move you into God’s plan for the moment, the day or season.

Leaders can not afford to hear without faith. Faith is the catalyst that transforms words on paper to moments of revelation. It is by faith that we believe and act upon the written word--His voice to the church. Leaders must personally operate in faith to experience the power of that Word.

Leaders Start to Hear God's Voice From the Written Word and Then Can Hear the Father's Voice In Other Ways

I’m continuing with the leadership series on hearing the voice of God. Scripture is the foundational block for God’s voice. 2 Tim. 3: 14-17 says that it’s useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is from Scripture that the Father teaches us about Jesus. It is from Scripture that the Father rebukes us about using grace as a license. It is from Scripture that the Father corrects our thinking in regard to our identity in Christ the Hope of Glory. It is from scripture that the Father trains us to understand our righteousness is by faith in Jesus not in our works.

When we combine our faith with Scripture, the power of His Word changes our lives. We experience His voice through His Word. Every leader in the body of Christ starts hearing God’s voice from His written, revealed Word. And by doing so, lays the foundation for accurately hearing the Father’s voice in many other ways.

Leaders Must Teach The Bible Is God's Word

I’m continuing with the leadership series on hearing the voice of God. Scripture is the foundational block for God’s voice. In 2 Tim. 3:14-17 it says, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

As we learn to hear God’s voice from His written word, we develop stability in our relationship with Him. We develop discipline in our time with Him. We develop character as a reflection of Him. His written word is His voice to the world and His general will for all people. Every leader in the body of Christ must both personally experience and corporately teach that the Bible is God’s word.

Last Days Leaders Will Be Tempted to Step Out of Position

In recent weeks I’ve focused on hearing God’s voice. We must be available, willing, and humble in order to consistently hear His voice and therefore do His deeds. Leaders in the church will only advance God’s agenda as they consistently hear His voice and do what He says. In these last days, leaders will be tempted to step out of position with God by not being available, not submitting their will, or by exalting themselves. The temptation will increase as the stress of these last days increases.

Leaders, beware! These times require greater focus to maintain our availability, willingness, and humility to hear the Father’s voice. As we do so, we will experience the incredible peace of knowing that we know we are walking according to His spirit. We will experience the fruit of that walk and the rewards of that life.

The Biggest Names in Ministry Are Not Always the Bigglest Names in the Kingdom

Humility is key for leaders to consistently hear God’s voice. Leaders who are humble find a supernatural flow of God’s voice in their lives. It is not about how much they prophesy, how well they preach, or how big the crowds at their meetings, but how consistently they hear the Father’s voice in a way that changes their own life to reflect Jesus.

Humility is a tangible characteristic of Jesus and the Father. It must be a tangible characteristic of every leader if they are to be truly effective for His kingdom and His purposes. The biggest names in ministry are not always the biggest names in God’s kingdom. His kingdom is about the name of Jesus, not the name of a minister. It is only in the heart of humility that a leader in the Body of Christ can truly hear God’s voice and walk in the Spirit. It there that we find rest, peace and true satisfaction that we are doing what we’re called to do.

Jesus' Humility Was Complete

Humility is key for leaders to consistently hear God’s voice. The Bible says in Philippians 2:6 that Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.

Jesus consistently heard the Father’s voice and was the most humble man on earth. He never allowed the pitfall of pride to cause a fall in his leadership. Nor did He give pride a place of space in His mind. His mind space was completely occupied by humility. Humility positioned Him to hear the Father’s voice, fulfill the Father’s purpose, and ascend to the Father’s side.

Jesus is our premier example of a leader whose humility was complete, and whose hearing from the Father was consistent. The result was not only fulfillment of His call and purpose, but exalting His name above every name. Leaders today need to hear God’s voice, and as they do, they do God will exalt them.

Tune Your Heart to the Frequency of God's Voice

Humility is key for leaders to consistently hear God’s voice. Phil. 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves." To consider is to ‘look upon, regard or focus upon’ something. It’s like tuning into the radio frequency of humility.

As leaders humble our hearts toward God and others, we position ourselves to hear the Father’s radio frequency. The Father’s heart wants only the best for us. Therefore, we don’t have to worry about ourselves. . . He will take care of that.

Leaders seek to bring life and liberty to those around us because that is the Father’s heart. Leaders are called to influence others for God’s kingdom, not for their kingdom. Leaders are called to build people into the fullness of Christ. As we tune our heart to humility, our spiritual ears become tuned to God’s voice and His heart.

Jesus Was a Humble Leader

In recent weeks I’ve been doing a leadership series on Hearing the Voice of God. I want to focus this week on our humility being key to consistently hearing God’s voice. Jesus said in John 5:30 (in The Message paraphrase), “I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty and self-serving witness.”

Jesus was the most humble man on earth. He sought nothing for Himself and everything for His Father. Godly humility is grounded in deferring to the Father’s agenda rather than our agenda. Humility seeks serving others at the expense of serving self. All leaders must understand and walk in humility if they are to serve the Father and to consistently hear His voice.

It's Not About Being In Ministry, It's About Being in Him

This week I’m talking about hearing the voice of God. We must be available, willing, and humble to hear His voice consistently. Here's one last thought on being willing before we move on to being humble. Many years ago I heard God’s voice calling me to be a pastor, but I hardened my heart toward that voice and that call. I offered my services in the local church, but did not like what I saw in the ministry. I did not like the control, manipulation and lack of grace by leadership. Therefore, I refused to listen--at least for a season.

In God’s goodness and grace, he reignited that call through a prophetic word, yes, through the voice of God. I finally said "yes" to His voice and to His call. It was not about me, it was about His kingdom. It was not about being in ministry, but about being in Him. God’s goodness led me to repentance, led me to change my mind to be willing to serve Him as a pastor. He can change your mind too.

Pictured: Pastor Harvey in Kenya a few years ago.

Stay Soft Toward Kingdom Purposes

To consistently hear His voice we must be willing to advance God’s agenda. His agenda is bigger than you. It’s about people. It’s about influencing people for His kingdom. Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross, but was willing to go as the son of God, as the savior of man. Paul didn’t want to stay on earth and suffer persecution for the gospel, but he was willing to stay to advance the kingdom of God.

If you want to consistently hear God’s voice, you must be willing to go where you don’t want to go and do what you don’t want to do. But there’s good news! Your heart can change and come into agreement with difficult tasks. As you hear His voice and stay soft towards his kingdom purposes, even difficult tasks become the desire of your heart. If you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Great rewards come to you as are willing to hear His voice for His kingdom!

A Hardened Heart Prevents Us Hearing His Voice

We must be willing to hear His voice. Our hearts must be soft toward the Father to consistently hear Him. The writer of Hebrews warned the people in Hebrews chapter 3 saying "if you hear His voice do not harden your hearts."

A hardened heart prevents a clear stream of His voice. We are often hard towards hearing anything that does not line up with our entitlement attitude. An entitlement attitude only wants to hear that which personally benefits and exalts self. It is birthed in pride and it creates a hardness of heart toward God and His voice.

In these last days, church leaders cannot afford hardness of heart. We are called to lead people to a promised land of intimate relationship with the Father. A soft heart is a willing heart and will hear His voice.

To Be Willing Is To Deliberately Make a Choice

To hear we must be willing to hear. To be willing is to deliberately make a choice and direct our energies toward that choice. Paul is a great example of one who was willing to hear. He said in Phil. 1:23, "I desire to depart and be with God which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith."

His personal desire was to go to heaven, but he was willing to stay on earth if God wanted him to stay. Because his heart was directed towards God’s desires more than his own desires, he could hear God’s voice and do what God said. What an awesome example of being willing to hear and do anything for God’s kingdom!

The Key To Willingness Is Found In Who We Are Trying to Please

This week I’m talking about hearing the voice of God. To hear the voice of God consistently, we must be willing to hear Him. It sounds so easy, but its not. In John 5:30 Jesus said this: “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.”

The key to willingness to hear Him is found in who we are trying to please. If we are trying to please ourselves, we will filter out parts of His voice. If we are self-serving we’ll refuse to hear or hear only silence because our motives are wrong. Jesus sought only to please His father, so He could hear clearly and consistently even when what He heard involved a difficult task.

Who do you seek to please as you desire to hear God’s voice? Is it you or the One who saved you?