ABUNDANT LIFE VISION
THE VOICE THAT LEADS. John 10:1-5
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! [2]But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3]The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4]After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. [5]They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” NLT.

God lives in heaven but he has a presence on earth. One of the ways we can describe God is that he has the following characteristics; 1. He is Omniscient: This implies that he knows everything. 2. He is Omnipotent: His name is Elohim, the almighty God. This implies that he is the all-powerful God. 3. He is Omnipresent: This implies that he is everywhere at the same time. Distance is nor a barrier for him. As a result, his presence on earth is marked by interaction with his people. Therefore, people can hear his voice.
The voice of God has been audible since the beginning of the world. In Genesis 1, he spoke and the things we can see on earth today came into existence. Also, he interacted with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden through his voice. Genesis 3:8-12: When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the lord God among the trees. [9]Then the lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” [10]He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” [11]“Who told you that you were naked?” the lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” [12]The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” NLT. What ensued between God and Adam in the scripture till verse 19 of the chapter is a communication between God and man where Adam and Eve heard the voice of God clearly.

On that note our God is a God that speaks. However, he does not speak for fun, he speaks to have intimacy with his children in order to lead them. God speaks to lead, with an endgame of giving us a future. Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” says the lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. NLT. On a similar note, God spoke to Moses, to lead him to Egypt where he would deliver the nation of Israel in Exodus 3. The truth is, God leads us into our destinies, he led Moses, Samson, Samuel, Elijah, Abraham, and the likes into their destinies. In addition, God leads us to his kingdom in heaven. The voice of God is to be our guide in navigating the earth both physically and spiritually to have a home with him in heaven.

Anyone who has given his life to Jesus has the voice of God (Holy Spirit) as a guide and such person is supposed to know his voice and follow him in order to avoid getting lost. We know that you know God when you recognise his voice and follow him. A Christian is not one that will follow the path of the world but one who follows the path of God. We follow the voice of God with the endgame of reigning with him in the end.

As a result, if you have not given your life to Jesus to have the voice that leads, I urge you to do so now by saying this prayer; Dear Jesus, I believe that you died for my sins and you resurrected on the third day by the power of God, please forgive my sins and write my name in the book of life and I will serve you forever. Amen. If you have recited the prayer, I congratulate you and I urge you to join a bible believing church as you begin your journey in Christ.
God bless you.