Bible Studies for Life: February 26

Discerning the Voice of God: Does it Lead You to be More Like Jesus? • Colossians 3:1-14

By Becky Brown

These six lessons on discerning the voice of God have been refining, defining, aligning, and enlightening. The voice of God will always agree with Scripture. It will always bring conviction. It will call you to put your trust in God. It will fully align with the character of God. It will bring honor to God. The voice of God will always lead you to become more like Jesus.

We began with the stark contrast of the voice of the serpent in Genesis, chapter three. Eve and Adam were drawn into the vortex of deception. The words of the enemy of God will always draw you away from Him. When we give heed to such, we silence the voice we need most to hear and obey.

We witnessed the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts, chapter two. The preaching and teaching on that day proved to the early Believers that God was speaking through a rough, ragged fisherman named Peter. He was empowered to present the Gospel in such a clear way that thousands were drawn to Jesus. The listeners were “pierced in conscience” and realized their need for Christ.

In the Book of Hebrews chapter 11, we were reminded of the ones listed in the “Hall of Faithers” who trusted the voice of God in their generation. From Abel on, those who “faithed” God pleased God. Their willingness to step out and follow His calling left a faith legacy for us.

From the Book of Exodus chapter 34, we came to understand that our sin never takes away from the character of God. He is Who He is and He is never hindered in accomplishing what He plans. His voice and His characteristics are mirror images. We can trust that the voice we hear will be consistent with His character.

As we watched Jesus and the Eleven depart from the Upper Room, we read the words of His High Priestly Prayer as recorded in the Book of John chapter 17. Jesus communicated with His Heavenly Father as He prayed for his disciples then and for those of us who would believe because of their faithfulness to His Word and His voice and His life example.

Jesus honored the Father with His life. We should bring glory to the Father as well.

In the Book of Colossians chapter three, the Apostle Paul made plain the message that the voice of God will always direct us to be formed into the likeness of Jesus. Colossians 3:1 reminds us that since we have indeed been raised up from death to life WITH Christ, we are to keep on keeping on seeking things which are above.

We are to SET our mindful understanding on what would please Christ. In the Book of Philippians 3:14, Paul would designate such thinking as, “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Those who seek Jesus have died to themselves. There is a line of spiritual demarcation visible in their speech as well as in their life actions.  Those who have responded to the call of the voice of God will be alive to Him and dead to their old way of life.

Immorality and impurity are idolatry. These are evident in the lives of the sons of disobedience.

God calls us away from anger, slander, malice, abusive speech. Our old self is replaced with our new self. We are being renewed, day by day.

Our speech as well as our actions will be molded into the likeness of Jesus. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, love, and forgiveness will become hallmarks of our daily interactions.

If we want to know what God “looks like,” we simply need to observe the life of Jesus. God calls us to be conformed to the image of His Son. In that context, we read about His life in the Gospels. We see that He was born to die for those who would believe.

Certainly we will never be perfect and sinless as was Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, however, we can look above and look away from those things that pull us away from God.

Those who hear the voice of God have a choice to make. We must respond. We must not reject. We must rest in what He calls us to do.  First, He calls us to Himself. Then He calls us to follow. His voice will never lead us astray. The key to hearing His voice is getting quiet enough to listen.  

Brown is minister of missions at First Church, Richland.