“He who is of God hears the words of God.”
— John 8:47

You may remember that in John 10:27 Yeshua said, “My sheep hear My voice.” But the truth is often- times thoughts come into our mind, and we’re not sure if they are from God. That does not mean this scripture is not true. I have found that as we grow in experience with God, we are better and better able to discern what is His voice and what is not. We grow through experience, and Scripture says that through maturity, we gain the ability to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:14).

But in John 8:47, when Jesus said, “He who is of God hears the words of God,” He wasn’t just pointing to a person who hears the Word; He was describing an individual who is willing to receive and act on God’s Word. Many times people read the Scriptures, but they are not willing to receive what the Bible says. For instance, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). He who is of God will not only hear that but also receive it. That person will come to Christ and say, “Yes, Jesus, I want to know and love You.” But he who is not of God and does not want to come into agreement with the authority of God will not receive that Word. Instead, that person will agree with some man-made, politically correct, false form of spirituality that basically says, “All paths lead to the same place. Who are Christians to say that their God is the only way to heaven?”

“He who is of God,” Jesus said, “hears the words of God.” But to be able to hear God’s words, we need to want to receive His Word, and this is a gift from God. The Bible says, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NKJV). So if you are one who loves and receives God’s words, it is because God put a supernatural love for Him in your heart. The hungrier you are to receive His Word, the better you will hear Him, and the better you hear Him, the more you will experience Him. And as you draw closer to God, you will become better able to discern His voice.

Father God, give me a supernatural love for Your Word. Like David did, let me long to hear Your voice speaking into my life. Move in my heart so that I will receive Your truth and hear Your voice more clearly.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Revelation (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2020), Used by permission.