FOLLOWING THE TRUE SHEPHERD

Following the True Shepherd

Text: Romans 8:14; John 10:1-6

Hearing the True Shepherd:

A Spirit-led life isn’t about trying harder; it’s about tuning in better.

• If God spoke to you this morning, would you recognize His voice? Because the difference between wandering and walking with purpose isn’t activity—it’s awareness. A Spirit-led life starts with a tuned-in ear.

When Jesus called Himself the Shepherd, He wasn’t speaking in poetry — He was addressing a culture that experienced this reality daily. Jesus is illustrating a point – True disciples don’t follow Jesus out of coercion or obligation; they follow because they recognize Him (John 10:27).

How God Speaks Today:

God continues to speak today, not always dramatically, but consistently and personally. Here are some ways He communicates with us.

• God speaks by His Spirit.

• Since the beginning of time, God has continually spoken to people, as evidenced by numerous examples throughout the scriptures.

• God told Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:15-17).

• God spoke to Moses about leading the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3).

• God instructed Noah to build the Ark (Gen. 6:13-22).

• God spoke to Abram about his future (Gen. 12:1-3).

• God told Isaac not to go down to Egypt (Gen. 26:1-6).

• God spoke to Joshua about leading the children of Israel into Canaan (Josh. 1:1-9).

• Jesus appeared to Saul on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9).

• Most often, the Lord guides us with a gentle inner voice – a nudge, a whisper, a knowing (John 14:26, 16:13; Prov. 20:27; Isaiah 30:21).

• God speaks through His Word.

• The Bible is more than simply information; it is God’s Revelation to us.

• God instructs us through the written word (Ps. 119:105; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

• Listening to the voice of the Lord is crucial for gaining more insight and revelation from Him (Mark 4:23-25 NLT).

• God speaks through Dreams and Visions.

• The Lord spoke to Ananias and Saul of Tarsus in a vision (Acts 9:10-19).

• I highly recommend that you read Rick Renner’s book on “Testing the Supernatural.”

In this book, he discusses how to biblically test dreams, visions, revelations, and spiritual manifestations.

• God speaks through people.

• Often, God confirms what He has been speaking to us through others, such as prophets, pastors, teachers, and other ministry gifts (2 Sam. 12:1-15; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Eph.

4:11-12).

Call to Action:

Set aside one quiet, distraction-free hour with God this week to simply listen — not ask, not plan, just listen and respond.

This week, I want you to give God one hour — one free of distractions — not to talk, but to listen. No phone, no music, no agenda. Get quiet, open your Bible, invite the Holy Spirit, and say, “Speak, Lord — your servant is listening.” Then write down whatever He whispers to your heart and obey it.