HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD

I Samuel 3:1-11By Eric Frazier, Sr. Minister

Text: I Samuel 3:1-11 1The boy Samuel was serving GOD under Eli’s

direction. This was at a time when the revelation of GOD was rarely heard or seen. 2One night Eli was sound asleep (his eyesight was very bad—he could hardly see). 3It was well before dawn; the sanctuary lamp was still burning. Samuel was still in bed in the Temple of GOD, where the Chest of God rested. 4Then GOD called out, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Yes? I’m here.” 5Then he ran to Eli saying, “I heard you call. Here I am.” Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” And so he did.

Text: I Samuel 3:1-11 6GOD called again, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel got

up and went to Eli, “I heard you call. Here I am.” Again Eli said, “Son, I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” 7(This all happened before Samuel knew GOD for himself. It was before the revelation of GOD had been given to him personally.)

8GOD called again, “Samuel!”—the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, “Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am.” That’s when it dawned on Eli that GOD was calling the boy. 9So Eli directed Samuel, “Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, ‘Speak, GOD. I’m your servant, ready to listen.’” Samuel returned to his bed.

Text: I Samuel 3:1-11 10Then GOD came and stood before

him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 11GOD said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I’m getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. 

Hearing the Voice of God Purpose: To examine how to

recognize the voice of God as He calls you to follow Him.

Objective: To understand that God’s has called us all to a life of service and ministry. Do you hear the call?

Key Verse: I Samuel 3:10 10Then GOD came and stood before

him exactly as before, calling out, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” 11GOD said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I’m getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. 

Hearing the Voice of God

In the text we see an illustration of God calling his children into service. Much like Samuel, many of God’s children do not recognize God’s voice at first.

God has always spoken to Man through the Ages.

Hearing the Voice of God A. In the beginning - Face To Face

Gen. 1-3 B. After the Fall - Audible Voice With His Glory Veiled. Ex. 33:18-23 C. During the Age of The Law - Through His Prophets and Priests. II Kings 17:13

Hearing the Voice of God D. During the Incarnation - He

became flesh & dwelt among us. Jn. 1:14 E. In the Early Church - Through outward manifestations of His Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 & 10:44 F. In the Church Age - Through His completed Revelation, the written Word of God. II Tim. 3:15-17

II. WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO HIS PEOPLE

TODAY?

Hearing the Voice of God A. The Call to Salvation

1. Matt 28:18 - Matt 28:20(TMNT) 18Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you:  19Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  20Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Hearing the Voice of God A. The Call to Salvation

1. Mark 16:15 - Mark 16:16(TMNT) 15Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all.  16Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.

Hearing the Voice of God B. The Call To Sanctification 1. His ultimate will is that we be conformed

to the image of Christ. Rom 8:29 - Rom 8:30(TMNT) 29God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. 

Hearing the Voice of God B. The Call To Sanctification Rom 8:29 - Rom 8:30(TMNT) 30After

God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. accomplished in our lives.

Hearing the Voice of God B. The Call To Sanctification 1 Pet 3:1 - 1 Pet 3:7(TMNT) 1The same goes for

you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated  2by your life of holy beauty.  3What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—  4but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.  5The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. 

Hearing the Voice of God B. The Call To Sanctification 1 Pet 3:1 - 1 Pet 3:7(TMNT) 6Sarah, for

instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as “my dear husband.” You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, un-anxious and un-intimidated. 7The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground.

Hearing the Voice of God C. The Call To Service 1 Cor 12:27 - 1 Cor 12:31(TMNT) 27You

are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything.  28You’re familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his “body”: apostles prophets teachers miracle workers healers helpers organizers those who pray in tongues.

Hearing the Voice of God C. The Call To Service 1 Cor 12:27 - 1 Cor 12:31(TMNT) 27You

are Christ’s 29But it’s obvious by now, isn’t it, that Christ’s church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, one-dimensional Part? It’s not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker,  30not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues.  31And yet some of you keep competing for so-called “important” parts. But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.

Hearing the Voice of God C. The Call To Service 1. God has equipped us and called us to

serve others in His name. 2. There is no Christian that God has not called to serve. 3. There is no Christian to whom God has not given the spiritual gifts and abilities needed to accomplish God’s will for their lives. 5. The key is surrender of our will to His will. 6. The question is, Who is Lord of our life?

Hearing the Voice of God D. The Call to Sacrifice 1. Rom 12:1 - Rom 12:2(TMNT) 1So here’s

what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.  2Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.

Hearing the Voice of God D. The Call to Sacrifice 1. Rom 12:1 - Rom 12:2(TMNT) 2. You’ll be changed from the inside out.

Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Hearing the Voice of God The Call to be Witness Acts 1:8 - Acts 1:8(TMNT) 8What you’ll

get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

Across the street or around the world, our mission is still the same, to live and spread the truth in Jesus’ name.

Hearing the Voice of God Conclusion: The voice of God is not

silent. He speaks to the heart of His people and calls them to follow in His steps.

We recognize his voice by what we are being asked to do.

Respond to His voice with, " “Speak Lord. I’m your servant, ready to listen.”

Hearing the Voice of God Purpose: To examine how to

recognize the voice of God as He calls you to follow Him.

Objective: To understand that God’s has called us all to a life of service and ministry. Do you hear the call?