1 Samuel 3:6-11 NKJV
“Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.”
INSIGHT
-Listening and hearing can be mutually exclusive but not in all cases. Sometimes one can listen and hear at the same time. Other times one can either listen and not hear, or hear but not listen which results in a lot of misperceptions, misinformation and misunderstandings. When Eli grew old and could no longer see nor hear from the Lord, the Lord chose Samuel His servant to replace him as priest. Since Samuel was young and had not heard the Lord’s voice nor His word, he was not discerning when he was called. He listened but did not hear correctly, until Eli directed him to the Lord. Sometimes we listen but do not hear correctly though dreams, visions, prophecies, scriptures etc. Other times we need more experience and anointed men and women like Eli to guide us so that we may hear God’s voice more clearly and understand His will.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, we honor You and bless Your holy name. Only You are our God, we have no other. We surrender our hearts to You, that You may use us to influence Your kingdom in the way that You have called us by Your power Holy Spirit. May You sharpen our hearing that we may listen, hear Your voice and follow You. May You grant us the wisdom to hear from You do as per Your instructions. May You direct us in Your ways and purpose throughout this week and grant us Your favor and grace in all things. May Your name be praised and exulted in all the heavens and the earth. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We praise You and exult Your name, and it is in Jesus mighty name we pray believing and trusting. Amen
Further reading: Revelation 3:20
Jeremiah 44:5 NKJV
“But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods.”
INSIGHT
-The Israelites listened but hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, they continued to burn incense to other gods. They continued performing the wickedness committed by their ancestors and by the kings and queens of Judah, and the Lord’s anger burnt out against them. In the same way Numbers 32:13 reports that the Israelites sinned and the Lord’s anger burnt against them, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in His sight was gone. The Lord sort for their repentant hearts that they may return to Him. Some among us have embraced the traditional practices of their fathers and forefathers which is a form of idolatry. In areas of our weaknesses God requires us to surrender to Him. God is calling us to seek Him and we will find Him, if we seek Him with all our hearts.
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus we come to Your feet with humility in our hearts that we may find mercy to deliver us from every sin and iniquity, performed by ourselves or our forefathers. We come to Your throne of grace with confidence that we may find mercy and grace to help us during our time of need. We have sinned and fallen short of Your glory Lord may You forgive us, forgive our families, our churches, our nation and all the nations of the world. May You remove any accusation against us, our fathers, forefathers, families, and nation in the courts of heaven our Righteous Judge. We speak against the spirit of idolatry, adultery, lust, pride and any other thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God, and declare that it is defeated by the blood of Lamb. We shall overcome by the word of our testimonies and by the blood of Jesus now and forevermore. We are more than conquerors in You Christ Jesus. We honor You Lord and exult Your holy name now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Romans 2:5
Romans 10:17 NKJV
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
INSIGHT
-Listening to the word of God can be exercised and heard through the ears of the heart. These are the ears that hear and believe even that which is yet to be seen. The ears of hope activate the thoughts of faith which experience the power of God in the spirit and the manifestation is made alive, for the word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). We are designed to listen from both ears our physical ears and the ears of the heart which listen to the word of God and believe in it. This is the ultimate source of hope for man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).
PRAYER
Abba Father our God we worship You. We will praise You all our lives. We will sing praise to You our God as long as we live. The whole earth is filled with awe at Your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy. How majestic is Your name Lord in all the earth. May You open the ears of our understanding that we may listen to Your voice and hear word through our faith. May You establish us in Your word that we may believe Your word and see its manifestation. May You increase our faith in You Jesus Christ and account it to righteousness. You have given us power to trample over snakes and scorpions, and to overcome all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall indeed harm us, we believe. You have raised us up and we are seated with You in heavenly places as co-heirs with You loving Lord Jesus, we believe in You. You are the same yesterday, today and forever Lord, and all our hope and trust is in You. Amen
Further reading: Galatians 3:5-6
James 1:22-25 NKJV
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
INSIGHT
-Listening and hearing is a practice that is inherent in the hearts of people and an act of the will. Hearing should be accompanied by acting upon the word of God and a blessing is released. The one who fails to do the will of God after hearing forgets that he/she is created in the image and likeness of God. We are called to pursue the perfect law of God which sets us free, that is the law of love. Love for God and for one another. He who hears God’s word and does it is a wise man who builds his house on the rock, and when rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27).
PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus only You are Holy and Your holiness will never cease. Only You are Righteous, may Your righteous be found in us by Your grace and mercy. You have called us not to be hearers only but doers of Your will. May You help to obey Your divine will loving Savior. May You teach us to do Your will. May You increase in us love for You Lord and our neighbors as ourselves. May You teach us hear Your voice and act accordingly. May You deliver all those who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, pornography and masturbation, betting and gambling, and other evil vices. May You deliver all those who are sick and suffering dear Savior. May You look to us with mercy and answer our prayers and hearts desires. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: James 1:22
Daniel 9:19 NKJV
“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
INSIGHT
-Daniel pleaded with the Lord to listen and hear their supplications and confession. Daniel asked for God’s mercy which is great, on behalf of the Israelites who went against God’s will. God listens and hears to our prayers because of His mercy and grace and not because of our works.
SUMMARY
Listening and hearing have a positive correlation but not in all instances. One can listen and hear at the same time. Another can either listen and not hear, or hear but not listen which results in a lot of misperceptions, misinformation and misunderstandings. Samuel listened to God calling his name, but he did not understand nor hear correctly for he had not heard the voice of God and His word. He attended to Eli the priest and at the third calling, he was instructed to say, “speak Lord Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). Jeremiah exhorted the people to listen and incline their ears to turn from their wicked ways, and not to burn no incense to other gods (Jeremiah 44:5). Listening and hearing to God’s word activates our faith in God. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). God calls us to listen and hear His word, and put it into practice (James1:22-25). The one who listens and hears God’s word is likened to a builder on the rock, and his/her house remains standing amidst rains, floods and winds (Matthew 7:24-27), for the Rock is Christ. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 11:15).
PRAYER
Oh Lord Jesus You are Good and Your mercies endures forever. You are Good God may You have mercy on us and grant us rest. Thank You for loving us dear Lord Jesus. May You have mercy on us and forgive us all our trespasses. We have confidence in You dear Jesus that when we ask anything according to Your will, You hear us and You answer us. May You train us to listen to Your voice and to hear Your statutes, and keep them. May You bless us and keep us. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You show Your countenance unto us and give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore. Amen
Further reading: 1 John 5:14–15