If you ever pass by a coffee shop, you might hear an all too common complaint, “He doesn’t even listen to me!” or “She doesn’t even hear me!”. Sadly, our hearing capacity is often formed by our attitude. In Jesus’ day, life was no different.
Mark 4: 33-34 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
When Jesus taught, He impacted His hearers in many dimensions. With every parable, Jesus preached to the inner man, the outer man, our circumstance and our future.
Yet not everybody understands.
Mat 13: 10-13 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand”.
In our faith journey, we understand in varying levels. When the crowds pressed in, some heard a pleasant story. Some missed it because they were so distracted, they could not even hearing what God was saying. Some left, not interested in the message they barely heard.
Yet Jesus wasn’t just telling His people a simple story; He was declaring a prophetic word.
Beloved, how much you understand and digest depends directly on your hearing capacity.
When Jesus spoke, He spoke in parables to the crowd. To His friends, He spoke plainly. To His closest, He revealed the secrets of the Kingdom.
According to the measure that you listen, more will be given to you.
For a believer, with every story, every incident, every sermon, there are dimensions, including:
1. Instruction
Every message contains an instruction from the Holy Spirit. When the intentional Christian pays attention to the intentional Holy Spirit, our capacity to pay attention will decide our future, our trajectory of life, how much suffering we bring on ourselves or how powerful we will live our life, and how successful we may become.
Pay attention to the instructions in every story the Lord teaches. Each instruction which you meditate upon turns into a revelation.
God gave certain instructions to Moses, including the law and the revelation of Levitical protocol.
Joshua was told by God to meditate on the Word day and night as his instruction:
Jos 1: 7-9 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
If we meditate upon the Bible, we will have success.
2. Revelation
What a man thinks, so he is. In our inner prayer chamber, instruction turn into revelation.
Many people have instruction in the Church today, yet they don’t mediate on it. The letter kills but the Spirit gives life. To access that life, we must seek the Lord in prayer.
Meditation activates the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will come upon the instruction and the Word will become alive. Digest the Word, that the principles of heaven will become your revelation!
3. Protection
Revelation you receive from instructions you have meditated upon become your protection. The Word with its revelation will protect your house, your health, your finances, and your very life. Guard that revelation!
4. Possession
Protection found in the Word will lead you to possession. God told Joshua, “No man will stand against you for the rest of your life”. Whom are you going to lead into the Promise Land, once you have heard the Word, meditated upon it until the revelation became alive, and are now protected by it? Whom are you designed by heaven to lead, if you hear in this capacity?
Beloved, in this year of EXPANSION, be the Joshua of your family and mediate upon the instructions of the Lord until, by your revelation, you can possess your Promise Land!
Do not let distraction or apathy dull your ears! Pay attention and become the generation of faith the Lord longs for!
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