Bible Study - HEARING GOD - Voice Lessons
Sermon-Based Bible Study – October 2, 2022
- What is something God has done for you that you are thankful for? What is something you are celebrating? How have you experienced God’s love and faithfulness this week?
- Where are you experiencing stress, anxiety or discouragement? How would you like to see God move in your life or in the life of someone close to you?
- What did you hear in this week’s sermon that was new or particularly interesting? Did anything stand out to you as puzzling or troubling?
- Chris talked about learning to distinguish between three voices that routinely seek to influence how we think, speak and behave, namely: Satan’s voice, the Savior’s voice and our own voice. Is the idea of normal people hearing Satan either audibly, or through a thought or impression, something new to you? Have you ever considered that you are “hearing” from Satan when you are being tempted? What percentage of your thoughts or impressions would you attribute to each of the three voices?
- Matthew 4:1-10. When you read this episode in Jesus’s life do you think of the Devil as being physically present to Jesus and speaking to Jesus audibly? Do you imagine that the Devil is somehow communicating with Jesus through thoughts or impressions? Which way seems to be more tempting? Why?
- Read Matthew 16:21-23. Is the idea of Satan speaking to you through other people new to you? Do you think the Savior speaks to you through others? When someone suggests something to you that you believe is evil or ill-advised do you think they are being influenced by Satan to say that to you? Why do you think Jesus was so quick to attribute Peter’s words to Satan?
- Read 2 Corinthians 11:14 and John 10:27. Do you ever find it difficult to discern whether what you are “hearing” is coming from Jesus, Satan or yourself? Chris suggested that we can distinguish the three voices by their quality, spirit and content. Which voice (Satan’s, the Savior’s, or your own) is the easiest for you to recognize? Why?
- When it comes to the quality of the Savior’s voice, Dallas Willard described it as authoritative. E. Stanley Jones said it doesn’t argue or try to convince, it just speaks and is self-authenticating. How are those qualities different than the quality of Satan’s voice? How are tose qualities different than your own voice?
- Read James 3:17-18. Do you think this is a good way of describing the “spirit” of the Savior’s voice? Why? How would you describe the spirit of Satan’s voice? Your own voice?
- How does the content of what you are hearing help you to discern whether the voice you are hearing is the Savior’s voice or Satan’s voice or your own voice?
- What is a simple, next step you could take in obedience to what the Spirit is saying to you through this time in the Word? Who would benefit, or be interested in hearing about what you’ve learned in this study?