FOLLOWING THE TRUE SHEPHERD ( PART 2)

Following the True Shepherd (Part 2)

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

Following the Shepherd’s Voice:

A Spirit-led life isn’t based on pressure or performance — it’s rooted in sensitivity. There are incredible benefits to following the shepherd’s voice.

• Listening to the voice of the Lord offers protection for your life (Exodus 15:26).

• Paul and his companions were stopped by the Holy Spirit from taking certain paths (Acts 16:6-7).

Competing Voices:

Just as sheep run from the voice of strangers, we too should run from unfamiliar voices (John 10:5). We should be cautious of three voices that may compete with the Lord’s voice.

• The Voice of Satan (Gen. 3:1-6).

• Listening to Satan always comes with a price.

• Satan’s goal is to persuade you to abandon God’s plan for your life.

• Jesus also heard Satan speak to him, but He refused to follow his counsel (Matt. 4:1-11) and responded to Satan with Scripture.

• The Voice of Man (Ps. 1:1).

• Listening to ungodly advice can lead to disaster because it contradicts God’s Word and His plan for your life.

• Rather than obeying God, Adam heeded Eve’s advice (Gen. 3:17). Abram grew impatient with God and heeded Sarai’s advice (Gen. 16:2).

• Be very cautious about who you allow to speak into your life. Stop listening to those who teach against God’s will for your life.

• The people you allow to speak into your life will determine your future if you follow their advice (Prov. 12:26).

• Hearing incorrectly leads to doing wrong, and doing wrong impacts the outcome of your life (2 Chronicles 10:3-15).

• Job did not listen to his wife’s voice because her advice would have ruined his life (Job 2:9-10).

• All advice we receive should be brought to God to verify that it aligns with His Word.

• The Voice of Your Own Head (Prov. 14:12).

• Following your personal advice instead of God’s guidance leads to trouble (Josh. 9:14; Prov. 3:5-7).

• We need to set aside our own will, seek God’s will, and accept His plan for our lives.

Call to Action:

Pay attention to the Holy Spirit’s nudges through prayer, look for guidance in Scripture, and seek advice from wise counselors (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 30:21).