The sheep follow Him because they know His voice.

John 10:4-5 (AMP) When he has brought his own sheep outside, he walks on before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.5They will never [on any account] follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not know the voice of strangers or recognize their call.


If we ask every Christian who claims to be reborn or saved if they know the voice of their Shepherd, they would all probably and most likely say, "yes." But what does it mean to know and recognize His Voice? I think many Christians would just answer "yes" for the sake of answering "yes," not wanting to look lost or ignorant. The question still remains, how would anyone know or recognize His Voice in terms of what He is defining.

When we look at the animal kingdom and if one has ever watched how penguins, birds, or seals rear their offspring, they must know and recognize each voice from hundreds or thousands of other parents or offspring. They have to literally know the voice or tone of each other.

Humans can distinguish each other's voices as well. A toddler and parent learn to recognize each other's voices from the beginning. Babies may have learned the voice of the mother in the womb even before birth.

In the animal kingdom or even with humans, it is a very rare technique if an animal attempts to counterfeit the voice of other animals to prey on their offspring or the parents. With humans, yes, it can happen where a person can try to counterfeit the voice of the parent's child.

Doing a little research, I have found one animal to counterfeit the sounds of other animals. "It was recently discovered that the Margay, a small arboreal feline from Mexico, Central and South America, has the ability to mimic the calls of baby monkeys in distress. This, of course, attracts worried adult monkeys which can then be attacked and devoured by the Margay." Even in the animal kingdom, although it does sound impossible is possible.

I know the voice of my mother. I know the voice of my wife and children. When I speak with any of them on the phone, I can instantly recognize their voice. But is it more than just knowing the frequency of their voices? If someone or something attempted to counterfeit the voice of my wife or children, how else will I know or recognize whether it is them or not? The frequency of their tone is just one method we analyse to distinguish who they are. Hypothetically, if we thought something was suspicious or not right, we can further analyse the voice of the other person based on how they spoke, the words they used, the emotions behind the words, their vocabulary, how they spoke to us, and etc. If we were to investigate or analyse the voice, we would reminisce their history on how they spoke.

If we have never really heard the Voice of God before, how are we to determine if we are hearing God's voice and not the enemy or our flesh? What do we compare it too? Some say they can hear God in an audible way. Some say they hear God in their spirit. Some say they hear God in their prayers. Some say they hear God through prophecy or other's prophesying. Some say they hear God through the Word. Some say many things. So the question remains, when a person begins to hear something, how do they know it is God?

When scripture says we will know His Voice, does it mean we know the tone or frequency of an audible sound wave? Many Christians should tremble when reading John chapter 10. But let us look at verses 25 to 27.

John 10:25-27 (AMP) Jesus answered them, I have told you so, yet you do not believe Me [you do not trust Me and rely on Me]. The very works that I do by the power of My Father and in My Father's name bear witness concerning Me [they are My credentials and evidence in support of Me].26But you do not believe and trust and rely on Me because you do not belong to My fold [you are no sheep of Mine].27The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

Why do I say Christians should tremble reading these verses? Who is Jesus speaking too? Is He speaking to heathens or unbelievers? No, He is speaking to some of His own people the Jews and He is telling them, "you do not belong to My fold, you are no sheep of Mine." Let us go back to verses 19 to 21.

John 10:19-21(AMP) Then a fresh division of opinion arose among the Jews because of His saying these things.20And many of them said, He has a demon and He is mad (insane--He raves, He rambles). Why do you listen to Him?21Others argued, These are not the thoughts and the language of one possessed. Can a demon-possessed person open blind eyes?

When Truth is spoken, when uncompromised Truth is spoken or is present, there will always be a division between true sheep and false sheep. Many today want to unite for the sake of unity or sake of love. But even in Jesus' time He brought much division just by speaking His Truth. Those that Jesus said were not His were from His people the Jews. We should tremble at the history of how the flesh and man can be deceived. We can think we are in the Truth but when Truth appears or is spoken, we may end up speaking or coming against Truth. Therefore, we must know definitely with certainty His VOICE.

Jesus, the Son of God, came in the flesh and was present and many including the Pharisees and/or priests did not recognize Him or His Voice. If that was to happen today, how many of us would truly recognize Jesus? We cannot be so ignorant or arrogant to think we would know when so many in history had failed. A Pharisee from the age of 12 or13 years old had Genesis to Deuteronomy memorized and many of them did not recognize the Lord when He came. How many Christians have even one book of the bible memorized?

Many today become arrogant when they first begin to hear God or have an experience with Him. We have heard much of people telling others not to follow man but only God. This is true but they have taken that term out of context. God will speak to you in many different ways and one main way is through another person! God does much of His work through men. God will speak to you through His other servants, other believers, even unbelievers, your circumstances and if you do not listen expecting a direct answer, perhaps, He will speak to you through a donkey! After all, if one does not recognize God's voice from one of His servants, perhaps, God will speak through a donkey just to make you fall off your chair. Will you listen then or still doubt?

But the main question remains, how do we recognize the Voice of God when He speaks to us either directly, through other people, or even a donkey? How do we know it is from the Lord and not the enemy or the flesh?

How am I able to discern whether a voice is from God or not? I know because I am learning to know His ways. I know because I am learning to know the Full Counsel of God. Have I learned all of the bible or His ways? No, I am still learning but I am learning who HE is as the Old Testament God and the New Testament God. He does not change! I am learning what He is capable of allowing when HE judges His people. I am learning not only His Love but His Righteousness, His Wrath, His judgments and etc. I have learned God telling Moses to hang some leaders for leading His people astray. I have learned the methods God employ when He judges or disciplines His people. Do you know what they are? I have learned it is HE who withholds the rain! I have learned how God will allow His own disobedient people to go down Sheol alive during Korah's rebellion. I have learned how God can still be graceful allowing king Saul to keep his power of reign for 17 years even after disobedience. I have learned even as His creation spat on Him, kicked Him, mocked Him, and crucified Him, He still voluntarily went to die for us! I have learned and I am still learning He is God! I am learning HE is not only coming for His Bride but HE is coming back with a Rod!

I am learning and drawing closer to Him as HE grants me spiritual gifts. I am learning He is the small voice. I am learning HE comes in a direction in which most are not looking and HE does things in which most are not expecting. I am learning His ways are Higher and what that really means. It means when HE came to be born, HE was born humbled in a barn full of smelly farm animals and not in a castle. I am learning He is a God who requires His people to follow His commandments. I am learning to know His Voice as I dig deep below the surface of scripture both Old and New Testament. I am learning to know His Voice as I spend daily time in prayer and worship. I know and recognize His Voice because I am learning His patterns, His ways, His dealing with men and His people, and etc just as a child may know the ways of a parent in their conduct, emotions, their type of words they use, their love, their method of discipline/chastisement, and etc.

Do you know the Person and does He know you or do you only know the message? Know His ways so you may know His Voice!

God bless
Fire of God!
Steve Yong Kim