1 Samuel 3:1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
Eli was the High Priest or the Archbishop of Israel but he overlooked the sins of his sons who were serving as priests in the temple. As Eli diminished the atrocity of their wickedness he stopped hearing and discerning the voice of God. Hence, the word of the Lord was very rare in those days. The Lord however spoke to an innocent child Samuel, who was training in the temple to become a priest. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them (1 Samuel 3:12-13). Eli ignored the Lord’s warning, failed to reprimand his sons and abused his position as the High Priest.
If there are ‘known sins’ in our lives we will not be able to discern the voice of God from the noise of hell. Entertaining, ignoring or minimizing transgression will clog our spiritual ears from discerning the voice of the Lord God. Known repeated disobedience are transgressions and a defiant lifestyle turns into generational curses. Known and repetitive sins deafens our spiritual ears to discern the voice of God.
“The Lord God speaks to us in our heart not in our head. The devil messes with our mind and injects toxic thoughts in our head.”
Being sensitive to the voice of God:
1. Impulsive: Instinctive and impetuous thoughts and decisions are not from the Lord. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD (Psalm 27:14). If we are impulsive we will miss hearing and discerning the voice and direction of the Lord.
2. Intentional: Intentional and premeditated sins are iniquities that will overtime deafen our spiritual ears to the nudges, whispers and the unction of the Holy Spirit. Eli knew about the sins of his sons. The blasphemy, bribery and immorality of the sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, defiled the temple of God. Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12). Eli should have reprimanded them and removed them from service but he ignored their intentional disobedience. Hence Eli neither heard from God nor did he receive any visions.
3. Incline: The Holy Spirit will not shout or scream; He whispers in a still small voice. If we have to hear Him in the hustle and bustle of our chaotic schedule we must take time to incline our ears to listen to Him. When we set time aside to sit and hear Him; He will speak to us through the impressions in our heart.
Don’t rush and push, just hush. Known disobedience silences the voice of God.
Proverbs 1:28-29 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD.
Prayer: Dearest Holy Spirit, please show if there is any known disobedience in me. Clear my clogged ears to hear you clearly. Amen.
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