SCRIPTURE:
“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:1-10
OBSERVATION:
In the book of John, Jesus makes seven “I am” statements, revealing His relationships to us. In this Scripture, Jesus makes the third of these statements saying “I am the gate for the sheep.” Just as a gate separates and protects a flock of sheep, Jesus protects His followers, providing safety, security, and defense from outside forces.
While Jesus protects His followers, He also shares with us one important thing we can do to protect ourselves: knowing His voice. In verses four and five, Jesus states that sheep know their shepherd’s voice so well that they only follow His voice. And not only do they follow their shepherd’s voice; they also flee from all other voices.
Just as sheep are able to discern their shepherd’s voice, we must be able to discern the voice of our Father. Amidst the noise, distractions, and temptations of this world, we must be able to pick out and focus on the Father’s voice so we can follow His direction and be in the safety of His shepherding. God is our Protector, our Father, and our Shepherd.
APPLICATION:
In this world, so many voices are vying for your attention. Yet, we must listen to only one of them: the voice of the Father. Do you know His voice? Can you tell it apart from that of others? Do you know it apart from your own? And most importantly, can you discern His voice from that of the enemy?
For the devil comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. He will try to tempt you, discourage you, and get you down. Following his voice leads to death and destruction, but following God’s voice leads to life to the full. Don’t be distracted or misguided by the voice of the enemy. Latch onto the voice of God and tune out all other voices so you can clearly hear and follow your Father’s voice.
And how do you come to know the Father’s voice? By spending time with Him. Know His voice by sitting with Him daily. Immerse yourself in His word. Journal and reflect on the Scriptures. Worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Pray continually. Come to know the Father’s voice by listening to Him and letting His voice become the soundtrack of your life.
Discern the voice of God from all the noise, and spend time with Him to hear Him even more clearly.
PRAYER:
God,
Thank You that You are my Gate, my Protector, and my Father. Thank You that You love me and for speaking to me. Continue to speak to me and help me to know your voice even more clearly. Protect me from the enemy and help me to discern Your voice from the noise of this world. My desire is to hear You clearly, to know You deeply, and to dwell with You forever. I am your sheep, and You are my Shepherd.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
