Summer 1988
The Importance of Spiritual Hearing
Wade E Taylor

"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" Matt 13:9.

Here, Jesus tells us that there is a hearing that transcends our natural ability to hear. This speaks of an inner spiritual hearing which must be developed within us if we are to discern the voice of the Lord.

The Laodiceans, who represent the church of our day, were told by the Lord that they are preoccupied with things rather than seeking after the Lord Himself. "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing," Rev 3:17a.

As a result of their emphasis on natural things rather than seeking after a spiritual knowledge of the Lord, they have become dull of hearing and have lost their ability to hear His voice and follow His directions. Therefore, Jesus is seen as being outside of this church, knocking upon its door, seeking after anyone who may be able to hear his voice and respond to His desire for fellowship.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" Rev 3:20.

The Lord has turned His attention to seeking out individuals who will be able to hear His gentle knock upon the door of this rich and pre-occupied church. There are within this church those who have become dissatisfied with material things and are sincerely seeking after "something" more. Jesus has personally come to this church to seek these out, "If any man hear my voice."

Within these, the Holy Spirit is carefully perfecting this quality of spiritual hearing that they might be able to hear and respond to this knocking by Jesus and come apart to "sup" with Him.

There is a need today as never before, to cultivate our spiritual hearing that we may be able to respond to the Lord as He continues to knock, seeking for those who desire to personally know and learn of Him. "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

The fundamental importance of our coming to recognize, or hear, the voice of the Lord can be seen in His discourse with His disciples concerning His identity. After two and one-half years of ministry to them, Jesus said to them, "But whom say ye that I am?" Matt 16:15. This was one of the most important questions that He ever asked of them. All of the future hinged upon their answer.

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee ("You have not identified me through any natural ability to hear or see"), but my Father which is in heaven ("You have come to know who I am through revelation, by hearing the voice of my Father"). And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter ("You have become a small stone that is made of the same substance as I. I am the Rock who hears from my Father and then acts upon all that I hear Him speak"), and upon this rock ("Upon this quality of spiritual hearing that you now have") I will build my church ("Not upon natural abilities, but upon spiritual hearing and obedience"); and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" ("They cannot stand against a Word from the Lord") Matt 16:16-18.

It was extremely important that Jesus develop this quality of hearing within His disciples. Only then would they be able to carry on the ministry that He had begun. Again and again, Jesus made the source of His ministry very plain to them. He said, "I can of mine self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just" John 5:30a. Jesus heard from the Father and acted upon that which He heard. He was even careful to let His enemies know the source of His ministry. "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of myself; but as the Father hath taught me, I speak these things" John 8:27.

The source of this "hearing ear" whereby Jesus was able to hear His Father is shown to us, so we also will understand how to develop this ability to hear. "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned" Isaiah 50:4. Thus, there must be within us a spiritual desire that is strong enough to cause us to set apart a daily time (morning by morning) of seeking the Lord Himself in order to cultivate this quality of spiritual hearing.

Peter has come into this same experience that Jesus had, of having a spiritual ear. He has come to the place where he can hear the will of the Father just as Jesus heard, "He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned." Only now can Jesus say, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" John 10:27. Only now can the Church be built upon the right foundation, the ability to hear and do the will of the Father.

Therefore, the ministry of Jesus is finished. "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" Matt 16:21.

The outworking of this quality of spiritual hearing, that Jesus had spent two and one-half years developing within Peter, began its effective ministry on the day of Pentecost when Peter spoke, far beyond any natural ability that he might have had, and three thousand were added to the Church.

All too often in our day, the development of this quality of spiritual hearing has been set aside while natural means and methods have been allowed to take its place. We must return to the supernatural and again seek after learning to know the voice of the Lord.

He is still waiting for us to exhaust our own ways and turn to Him. "Behold I (patiently) stand at the door and (gently) knock, (to see) if any man (will be able to) hear my voice and open the door, (of their inner spiritual being to me), I will come in and sup with them, and they with me."

Only then will we find the personal satisfaction we seek. Only then will we have the results that Peter experienced on the day of Pentecost.