SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1413

“Hear, Heed, and Obey”

He who has ears to hear, let him hear. – Matthew 11:15

And he said to them, Pay attention to what you hear… – Mark 4:24;

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. – James 1:22

Picture yourself in a large public gathering where there is a cacophony of voices and noises all competing for your attention.

Perhaps there is one person speaking that you truly want to pay attention to, so you lean in as close as you can, turning your head so your better ear is positioned to ‘tune in’ to what this person is saying. The act of hearing and heeding the words of this person is when you purposely seek to pay attention to what they are saying. Having heard, will you now obey their command or exhortation?

Hear, Heed, and Obey the Word of God – These are choices we all make. Believers and unbelievers alike make a choice to hear or tune out and dismiss the Truth of the Word of God in whole or in part.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. – Revelation 3:20

Hearing is connected to Obedience through Heeding. – We hear the Word of God either by it being read or spoken to us or by reading it for ourselves. Oftentimes, we cannot help but hear it as it is part of the everyday sounds we encounter in the world media and environment. What we hear are the seeds of faith. Will they take root in good soil?

So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – Romans 10:14-17

But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty-fold and sixty-fold and a hundredfold. – Mark 4:20

We heed the Word when we are intently focused on it. Taking heed requires a concerted effort and desire on our part to not only hear but to also understand how to apply one’s life to biblical principles and truths. How hungry are we for His Words of Life?

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. – Psalm 25:5

But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. – Jeremiah 44:5

We obey the Word when we then choose to act in obedience to the Word spoken to us. Having understood what is required of us by the Word of God, our choice is now to obey the Word, follow Jesus, or dismiss it and go our own way.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. – John 10:27

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. – John 14:15

Hearing without heeding is not having ‘ears to hear’. It relegates the Word of God to nothing more than background noise to be ‘tuned out’ in favor of what we would rather focus our attention to.

You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets – Jeremiah 25:4

Incline your ear and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. – Isaiah 55:3

Hearing and heeding do not guarantee obedience. The rich young man sought answers from Jesus. He heard and intently listened (heed) but went away sad because he chose to not obey Jesus’ instruction.

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. – Matthew 19:21-22

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? – Luke 6:46

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. – Isaiah 30:21

The Power of Hearing, Heeding, and Obeying the Word of God – When we have ‘ears to hear’, we choose and have an intense desire to love and know Jesus and to have a personal relationship with Him. We choose to faithfully follow Him and to walk His narrow path of obedience to His Word.

There is power, protection and peace in hearing, heeding and obeying the Word of God.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. – Matthew 7:24

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”- Luke 11:28