Dear beloved: We are looking at individual portals of entry that the demonic realm exploits to get through our spiritual armor. One of the main arteries of demonic entry is of coarse through the ears; what we listen to and allow into our soul through gossip, slander, entertainment, and faultfinding not only shapes us as individuals, but also allows Satan to establish footholds and eventually strongholds. Proverbs 2:2 says, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding. And again in Proverbs 4:1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding. Even God has ears, as many of the prayers of the saints appeal to God to hear and listen to the prayers as in Psalm 5:1, Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my groaning. v2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for tho Thee I pray. v3 in the morning, O Lord, Thou wilt hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.
Proverbs 20:12 tells us, The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both. If God has given us ears to hear, what do you think He wants us to be listening to? First and foremost, He wants us to listen to His voice. Jesus told the Jews in John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; v28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand". So we need to keep our ears tuned into to what Jesus is saying to us, He speaks to us in the still small voice, and sometimes He shouts to us from the the mountaintops. When Elijah was hiding out in a cave, running from the wicked Queen Jezebel, God spoke to him through the gentle blowing sound of the Holy Spirit. 1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. v13 And it came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said," what are you doing Elijah?" God went on to speak words of encouragement and instruction to Elijah, and he picked up and went from the cave right back into the battle against Jezebel and was victorious over her.
Many years ago after I had begun the natural food store and organic farm that have been the earthly provision for myself and family for about 20 years, I began to think highly of myself and I was quite proud of all my accomplishments. One night in my sleep the Lord spoke right into my ear, as if He had a megaphone and was giving me an announcement. He spoke "Deuteronomy 8" so loud that when I woke up in the morning, I practically ran to my bible to read the chapter. Verse 18 in Deuteronomy 8 just about jumped down my throat, v18 "But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you the power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." Needless to say, that instruction was sealed in my heart and I have given God the glory for the store and the farm as I should have been doing all along.
Proverbs 17:4 tells us, An evildoer listens to wicked lips, a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. Brethren, are you a receptacle for backbiting and gossip, for slander? Or maybe you allow all kinds of music into your soul, music that glorifies violence, or alcohol, or womanizing, as much rock and country music does. That which you allow into your soul is what you become. All those lyrics plant seeds into your mind and heart that eventually fill up your heart, and then the issues of life pour forth from the heart. God has a better plan for you; listen to praise music, music that brings glory to His name and builds you up as well, and restores your soul, and builds your anointing. He also wants us to listen to sound teaching and doctrine that speaks truth into our soul. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:3, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires; v4 and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. So be careful little ears what you hear!
May God bless you this day as you listen to the sounds of His creation, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, the good preaching of His word, the praise music that brings glory to His name! in Christ, Jim
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