Why Jesus Said, "You Can't Hear God If You Don't Belong."

"Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (John 8:47 NIV)

When a mother hears her baby cry, in a room full of babies, she knows which one belongs to her. The same is true about children--for the most part. When they hear a parent call them in a crowded situation, they know their parent's voice. Why? The relationship established between child and parent is a strong bond, one that causes people to become "used" to hearing the voice pattern and tones.

When we have a relationship with God, a strong bond established by knowing His Word, we know when He is speaking and when He's not, because we know the intent of His Word as it pertains to our lives.

On the other hand, Satan has specific voice patterns and tones, too. He speaks the opposite of what God says and his purpose and intent for our lives is to kill, steal and destroy. He is a master of deception and the father of liars. How do we know? God says so in His Word and if we know His Word, we know who is speaking to us at all times. Let's listen to the conversation Jesus had with the Jews who disputed the claim of kinship--whose children were whose.

John 8:42-46

v. 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.

v.43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

v.44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

v.45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

v.46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?

If we meditate on what Jesus is saying, and think about all we have heard and from whom, we can determine who everyone's spiritual father is based upon God's Word. If we belong to God, we hear Him and obey because we know it's Him speaking to our hearts. If we encourage living in opposition to God's Word, manipulating God's Truth to entice people to lie, steal, kill or sin by any other means, we are saying Satan is our father. There are no blurred lines about this truth, no middle ground or gray area. Either we belong to God or we belong to Satan and anyone with a discerning ear, can tell who we are by what we say and do.

Remember when Jesus was baptized by John and spent forty days in the desert? Tired and hungry, He would have been vulnerable to Satan's attack had He not been who He was. When Satan manipulated The Word trying to deceive Jesus, Jesus simply spoke the Word, by saying, "It is written..." And when we know we are under attack by Satan, our response should be, "It is written" and say what God has already said. If we don't know what God has said, we cannot say what He says, and the enemy will use our lack of knowledge to manipulate and deceive--just as he is doing right now.

Satan has fooled and deceived many nations to the point where some civilizations no longer exist because people did not hear God, but listened to Satan's lies.

Know God's Word for yourself and when the devil raises his ugly head trying to deceive, speak what God said, but the only way that will happen is when you know God and belong to Him.

My Father is God, my Lord and Savior is Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit resides within me, reminding me daily of God's love and His Word so I won't sin against God or people. That's because I belong to Him and my relationship with Him is cemented by His Word. Since He is not a respecter of persons, and I am not an only child, all who have a relationship with Him will hear Him and obey and ignore Satan's voice of deception because we know-- our Father's voice.

More about what Jesus said and why, next time.