True listening is obedient listening. To listen to God is to obey Him. Wisdom from above is received by those who are prepared to obey it. To listen in prayer for the voice of the Lord is to find the mind of Christ; it is to gain transcendent wisdom: a wisdom that includes understanding, guidance, knowledge, exhortation, and consolation.
To be born from above is to be drawn up into this Union of the Holy Trinity - this listening obedience. This love calls forth the real "I" in each one of us. And from this real "I" or true self, praise is called forth. Love then flows down from the Uncreated into the created, and then into all other created beings.
( John 17:23 ) "I in them and you in me" - This is the ultimate point of everything for which Christ came to earth to accomplish. The incarnation and the cross was for this. All He suffered on our behalf was to bring us back present to the Father.
When Christ says to the Father that He has given us the glory that was given to Him, He speaks of the Father's presence. The glory of God is the presence of God. Listening to God is an important part of the presence of God we are to practice, that is, acknowledge always. Just as we learn to practice His presence within, without, and all around, so we must learn to open the eyes and ears of our hearts and recognize His voice.
( 1 Thess. 5:17 ; Luke 2:52 ; 2 Cor. 4:18 ) Practicing the presence of God is a way of praying continually as the Scriptures exhort us to do. The practice of the presence, then is simply the discipline of calling to mind the truth that God is with us. In this listening we come out of our spiritual adolescence - our immaturity - and begin to mature in Christ. To listen to God is to receive wisdom from above. Like Jesus, we grow as we continue to receive it.
To fail to listen to God is to be listening to other voices that are not of God. It is to miss the vital walk in the Spirit and our immensely creative collaboration with Him. This collaboration requires the new self - one in union with Christ - that is always maturing in Him.
The Secret of Guidance
Promises for guidance are unmistakable:
( Ps. 32:8 ) "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shall go."
( Prov. 3:6 ) "In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct (or make plain) thy paths."
( Isa. 58:11 ) "The Lord shall guide thee continually."
( John 8:12 ) "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
1. Our motives must be pure:
( Luke 11:34 ) "When thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light." So long as there is some thought of personal advantage, some idea of acquiring the praise of men, some aim at self-advancement, it will be impossible to find out God's purpose concerning us. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the single eye, that glorifies the Lord, not self.
2. Our wills must be surrendered:
( John 5:30 ) "My judgment is just because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." We are not to extinguish our will but surrender it to the Lord so that the Lord can take , and break and make us. If and when you are not willing, confess that you are willing to be made willing. Hand yourself over to Him to work in you to will and to do of His good pleasure.
3. We must seek information for our mind:
God uses our mind to communicate His purposes and thoughts. No need to run to others for their opinions or ideas as to what we should do. But there is no harm in taking pains to gather all reliable information on which the flame of holy thought and consecrated purpose may feed and grow strong, acting on the materials we have collected. God may act miraculously to guide us, and other times allow ordinary light of reason to be adequate for the task. He will leave us to act as occasion may serve.
4. We must be much in prayer for guidance:
The Psalms are full of earnest pleadings for clear direction: "Show me thy way, O Lord, lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies." It is the law of God's house that His children should ask for what they want. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not."
5. We must wait the gradual unfolding of God's plan in providence:
God's impressions within and His word without are always corroborated by His Providence around, and we should quietly wait until these three focus into one point. Thus, meditation, prayer, and acting upon and applying faith precedes God's power and provision.
Note: Review Section 11.8, “Inordinate Desires” . It is the corruption and pollution of the world's many voices (TV, movies, magazines, etc.) which crowds out and dampens the 'fire' of God's voice and His presence in our souls.