Quickly Responding to God’s Voice

One of my favorite passages of Scriptures is the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25.   I think it's such a perfect picture of how growth in the Kingdom happens. And no matter how many times I meditate on this passage, I always walk away with a deeper understanding of these timeless truths. 

Recently I was back in Matthew 25, enjoying my time with this “old friend” when the Lord highlighted a word for me that really rocked my world. What the Lord showed me in that one simple word was so profound, so simple, and so timely. The word that came alive to me that morning was this, "quickly."    

Think back to the Parable of the Talents, you know, the one where Jesus is the Master of the field, and He gives talents, in this case literally money, to His servants that are there.  To one guy, He gives five talents, to the next one He gives two, and the final servant gets a one talent investment.  You probably know how this story ends for the servants.  The five-talent guy brings back ten talents, the two-talent fellow brings back four, but the one talent servant buries his Master's investment out of fear only to reap the wrath that he was trying to avoid. 

But let's focus on that first servant, the five-talent guy. The Scriptures teach us that upon receiving the investment from his Master, the five-talent fellow left quickly, immediately, or at once, depending upon the translation you are reading.  This talented and trusted servant didn't waste time once he had his Master's marching orders; rather, he went quickly and doubled the investment entrusted to him.

He Directs Our Steps Not Our Standing Still
This fellow's reaction to his Master's voice is an excellent example of how we should react to the Lord's voice in our own lives.  I genuinely believe that when you have an unction from the Lord, a leading rumble inside your spirit, or a desire that is welling up and drawing you into a particular area, the biggest thing, the most essential thing that you can do is to step out quickly.

I really believe that God directs our steps, not our standing still. Yes, I believe that we are to be still and know that He is God, that we are called to lay our desires before Him, and that we are to listen for His voice.  But I also firmly believe that as we cultivate an intimate relationship with the Lord, that He uses our desires, our passions, and our dreams to ignite action in us so that we can respond to the move of the Spirit in the context of our design and step out into things that He has for us.

Don't Overthink It
Now, I can hear you say, "Well, Matt, what if it is not the Lord? What if I'm missing God? What if I am just wrong?" I get it. Nobody wants to run off full steam ahead only to find yourself barreling down the wrong track in life.  But if you think back to that story from Matthew 25, the one-talent guy probably struggled with the same fears and self-doubts. His solution was to stay put, to wait for perfect conditions, and to play it safe. We all know how that worked out for him.

It's way too easy to overanalyze God's nudging in our lives. Fear of messing up, fear of missing God, or fear of it not working out can stop you dead in your tracks if you let it.  But what I've learned over the years is this; if I get an idea, if I get a desire, if I get a passion from the Lord, I begin to move on that quickly.  Why?  Because as I do, I find that revelation gets released, my direction becomes clear, and Divine Appointments and connections start popping up.
 
Be Ready for A Course Correction
So you've quickly taken your first steps once God has spoken. You haven't overthought it, and you trust that God will be true to His Word and direct your steps along the way, and He does. Once I'm off the starting pad, that's when things start to get clear about the direction the Lord is leading me in. Sometimes the Lord will direct you to maintain your course. Sometimes He'll lead you to head off in a slightly different direction. 

The thing you need to remember here is to stay connected to the Father, keep listening, and respond quickly when He does direct (or redirect) your steps along the way.  I love it when this happens in my life. That's when all the doubt and fear starts to fade, and I become confident I'm on the right path in that season of life.

Always remember this: God's desire for you is that you walk in the Kingdom and prosper, even as your soul prospers.  When you say yes and quickly respond to the desires and intuitions that God is putting on your heart, all of Heaven rallies around to support, uphold, and protect you. 

I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend.
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Thanks for reading.