What Can Get In the Way of Hearing God?

All of us want to hear God who speaks by His Word and by His Spirit.

Are there things we can do to hear Him more? And are there things we can do that can interfere with our ability to hear?

Without question, the answer to both is yes.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, we learn of one of the things that can limit our ability to hear and that is the despising of prophecy.

There are some things that we would all like to believe go without saying, and it seems this should be one of them, but the fact that we are told no to do it reveals that we are at risk of doing it.

Interestingly enough, the places we find the most despising of prophecy are both where speaking by the Spirit is non-existent, and the places where His speaking is very frequent.

How can we avoid being those who despise the prophetic and cut ourselves off from being trustworthy recipients of the words of God?

There are ten signs of despising the prophetic.

What are they?

The word for despise is the Greek word, eksouthenéō.

When we look at other uses of eksouthenéō in Scripture it gives us insight into what it meant, biblically, to despise a thing.

For starters, in Luke, before Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and the tax collector, we are told, “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt” (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Luke 18:9).

The word contempt there is the word eksouthenéō, and this passage makes clear that despising (or contempt) and self-righteousness often go together.

And what does self-righteousness do? It believes that it is superior and sufficient in and of itself, and so, it has no need for another.

When it comes to the prophetic, this type of despising often says something like, “If God has something to say, He will say it to me directly, not second-hand.”

And yet King David himself went to prophets throughout his life to seek God’s counsel and guidance! But, self righteousness will do exactly that.

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21: “Do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good”

A second use of eksouthenéō in the Gospels comes in Luke 23.

And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Luke 23:11)

Here, we see that despising (contempt) and mockery go hand in hand.

Obviously, a blatant mocking of someone claiming to hear God speak would be a despising of prophecy, but there are more subtle forms of mockery even among believers who are open to the prophetic as well.

It’s when we make a joke about prophecy, saying: “I’m hearing X, Y or Z” and X, Y or Z is self-serving. Of course, when most people do this, they do it to be funny. “I’m hearing God say you should pay for my lunch.” This is making light of something that should be kept only in the highest regard.

One of the biblical words for cursing in the bible is the Hebrew word, qalal, which means to make small or make light. When we joke in this way, we are actually making light of something of great gravity: God’s speaking.

A third way to despise prophecy?

He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Acts 4:11).

Rejected is again the word eksouthenéō. Despising and rejection go together, and there are a number of ways that we can reject the prophetic.

How many words of God are rejected, because like the living word Himself, they cost us? This too is despising the prophetic.

Fourth, in Romans 14:10 we read: But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, Romans 14:10).

Not surprisingly, “regard your brother with contempt” is literally “despise your brother.”

Despising judges in an unbiblical way – not based on the standard of God’s word but based on the standard of its own choosing, usually the standard of its own actions. Unbiblical judging puts itself above the word, instead of holding all under God’s word.

What does judging a prophetic word look like? It looks like refusing to receive a rebuke. Haughtiness holds itself above God’s Word. Humility comes under God’s Word.

Another use of eksouthenéō reveals a fifth way to despise the prophetic.

1 Corinthians 1:28: “And the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are.” (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Cor. 1:28)

Despised is used here in reference to things this world does not consider of great value or worth and so are cast aside.

This should clue us in that another way to despise the prophetic – that is to receive God’s Word selectively, by casting aside, ignoring, pushing away the parts of it that are not liked, the parts that make us uncomfortable or the parts that are inconvenient.

This type of selective acceptance is not responding to God’s leading but acting on its own initiative. It retains what it wants. It discards what it doesn’t.

However, you can’t honor all if you only honor some.

Sixth?

1 Corinthians 16:10-:11, “Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. 11 So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.” (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Cor. 16:10-11)

Paul knew there was a risk of sending Timothy into the lion’s den where he would be assaulted and attacked by others, giving us insight into another way that we despise . . . by attacking.

I think most who have received a word or promise from God and are attempting to walk in faith will testify that the amount of attack on the word God spoke is uncanny. Why? It’s because the enemy always attacks what God says and any unsuspected, insecure or unguarded person who will lend their mouths out to attack the word he will use them. Let that not be us!

As soon as I hear someone say they heard from God I can tell you that I fear God too much to come against that word, unless of course it's explicitly sinful as described in Scripture! Let none of us be those who come with the anti-word to something God is speaking to another.

There are other ways to despise prophecy as well that are worth mentioning.

A seventh way to despise prophecy is to receive everything as God’s Word, indiscriminately.

God does not tell us to accept everything that everyone claims He has said. He tells us to test everything and hold onto what is good. (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 1 Thessalonians 5:21)

To accept everything as coming from God – without seeking Him, without hearing from Him, without bringing it to Him – is to accept indiscriminately.

We have a responsibility in receiving.

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