OOTB Podcast - Hindrances to Hearing the Voice of God

Is God speaking—or are there things in our lives keeping us from hearing Him?

In this episode of the Out of the Box Church Podcast, Pastor Dustin is joined by OOTB Church elder and Bible teacher Mike Merritt for a powerful conversation about hindrances to hearing the voice of God.

Using Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in Mark 4, we look at the different conditions of the heart and why the same Word of God can produce tremendous fruit in one person's life while seemingly producing very little in another.

The problem isn't the seed. The seed is the Word of God. The issue is the condition of the soil receiving it.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How offense, unforgiveness, rebellion, disobedience, and pride can harden our hearts

• Why thinking “I already know that” can keep us from receiving fresh revelation

• The difference between simply having biblical information and receiving revelation from God's Word

• Why shallow spiritual roots make us vulnerable when persecution and pressure come

• The importance of being planted in the Word and connected to other believers

• How worry, anxiety, busyness, distractions, riches, and the desires for other things can choke the Word

• Why we must intentionally attend to God's Word and incline our ears to His sayings

God is speaking. If we're struggling to hear Him, the problem isn't on the transmission end—we need to examine what's happening on the receiving end.

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.” — Proverbs 4:20

Take some time to examine the condition of your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that has become hard, shallow, crowded, or distracted—and make room for the Word of God to take root and produce fruit in your life.

And be sure to join us for the next episode as we continue this conversation with “Ears to Hear.”