Podcast Summary:

Promise of Life Church Podcasts
Episode: The Importance Of Hearing Pt. 1
Speaker: Pastor Craig Field
Date: April 6, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Pastor Craig Field explores the central spiritual discipline of hearing from God. Using Biblical narratives, personal anecdotes, and practical advice, Pastor Craig emphasizes that having a “hearing heart” is crucial for every believer’s walk with God. The message highlights humility, the dangers of spiritual noise, and the practical outworking of hearing God’s wisdom in everyday life decisions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Biblical Foundation for Hearing God

• Scriptural Basis: Pastor Craig opens with the story of Solomon in 1 Kings 3:9, where Solomon asks God for an “understanding heart.” Pastor Craig explains that the Hebrew word shamma (translated as “understanding”) more precisely means a hearing heart (00:55).
• Humility Required: Solomon’s humility ("I am but a little child") is highlighted as the necessary posture for hearing from God (04:00).

"If you don't have humility, you'll never hear. If you think you know everything... You will not hear." – Pastor Craig (04:25)

• Wisdom as Hearing: Wisdom in the Bible, especially as written in Proverbs 4:7 (“Wisdom is the principal thing”), is explained as the ability to hear God, not just intelligence or knowledge (06:20).

The World’s Attitude Toward Hearing God

• Cultural Contrasts: Pastor Craig addresses the social stigma around hearing God, noting that secular society thinks it’s “crazy” to claim God speaks personally (10:00).
• Identity in Christ: Believers are “peculiar people,” set apart from the confusion of the world and called to have a different standard: spiritual hearing (12:30).

Hearing God Amidst Life’s Noise

• Importance of Tuning Out Distractions: The dangers of being constantly bombarded by news and secular information are discussed, with advice to avoid anything that robs peace (07:30).
• Daily Practice: The foundational habits of being in the Word and praying, especially in other tongues, are described as crucial for clearing spiritual “noise” (01:03:20).

Hearing is the Key to Faith

• Faith Comes by Hearing: Pastor Craig draws on Romans 10:17, underscoring that faith comes not just by reading (Logos) but by a “rhema” word – a Spirit-quickened, alive Word (27:00).
• Rhema Explained: The difference between “logos” (the written word) and “rhema” (the spoken/quickened word) is clarified, emphasizing the need for revelation (30:10).

"You can read the Logos word for an hour and then one part of one verse jumps off the page to you... that is the rhema word." – Pastor Craig (30:40)

• Beyond the Written Word: Many life decisions require specific guidance not found directly in scripture (e.g., which university to attend), making it vital to be led by the Spirit (38:00).

"A ton of information in your individual private lives for daily decisions… is not written in here. That is why you still have to hear the Holy Ghost communicate to you." – Pastor Craig (39:15)

Wisdom is Both the Ability to Hear and What We Hear

• Two Sides of Wisdom:

  • Our part: Cultivating a hearing/wise heart.
  • God’s part: What He speaks—His mind, plan, and thoughts (49:30).

• If You Can Hear, the Hard Work Is Done: Pastor Craig asserts that if you truly hear from God, the faith to act is supplied with the hearing (53:00).

Practical Examples of Hearing

• Inward Witness: The most common way God leads is the “inward witness”—a peaceful knowing within, not always words.
• Still, Small Voice: Occasionally, the spirit within quietly speaks words.
• Authoritative Voice: Rare but unmistakable, sometimes the Holy Spirit gives a loud, inward directive (01:08:00).

"The inner witness is the number one way you're going to hear. You're not going to hear a voice. You're just going to know something. You don't know why you know it. But you know that you know that you know." – Pastor Craig (01:10:20)

• Dreams, Visions, Prophecies: These can happen but aren’t guaranteed. The safest way is always the inward witness, which cannot be mimicked by the enemy (01:13:50).

Safeguards & Pitfalls in Hearing

• Avoid Seeking the Spectacular: Attempting to “pray for” dreams, visions, or prophecies can open doors to deception (01:15:40).
• Remain Open Only to God's Plan: Don’t let others’ visions or ambitions influence you—guard your heart even in spiritual environments (01:45:10).

"When they're talking about their vision... that's not a time for me to have my spirit open because that's going to try to get in me, and then I'm going to want what she has. And before you know it, you're going down a road that God never authored for you." – Pastor Craig (01:48:50)

How to Grow in Hearing

• Consistent Time in the Word
• Regular Praying in Tongues
• Confession: Declare daily, “I have a hearing heart” to maintain focus on God’s voice (01:53:40).
• Rest in God’s Ability: Once you hear, faith is supplied—it is God’s responsibility to perform what He has authored. Focus on hearing; God will handle the how (01:59:00).

Memorable Quotes

• “Our job is to hear. That means more praying, more word, more waiting on you. Because if we can just hear your specific instructions… faith is there to accomplish it.” – Pastor Craig (02:02:10)
• “The plan of God is easy. The wisdom of God is not heavy. That’s why you said, ‘My yoke is easy. My burden is light.’” – Pastor Craig (02:05:00)

Notable Moments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:55 | Introduction to the concept of a "hearing heart" and humility in hearing God | | 06:20 | Redefining wisdom as the ability to hear | | 10:00 | The world thinks hearing from God is “crazy” | | 27:00 | How faith comes by hearing the “rhema” word | | 38:00 | Why you must be led for specifics not found in scripture | | 53:00 | Faith is present in the hearing; it’s not really a faith problem but a hearing problem | | 01:08:00 | Different ways God speaks—witness, voice, dreams—but the inward witness is safest | | 01:45:10 | Personal lesson on not absorbing others’ calling or vision through spiritual openness | | 01:53:40 | Pastor Craig’s confession: “I have a hearing heart” | | 01:59:00 | How the act of hearing imparts the faith necessary to act | | 02:05:00 | Closing prayer and exhortation: just hear, let God do the rest |

Practical Application for Listeners

• Prioritize Humility: Approach God like Solomon—with the recognition that you need Him to lead and speak.
• Build Habits of the Word and Prayer in Tongues: Make it daily, not occasional.
• Guard Your Spirit: Be open to God's instruction, but don’t let others’ visions or ambitions shape your calling.
• Rest in Simplicity: Life in God is simple. Just keep listening—He will handle the rest.

Tone

Pastor Craig’s tone throughout is warm, humorous, and pastoral. He makes Biblical concepts relatable, often using personal examples and gentle self-deprecating humor to emphasize humility, teachability, and the practical outworking of spiritual truths.

Summary Statement:
The most important skill for every believer isn’t just faith, love, or knowledge, but cultivating a heart that hears. All of God’s direction, wisdom, and provision flow from truly listening and responding to His voice. “Our job is to hear... and trust, and you will do the work. All we have to do is hear.” (02:02:10)