Faith Needs a Hearing Heart

This powerful message confronts a profound question that many of us face: Are we trying to make faith do something that wisdom was designed to accomplish? Drawing from the story of Joshua and the Gibeonites in Joshua 9, we discover how Israel's leaders made a critical covenant without consulting the Lord. They examined the physical evidence—worn-out clothes, moldy bread, convincing stories—but failed to seek God's wisdom. This ancient mistake mirrors our modern tendency to trust our eyes, emotions, and the loudest voices around us rather than pausing to hear from God. Yet here's the redemptive beauty: God doesn't waste our wrong turns. Four hundred years after this deceptive treaty, Solomon went to Gibeon—the very place symbolizing Israel's lack of discernment—and there he asked God for a hearing heart. The place of past failure became the location of divine encounter. This teaches us that our messes can become meeting places with God. We learn that the opposite of anxiety isn't just peace—it's order. When we bring God's order into our chaos, we find the breakthrough we've been seeking. The message challenges us to access God's mind through seven pathways: the written Word, specific prayers, the gifts of the Spirit, worship, praying in the Spirit, testimonies, and godly counsel. Faith isn't about having more—it's about feeding what we already have and removing the knots that prevent us from drawing deeper from God's well of promises.