The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away. Isaiah 50:4–5 (NLT)

The book of Isaiah contains 4 Servant Songs. These songs describe the suffering and exultation of the servant of the Lord. They are Messianic, and yet, have great lessons for us to learn. The third of these songs is in Isaiah 50:4-11. We see that the key to having a servant’s heart is saying to us. Everything God does for us and through us is for a purpose. We see that the primary ministry of the servant is to comfort the weary.

For us to be effective in this ministry, we must first listen to what the Lord is saying to us. It is not always easy to receive word from God. Aside from distractions, he doesn’t always say what we want to hear. It can be like Jacob wrestling with the angel of the Lord.

The beginning of this servant song illustrates someone who is humble and listens intently for the voice of God. This is in contrast with Israel’s unfaithfulness. There is a consistency and constancy to the relationship between the servant and God. “Morning by morning he wakens me.” God opens the servant’s mind to understand his will.

We see that the Lord’s servant must be in continual relationship with God to receive daily wisdom and insight. The servant does not rebel or turn away even though at times, the word coming from God is difficult. The effective servant receives from God what is necessary to comfort the weary.

Stop looking for shortcuts.

Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

In many places today, we see advertisements from both prominent and lesser-known preachers, offering their sermons for other pastors to use. While there is much we can learn about preaching by observing and studying the methods of others, it is important to recognize that receiving the Rhema word—the living and timely word of God—specific to the present moment and situation, cannot be substituted.

This kind of message requires direct engagement with the Holy Spirit. True spiritual insight comes not just from borrowed messages, but from personal interaction with God, allowing His Spirit to speak freshly and powerfully into each unique context.

I recall hearing a preacher deliver a sermon with skill and confidence. During the message, he referenced a quote from a well-known pastor, which caught my attention. Curious about the origin of the quote, I decided to do some research, only to discover that the preacher had not just borrowed the quote but had taken the entire message almost word for word from another source.

This experience highlighted an important issue: the difference between presenting borrowed material and sharing a message that comes from personal engagement with God. While the sermon was delivered well, its authenticity was compromised.

Getting a word from the Lord can be difficult, and God forbid that we give ChatGPT a Scripture reference and ask it to write a sermon for us. The temptation may be great, especially when under pressure, but there is no substitution for wrestling with the word of God and the Holy Spirit.

“Someone suffers every time you preach. Either you suffer in preparing it, or the listener suffers in hearing it.” – Haddon Robinson

God Speaks, And The Servant Listens

And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4–5 (NLT)

We must wrestle, but we better not rebel or turn away. When we get up in the morning, we should be like the little boy Samuel: And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)

It took some time before Samuel recognized the voice of God. There are many competing voices in this world and so we must learn how to discern the voice of God. Jesus said: The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3–4 (NLT)

The servant must become familiar with the voice of his master. God often speaks in a whisper or a still small voice. Certainly, God speaks to us through the Scriptures. But he speaks to us in a quiet voice because he wants us to draw close to him. When God speaks to the servant it is an intimate moment. The key for the servant is: Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him. Psalm 37:7 (CSB)

Effective Ministry

Then the Lord reached out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with my words. Jeremiah 1:9 (CSB)

Jeremiah felt that he was inadequate for the task that God had given him. It is only when we stop relying on our own intellect and abilities and recognize our inadequacies, that God can use us. Paul said: We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:4–5 (NLT)

It is okay to recognize our own shortcomings. In fact, it is only when we recognize that the task is greater than our own abilities that we will accomplish the will of God for our lives. The true servant of God listens with anticipation to hear what God has to say to them. There is no substitution for hearing what the Sovereign Lord has to say to us. The servant of God must be a listening servant.

Steve Ekeroth