DIRECTION | Pastor Matthew Johnson

"Nothing makes God's voice more clear than obedience. Nothing makes his voice more quiet than disobedience." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Matthew Johnson continued The Tree Church's series on the Holy Spirit with a message called Direction. He addressed one of the most common questions he receives as a pastor, how can someone actually learn to recognize the voice of God? He described this as one of the greatest gifts a believer has, second only to salvation itself.

Pastor Matthew opened by clarifying what he means when he talks about God speaking. He explained that in his many years as a Christian, he has known very few people who have heard an audible voice from God. Instead, God typically communicates through an inner feeling, a thought, a situation, or another person.

He explained that God's voice is actually behind many of the experiences believers already recognize. When someone feels grace, comfort, conviction, or peace, Pastor Matthew said that is God's voice at work, even if it does not sound like words. He said learning to recognize this voice brings a deep sense of safety, because it means believers are not walking through life alone or without direction.

The first step Pastor Matthew gave for recognizing God's voice is building a foundation in scripture. He read Psalm 119:105, which describes God's word as a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, explaining that scripture protects believers from harmful decisions while also illuminating the direction God has for their lives.

He then read 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which describes scripture as useful for teaching, correction, and equipping believers for good work. He also referenced Hebrews 4:12, explaining that the word of God is living and active, meaning it interacts personally with someone as they read it, showing them what needs to change and what they are already doing well.

Pastor Matthew explained that the better someone knows God's word, the more they begin to understand His character and values, which allows them to anticipate His direction even before praying about it. He illustrated this with a story about a mix up involving a staff member years ago, where someone assumed a colleague named Skip had ignored their emails. Pastor Matthew said he immediately doubted this because he knew Skip's character and follow through, and it turned out Skip had responded all along. He used this story to show that knowing someone well allows you to trust their nature, and the same is true of knowing God through His word.

He gave several practical examples from his own life, including how scripture already gives him clear direction on forgiving those who wrong him, loving his wife, prioritizing his children's spiritual growth, and giving generously with his finances, without needing to pray about those decisions each time.

The second step is asking God to speak and believing that He will. Pastor Matthew read James 1:5-8, which encourages believers to ask God for wisdom in faith, without doubting. He challenged the congregation to think beyond asking for direction only in moments of obvious tension or difficulty.

He encouraged believers to invite God into every area of life, not just the areas that feel unresolved. He used the example of a calendar and a budget, suggesting that instead of asking God to bless plans that have already been fully decided, believers should start with God first and ask Him to shape their time and resources from the very beginning.

The third step Pastor Matthew described is learning to listen and look for how God communicates. He turned to Acts 16:6-10, the story of the Apostle Paul being redirected during his missionary journeys. Paul intended to preach in one region, but scripture says the Holy Spirit prevented him. Later, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia asking for help, and Paul and his companions immediately concluded that God was calling them there.

Pastor Matthew used this story to define two ways God often communicates, checks and nudges. A check is an inner sense of caution that causes someone to pause or reconsider a decision. A nudge is a gentle inner prompting that moves someone toward a specific action or direction. He explained that the Holy Spirit often sees things believers cannot see and knows things about the future that would change the decisions being made in the present.

He also introduced the idea of open doors and shut doors. An open door is an opportunity God provides to move forward, referencing Paul's description of a wide door for effective work in 1 Corinthians 16:8-9. However, Pastor Matthew was careful to clarify that not every open door is meant to be walked through immediately. He pointed to 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, where Paul describes having an open door in one city, yet feeling unsettled in his spirit and choosing to move on instead.

A shut door, on the other hand, is when God stops someone from moving forward in a certain direction or at a certain time. Pastor Matthew referenced Romans 1:13, where Paul describes repeatedly intending to visit Rome but being prevented. He shared a personal story from the church's history, describing a season when God clearly opened a door for the church to purchase property, only for a second door, funding for renovations, to unexpectedly close. He described this as a genuinely difficult season, but explained that the waiting period ultimately strengthened the church financially and organizationally before God reopened the way forward.

The fourth and final step is obedience. Pastor Matthew explained that nothing makes God's voice more clear than obedience, and nothing makes it quieter than disobedience, not because God stops speaking, but because a hardened heart becomes less sensitive to His voice over time.

He closed by reading Proverbs 3:5-6, encouraging the church to trust God fully rather than leaning on their own understanding, and to acknowledge Him in every area of life so that He can make their paths clear. Pastor Matthew emphasized that these four steps, knowing God's word, asking and believing, listening and looking, and obeying, work together to help believers grow in confidently recognizing God's direction for their lives. The message closed in prayer, asking God to help the church prioritize Him fully and to give them sensitivity to His voice and the courage to walk in obedience.

Wherever you are on your faith journey, The Tree Church wants to help you find real direction through a relationship with God. Join us in Lancaster at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130 or in Logan at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses hold services every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. We would love to walk this journey with you.