Not many people know how to truly listen to the Word of God. That is why they come to church and leave without seeing any change in their lives. The Bible says, "...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Faith comes by hearing the Word; but what is faith itself? Faith is the response of your human spirit to the Word of God.
When your spirit responds to the Word, that response is faith. Think of a match and a box: neither can produce fire alone, but when you strike them together, fire results. This is what happens when the Word reaches your spirit—faith is ignited. Faith is the necessary response your spirit gives to the Word.
Faith has not come to you if you have not responded. When the Word of God comes to you, and you do not respond, you have not truly "heard" it. In that case, the Word of God did not reach its destination. This is why the Bible says "...be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only..." (James 1:22). The Word of God is not for your brain. It will not change anyone, heal the sick, or transform a life as long as it remains on the pages of the Bible or in your head. But when the Word of God enters your spirit and your spirit responds, that is the turning point.
How does the Word get to your spirit? This is where your mind comes in; your mind is the door to your spirit. What you do not give attention to with your mind cannot enter your spirit. This is why someone can be talking beside you, but because you are thinking of something else, you eventually have to ask, "Sorry, what did you say?" You heard the sound, but it did not get in because your mind was locked.
So many people don't know how to listen to the Word of God. You listen not just with your physical ears. As a matter of fact, these outer ears are just "sound collectors". Not everyone who has them can hear—a deaf man still has ears hanging on his head, yet he cannot hear. These are simply designed to collect sound as it travels through the air.
The real ear is inside. Open your mind to hear God's Word. The Bible says, "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings" (Proverbs 4:20 NKJV). When you give attention to the Word, your mind opens the door for it to reach your spirit. And when the Word reaches your spirit, your spirit responds-and that response is faith.
So today, listen with focused attention and an open mind; do not just hear with your ears, allow the Word to enter your heart. As you respond, faith will rise in your spirit, producing the results God's Word promises in your life.