Sometimes your eyes may fool you, but your ears know the truth.

A group of Adele impersonators found this out back in 2015.

They had gathered for a contest to choose who could best imitate the British singer Adele. The competition was filmed as a supposed BBC TV special, hosted by Graham Norton.

There was a catch, however. It wasn’t really a contest, but rather a set-up.

Unbeknownst to the other participants, the real Adele had gone undercover and had entered the competition as well. A movie effects specialist had disguised the superstar’s appearance with a fake nose and chin so that people wouldn’t recognize her. She introduced herself as “Jenny,” a nanny.

One by one, the contestants performed a song. Each had done her make-up to look like the real Adele. And some did a passable impression of her vocally, too.

Then, “Jenny” began to sing.

Once she opened her mouth and sang in her trademark style, the other “Adeles” were riveted. They got emotional as goosebumps ran up their arms. It soon dawned on them that it was actually their idol singing, not some anonymous nanny (watch the video of their reactions here).

There was no mistaking who it was anymore, even if she was in disguise.

Simply put, they knew her voice.

Did you know that, if you’re a believer, you have a similar ability within you? You have an internal “voice recognition software” that enables you to recognize Jesus’ voice.

Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd, and we believers as His sheep.

“I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.” (John 10:14)

Scripture tells us that believers’ ears are specially tuned to His voice.

“The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)

In fact, when we’re properly attuned to Jesus’ voice, we won’t want to follow any other.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” (John 10:3-5)

So how do we zero in to Jesus’ voice amidst all the clatter of worldly noise?

Through practice and repeated exposure, of course. It’s the same with real sheep. By repeatedly focussing on the voice of their shepherd, they come to know it intimately and can recognize it in an instant.

In fact, when sheep are jumbled together from different flocks, they have no problem sorting themselves out. How do they manage it? All they need to do is listen to the shepherds’ voices. They know their own so well that they’ll separate themselves accordingly and go to the right person.

Would you like to know Jesus’ voice just as readily?

Read the Bible to know what He’s already said; that way, you can recognize when new messages are truly coming from Him, because they’ll match up to Scriptural truths in tone and content.

Pray daily, and when you do, make sure you spend just as much time listening to God as you do presenting a list of requests.

Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you in your heart and mind. When you regularly tune in to His frequency, you’ll be able to filter out deceiving messages from the world or the enemy.

Sometimes your eyes might deceive you into thinking something is good when it’s really not.

But when you know Jesus’ voice, you’ll be able to follow the right path. Get to know your Master’s voice: He’ll never steer you wrong!

© 2021 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.