Day 6 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting 2026

Day 6: The Shepherd’s Voice

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:1-5)

I cannot express the importance of hearing and listening to the voice of Jesus. In our world today there are many voices vying for our attention. Podcasters, newsmedia, social media all try to speak into our mind and get us to buy into one thing or another. We’re bombarded with advertisements and propaganda from every direction. All with the intended aim of sucking us into a particular belief system. 

One of the more popular advertisements of 2025 paired two of my favorite things! The Grinch and McDonalds! It was so popular that all of the Grinch paraphernalia was already gone from the Winter Garden location before I even got to participate in the festivities! It’s amazing how people rush to purchase a McDonalds meal just because they have an obsession with a green hairy man! 

It’s easy to get sucked into the hype and the propaganda. To hear the voices around us and to become enamored or disillusioned depending on the circumstances. It actually reminds me of sheep when they get in a frenzy. When one sheep bolts, the whole herd stampedes after it. Jesus must have understood this when he described himself as the shepherd and us as the sheep! People just act so much like sheep! They tend to rush to whatever is popular or appealing to their flesh. They will bolt into whatever belief system that is trending on social media or is being promoted by their favorite podcaster. Convince one sheep and the rest follow suit. That’s why trends go “viral” online! It’s so easy to get sucked into the noise around us.

You may be asking yourself, how do I recognize the Shepherd's voice in all the noise around me? Ultimately, the difference between the noise of the world and the voice of the Savior comes down to three things:

Proximity Breeds Recognition. Just as those crowds in Winter Garden knew exactly when the Grinch merch dropped because they were hovering over their apps, we recognize the Shepherd because of constant presence. If you want to know His voice, you have to be near Him. You can deepen this recognition by staying consistent in the Word—tools like the Comeafterme.com Bible Reading Plan are great for keeping that daily connection.

The "Stranger" Test. In John 10:5, Jesus says the sheep will "flee" from a stranger. If a voice—whether it’s a podcaster, a politician, or a peer—promotes fear, division, or selfishness, it fails the character test of the Good Shepherd. If it doesn’t sound like Jesus, don’t just ignore it—run from it.

Leading vs. Driving. This is the biggest giveaway of all. The world "drives" the herd through fear of missing out and high-pressure tactics. It wants to stress you out until you stampede. But Jesus "goes before" His sheep (John 10:4). He leads by example and invitation, never by manipulation. He doesn't push you from behind; He calls you from the front.

So, the next time you feel that "viral" pressure to rush into a new trend or a heated argument, take a breath. Tune out the Grinches and the gurus. Listen for the calm, steady voice of the One who actually knows your name. He’s already ahead of you on the path, waiting for you to follow.

Jesus, help us to hear your voice clearly amidst all of the noise. Thank you for being our good shepherd. We trust in you for all our needs and we expect to hear your voice today! Amen!