Dull of hearing— The lack of spiritual understanding, sluggishness or a heart that is closed off to God. Spiritual babies who can only handle basic teaching instead of growing mature. Describes people whose minds have grown unresponsive to the truth. In the Bible, ears, symbolize, spiritual obedience, the capacity to receive and understand God‘s truth, and a willingness to submit to divine authority. Rather than just physical hearing, there’s an open or hearing ear, represents a responsive heart ready to act on God‘s word. 4 ways of having ears to hear ….airplane…take out your ear plugs to hear. 📍1. Check your heart condition recognize that pride, prejudice, or letting worldly pleasures take priority can create spiritual earplugs that block out truth. 📍2. Cultivate humility and teach ability. Approach instruction with a genuine willingness to be corrected, discipline, and guided rather than assuming you already know better. 📍3. Pair listening with immediate obedience/response/voice activation…yes! True spiritual hearing is tightly linked to action, acting on what you learn keeps your spiritual sense, sharp and receptive. 📍4. Spend consistent time in the word Meditate regularly on spiritual truths so your mind grows sensitive to God‘s voice instead of sluggish or distracted. Spiritual maturity is revealed not only by what you say, but by how you hear—what you are willing to hear, how you receive correction, and whether you can discern the voice of God without filtering everything through pride, offense, or preconceived beliefs. Jesus repeatedly said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” — Matthew 11:15 (KJV) 2-3 times in gospels. Every time after the 7 letters to the church. There are several kinds of “ears” Scripture reveals: Teachable ears — “The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.” — Proverbs 15:31 Discerning ears — “He that is of God heareth God’s words…” — John 8:47 Obedient ears — “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” — James 1:22 Spirit-sensitive ears — “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” — Revelation 2:7 Mature, trained ears — Hebrews 5:14 describes mature believers as those whose senses have been “exercised to discern both good and evil.” Luke 10:17–20 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name… Behold, I give unto you power… over all the power of the enemy… Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” The problem begins when Authority becomes Identity, spiritual warfare becomes a measurement of maturity, and discernment becomes a reason to feel spiritually superior to other believers. Authority reveals what Christ has given us. Fruit reveals what Christ is forming in us. Spiritual power is not necessarily evidence of spiritual maturity. The question isn’t simply, “Do you know your authority?” The deeper question is: ‘’Are you becoming like Jesus?” AUTHORITY — Know What Christ Has Given You Luke 10:19 ‘’Behold, I give unto you power… over all the power of the enemy.” Ephesians 6:12 ‘’For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers…” Scripture acknowledges spiritual opposition. James 4:7 ‘’Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” But notice the order. Submission comes BEFORE resistance. 2. IDENTITY — Don’t Build Your Identity Around Your Authority The seventy disciples returned to Jesus excited: Luke 10:17 Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” Their statement wasn’t false. The demons really were subject to them through Jesus’ name. Jesus didn’t rebuke them for exercising authority. Instead, He redirected what they were celebrating. Luke 10:20 ‘’Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Jesus was essentially saying: Don’t make spiritual power the foundation of your identity. Your greatest reason for rejoicing isn’t that demons recognize your authority. 3. HUMILITY — Authority Was Never Intended to Produce Superiority This is where the church must be careful. Spiritual revelation can quietly become spiritual competition. 1 Corinthians 8:1 ‘’Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” Knowledge itself isn’t wrong. Revelation isn’t wrong. Understanding spiritual warfare isn’t wrong. Discernment isn’t wrong. But knowledge without love can produce pride. Luke 9:54–55 James and John saw a Samaritan village reject Jesus and asked: ‘’Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them…?” They wanted to exercise supernatural authority. But Jesus rebuked them: ‘’Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” Think about that. They wanted to demonstrate power, while Jesus was concerned about their spirit. 1 Corinthians 13:2 ‘’And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith… and have not charity, I am nothing.” Paul doesn’t say spiritual gifts are meaningless. He says they are meaningless without love. FRUIT — Authority Is Given, but Fruit Is Grown Galatians 5:22–23 ‘’But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” But the evidence of the Spirit transforming us is fruit. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Gentleness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Meekness. Self-control. Authority may demonstrate our position in Christ, but fruit demonstrates Christ’s formation in us. 5. MATURITY — Gifts and Authority Are Not the Same as Maturity The Corinthian church gives us one of the clearest examples of this distinction. They were extraordinarily gifted. 1 Corinthians 1:7 Paul tells them: ‘’So that ye come behind in no gift…” They weren’t lacking spiritual gifts. Yet only two chapters later Paul says: 1 Corinthians 3:1 ‘’And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal…” How could people possess spiritual gifts and still be spiritually immature? Because giftedness and maturity are not the same thing. Paul identifies their problem: 1 Corinthians 3:3 ‘’For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal…?” They had gifts. But they also had jealousy. They had manifestations. But they also had division. They had spiritual knowledge. But they needed spiritual maturity. The Goal Is Christ Being Formed in Us Galatians 4:19 ‘’My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” The evidence that I’m growing spiritually shouldn’t merely be that I can recognize the devil more quickly. It should also be that: I forgive more quickly. I love more deeply. I respond more gently. I walk more humbly. I control myself more consistently. I become less judgmental. I become more patient with people who are still growing. I need less recognition for what God is doing through me. That is spiritual formation. Don’t Turn Spiritual Warfare Into Spiritual Performance Ephesians 6. Paul tells us to put on: Truth. Righteousness. The gospel of peace. Faith. Salvation. The Word of God. Prayer. And repeatedly Paul tells us: Ephesians 6:13 ‘’…and having done all, to stand.” Sometimes spiritual warfare isn’t dramatic. Sometimes warfare is standing in truth when Satan gives you a lie. Sometimes warfare is maintaining peace when fear comes against your mind. Sometimes warfare is forgiving someone when bitterness is knocking at your door. Sometimes warfare is refusing temptation. Sometimes warfare is believing what God said despite what circumstances look like. Sometimes warfare is simply remaining faithful. Discernment Without Suspicion We also need to distinguish between discernment and suspicion. Discernment comes from the Spirit. Suspicion can come from fear, pride, insecurity, past experiences, or assumptions. Have Spiritual Authority Without Spiritual Superiority The seventy came back saying: ‘’Even the devils are subject unto us.” Jesus redirected them: ‘’Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” That should redirect us too. Our greatest accomplishment isn’t that the devil recognizes our authority. Our greatest privilege is that Jesus knows our name. Closing Truth Authority without humility can become arrogance. Discernment without love can become judgment. Knowledge without humility can become pride. Spiritual warfare without Christ-centeredness can become obsession. Gifts without character can create impressive ministry without mature discipleship. But when authority is submitted to Christ, revelation is governed by Scripture, discernment operates through love, and power is accompanied by fruit, spiritual authority becomes what Jesus intended it to be: a tool for His purposes rather than a trophy for our spirituality.