Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/6570

6570 'My sheep recognise My voice....'

June 12, 1956: Book 70

The Words you receive from Me are spirit and life.... Therefore they must also speak to every person's spirit and give it life. He will feel the strength of My Word providing he opens his heart and allows Me to enter, providing he gratefully accepts the gift he is offered by Me Myself. And anyone who loves Me and who also offers love to his neighbour will always feel touched by My Word, because due to his love he will already have a connection with Me and will also recognise My voice as the voice of the Father Who wants to make His child happy. 'My sheep recognise My voice....' And My voice will only ever be heard if I Myself Am able to speak to people.... You cannot describe the empty word as the 'voice of the Father' which can certainly be used by those people who do not allow Me to be present with them as yet, who are still spiritually unenlightened, who indeed claim to preach in My name but of whom I cannot as yet avail Myself in order to speak through them to all who listen to them. The recognition of My voice requires such a conscious connection with Me that I Myself will be able to speak.... And this bond must be established both by the preacher as well as by the listener of the Word.... Then the good shepherd Himself will coax His sheep and they will willingly follow.... My sheep recognise My voice.... Does this not presuppose that I speak to people time and again? I emphasise the fact that My sheep recognise My voice.... Hence I make a distinction with those who hear Me, for not all people can count themselves as My Own and therefore not all will recognise Me in the Word.... But I will always speak to My Own Myself so that My promise will come true: that they will hear and consequently also recognise My voice as evidence of the presence of the One to Whom they have surrendered. Hence with these Words I also referred to the fact that I will always and forever speak to you humans, that I did no mean the written Word alone which can also be devoid of spirit and life if I don't bring it to life Myself, if My spirit does not give it life.

However, I also knew that My Word would only be recognised as My direct communication if a life of love had resulted in the awakening of the spirit within the human being, and therefore I spoke about 'My Own', for love is the bond which unites Me with them and enables My direct working within them and for them. The Word can certainly be heard by everyone, but My voice requires My presence.... Thus I also assured you of My presence, and I provide the evidence of it by My voice.... And My Own will recognise it as the 'Father's voice'. But it is only a small flock which hears their shepherd's coaxing call and follows Him, there are only a few who listen to His voice, because people increasingly allow themselves more often to be deceived by fine words which resound loudly but lack all spirit and life. And those do not count to My Own, they do not share My spirit, they are without love and therefore they don't strive towards Me either. And if I speak to them they turn away from Me and go to places where My cleverly camouflaged adversary speaks, and they are satisfied with the empty shell from which they cannot derive any strength. But My Word is strength which will give life to all those who allow themselves to be addressed by Me Myself, who yearn for My voice and who, as My children, shall also experience the Father's love....

Amen

Translated by Heidi Hanna