Cheyenne Bryant & The Sheep that Know Her Voice | S2E13

People quote Scripture every day, but what happens when spiritual language starts getting used to avoid accountability instead of revealing truth?

After hearing watching a show appearance with Cheyenne Bryant where she referenced, "my sheep know my voice", Santana opens up a larger conversation about discernment, church culture, and the growing habit of using God-language as emotional insulation from being questioned. This episode unpacks the deeper biblical context behind John 10 and Ezekiel 34, explores how accountability can quietly disappear once spiritual symbolism enters the room, and explains why Jesus' "Good Shepherd" language carries far more weight than most people realize.

If you've ever struggled with church hurt, manipulative leadership, celebrity Christianity, weaponized Bible verses, or separating God from the people who represented Him poorly, this episode is for you.

Scriptures referenced: John 10, Ezekiel 34, Acts 17:11, and James 3:1

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Transcript

Santana 0:00

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Dear God Let Us Pray podcast. I am your host, Santana, and I just want to thank you for joining me on yet another episode. If you are here and you're tuned in from Apple Podcast, I wanted to just remind you if you haven't already, please be sure to give us a follow on Apple Podcast. We are still on track of landing our first 100 followers in the next 30 days. So if you haven't already, please give the show a follow and also share an episode with a friend so that they can do the same. Alright. So today's episode has come from an interview clip that I saw circulating on social media. Like, I came across this interview clip the other day, and there was one line in it that immediately made me stop what I was doing because my brain went straight to John 10. The clip was from the Marissa Mitchell show, and Cheyenne Bryant was a guest. And she said, and I quote, My obedience is to God, not to people. And so as long as I'm in his will and I'm serving and I'm doing his, you know, his word, my sheep will know my voice. Even the sheep in wolf's clothing. That is not my battle. Blah, blah, blah. Anyway. So honestly, the moment I heard my sheep will know my voice, something in me paused immediately because that is Jesus speaking. And John 10. And I guess what stayed with me was not even necessarily the individual saying it, because I know that this is so much bigger than that lady. It was how naturally the wording moved through the conversation. Like nobody paused or stopped to ask whose sheep Jesus was talking about in that passage. Like the phrase sounded spiritual enough that everybody just kind of like emotionally accepted it and moved on. Because again, the the focus is elsewhere. And if you don't know Cheyenne Bryant, look her up. You'll see what the allegations and stuff have been lately. Um and so I think that I really think that moment bothered me because I notice how often spiritual language enters the room the second accountability needs to. Like somebody gets questioned, and suddenly the conversation becomes, God knows my heart, or the enemy is busy, and people attack anointed people and touch not God's anointing. Now that one we'll talk about that on another episode. But that's yeah, y'all get where I'm going. And now everybody listening, you know, feels nervous about asking questions because the conversation suddenly feels sacred instead of examinable. And that's a that's a really big deal. Like it's a big deal more than people realize. Scripture absolutely talks about persecution, like spiritual warfare is a real thing, opposition is a real thing. Like this conversation is not denying that. What I'm talking about is the way spiritual language can sometimes become emotional insulation from examination. Because once somebody frames themselves spiritually, now disagreement can start sounding demonic. Accountability starts sounding rebellious, and questions start sounding disrespectful or like an attack on God's anointed. And honestly, I think this is one of the reasons people, like some people, become exhausted with Christian spaces altogether because every difficult conversation eventually got redirected into spiritual symbolism. Like a person asks a valid question, and suddenly we're talking about wolves and attacks, persecution, enemies, obedience, or spiritual opposition instead of just addressing the actual concern directly. And over time, people stop examining what's being said because emotionally familiar church language lowers discernment. Like something can sound deeply spiritual while still being handled irresponsibly. And the internet honestly makes this harder because confidence travels fast online, delivery travels fast, and emotion. Meanwhile, context usually gets left behind. And again, the the scripture that was referenced comes from John 10, and this is why the context matters as much as it does. John 10 isn't some random inspirational wording floating around by itself. Like this is where Jesus was speaking within a larger conversation about shepherds and discernment and authority and spiritual leadership. So John 27, he says, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I want you to see the imagery behind this. When Jesus talks about shepherds, his audience would have immediately connected that language back to passages like Ezekiel 34, where God rebukes Israel's shepherds for spiritually failing the people. Like the leaders fed themselves while neglecting the flock. God speaks very strongly against shepherds who carried influence publicly while mishandling responsibility privately. So by the time Jesus identifies himself as the good shepherd in John 10, he is placing himself directly against failed leadership, well, failed spiritual leadership. And I need you to understand that that changes the entire feel of the passage. Like this is not some influencer or branding or motivational language. I understand how it was used, but uh-uh. This is loaded theological language, and it isn't tied to the identity and the authority and the protection of God's people, which is exactly why hearing somebody casually say, My sheep know my voice, it can feel spiritually uncomfortable once you understand the context behind the verse. And you see, one thing I genuinely, genuinely about scripture is that believers are repeatedly encouraged to examine what they hear carefully. And even if you're not a believer and you hear somebody quote something from the Bible or quote something from the word, it still needs to be examined. The Bereans listen to Paul preach and they still searched. They still search the scriptures daily to verify what he was teaching. Scripture describes that response as noble. Okay? And it matters because Paul was an apostle. Meanwhile, now asking thoughtful questions can immediately get interpreted as bitterness, division, jealousy, lack of faith. Have you ever heard, you know, because I know, like for me, growing up, when I would ask questions about God, the questions that I would ask, I was told that I was questioning God, and we shouldn't do that. And I know there are plenty of individuals in your adult years that have heard the same thing, like, oh, we don't question God. We don't, no, no, no, no, no. That's not, that's not, that's what people hide behind when they either don't have an answer, which is okay, but just say that, or hiding behind some accountability. Like, I honestly think that some Christians have confused discernment with disloyalty. Jesus never discouraged discernment. Like, he wants you to ask questions, he wants you to know, he wants you to gain knowledge. You can't do that without asking a question. He never told people to emotionally surrender their ability to think critically. Even throughout Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the minor prophets, God repeatedly rebukes leaders who spoke carelessly in his name while leading people astray. And that's why it is so important to read the word for yourselves and not just lean on somebody else telling you what the scripture said. And I I have another scripture that I want you to note. James 3.1. James 3.1 says, Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Spiritual influence carries responsibility, and that is why we can't loosely throw scriptures around. And I really want to say this carefully for the people listening who are, you know, skeptical, spiritually exhausted, still dealing with some sort of church hurt, or really just trying to separate God from the people who represented him poorly. Watching somebody mishandle scripture publicly can absolutely affect your trust, especially when verses become attached to manipulation, ego, avoidance, control, or even violence, being evil. Like some of y'all stopped trusting Christian spaces because every question got spiritualized, and confusion became rebellion, and discernment became disrespect, and asking for clarity became attacking anointed people or questioning God. And I think one of the saddest things about spiritual language being mishandled is that people start associating God with the behavior of whoever quoted the verse. But people mishandling scripture does not mean God approves of it. The Bible itself repeatedly warns about careless shepherds, false teachers, and people speaking just any kind of way in God's name. So if you ever had experiences where somebody used spiritual wording to silence questions, avoid responsibility, or even make themselves appear untouchable, I do not think the answer is shutting your brain off just to force yourself back into comfort. Truth can survive examination, but lies cannot. That's the part you won't hear with many spiritual leaders, and that's why I always on every single episode, you guys, y'all know, I always encourage you to read the word for yourselves. Not even to just sit here and listen to me. I give you the scriptures, I give you the stories, I encourage you to read them yourself. There's nothing wrong with examining anything that anybody says if they are speaking truly on behalf of Christ. And I know I say it a million times, but seriously though, one of the healthiest things that people can do is read the word for themselves. Like slow down with the text, sit with the context, ask questions, cross-reference stuff and just study. Because scripture becomes much harder to misuse when people actually know what it says. Like emotionally powerful language can move people very quickly. We see it all over social media. The the long pauses, the the passionate speaking. Sometimes that's just emotionally powerful language. Scripture deserves so much more than emotional familiarity. Jesus said in John 27, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. This scripture is about his voice. Not anybody else. Not whoever learned how to sound spiritually convincing online or on a show. All scripture references mentioned throughout this episode can be found in the show notes. But I just want to remind you, read the word for yourself. Alright. Thank y'all for hanging out with me for another episode of the Dear God Let Us Pray podcast. I am your host, Stantana. And if this conversation gave you something to think about, make sure you follow the podcast wherever you are. Follow the podcast, leave a rating, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who would genuinely enjoy this discussion. Make sure you're following us on Instagram. Dear God Let UsPray, remember let us like the vegetable L-E-P-T-E-C-E. And follow me on Instagram as well at hellocentennaco or hellocentenna co. Now for podcast inquiries, collaborations, or sponsorship opportunities, which y'all know this is a one-man band right now. I would appreciate it if you'd reach out to me via email at support at hellocentana.co. And as always, you know what I'm gonna say. As always, spread kindness. Like go out of your way to spread some kindness today. And I love you, but I know somebody who loves you even more than that. This is Stantana, fine enough.