How does believing the gospel relate to listening to God's Word?
Believing the gospel is an act of listening to God's Word: faith comes by hearing, not by works. When a person contemplates that Christ died and rose and takes God at His Word, that believing itself is listening to the Word of God. The Spirit is received by the hearing of faith, not the works of the Law.
Les explains that there is no work whatsoever in hearing, and that is how faith comes. We contemplate it, recognize that Christ died and rose from the dead, and believe that is all we need. By believing it, we are listening to the Word of God. Faith is taking God at His Word: God said it, we believe it, and God recognizes it; on that basis He moves in and does everything that needs to be done. Les grants this is simplification, and many will not buy it, but Scripture says it is by faith and not the works of the Law. Repetition is needed because these things must be heard over and over before they soak in. The Galatians began in the Spirit through faith, yet were being told to be made perfect, or right with God, by the flesh—that is, the Law, which was weak and beggarly. The Spirit was received not by the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith.