How do you hear the voice of God? How do you know it is the voice of God you heard?
Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27) Listening and following the voice of Jesus is what the followers of Jesus do. In today’s world it takes careful discernment to sort out the voice of God in the midst of all the noise. There are many voices which compete for our attention. Not all the voices are the voice of the shepherd. Not all these voices have our best interest in mind.
There are three primary voices we hear. The first voice is the voice of Satan. The Bible calls him the great deceiver (see Revelation 12:9). His voice may often seem like the voice of God, but it is not. It will quickly lead us astray while thinking we are doing good.
Consider these warnings:
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. Mark 13:22 (ESV)
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15 (ESV)
A second voice we hear is the voice of our flesh. The voice of the flesh does not use deception. It uses brute force to overcome our longing for the Lord. The voice of the flesh seeks to make our life ambition about happiness, success, fame, or fortune. These things do not mean all that much in the realm of eternity, but the voice of our flesh sets our aim on the things that this world has to offer.
When we listen to the voice of Satan or the voice of our flesh, it does not end well. Both of these voices lead us to live for the moment and to sacrifice our future in God.
The third voice is the voice of God. This is the voice to hear. The other two voices will do everything in their power to keep us from listening and following this one most important voice. When it comes to following the voice of God, there are a couple of things we need to know:
We need the help of the Holy Spirit to listen to God’s voice.
I pray: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might… Ephesians 1:17–19 (ESV)
Ask God for help to hear his voice. Everything in our life is often aligned against hearing God’s voice. In the verse above the Apostle Paul prays for God to give us a spirit to hear. Ask God for his supernatural power to discern his voice.
Sin will hinder God’s voice
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions … 2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV)
Sometimes we are not hearing God’s voice because we don’t want to hear God’s voice. We have a persistent sin in our life which we are reluctant to allow God to speak into. We are reluctant because we are not sure we are going to like what he has to say. People will often open themselves up only to what they want to hear. The result is that we close ourselves off from hearing God.
The voice of God is quiet and subtle
And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 1 Kings 19:12 (ESV)
God does not shout and scream at us. We live in a world where everything is calling out for our attention. The Bible describes God’s voice as a gentle whisper. There is a reason why Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still to know God. Many of us do not have enough quiet in our life to hear the voice of God.
The voice of God takes time
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! Psalm 27:14 (ESV)
We live in a world of instant communication. We are connected. If we have to wait too long, we often quickly move on to the next thing. One of the fruit of the Spirit is patience. God’s timing is not always our timing. Maybe the reason you don’t hear God is because you don’t take the time to listen.
The voice of God is consistent
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (ESV)
God does not change. God is consistent. His voice remains the same. He does not go against anything he has said in the past. His promises are true. This is why the Scriptures are so important to us. We can always go back to God’s Word to hear God’s voice.
The voice of God is timely
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. Psalm 145:15 (ESV)
Sometimes we need to hear a word of conviction. Sometimes we need to hear a word of encouragement. Sometimes we need a word of wisdom. Sometimes we need a word of hope. I am always amazed at how when I avail myself to God’s Word, he always makes known exactly what I need to hear. Many times I will read something in my morning devotion which is applicable to something that happens later in the day.
God’s voice is simple
The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” Romans 10:8 (ESV)
My fear is that we make all of this more difficult that in needs to be. The problem is that we live in a complex world and we look for complex solutions. This does not need to be complex. Over-complexity will get in the way. Have you ever looked for a set of car keys that you were already holding in your hands?
The Word of God is often closer than we think. Next week we will share some simple ideas about hearing God’s voice.
Mary Spiegel says
cSatan has been my families destroyer in the realm of mental illness. I pray for a clear head to hear him and am making progress. Yoga helped me tonight and slowing down to see what is in front of me. God and I need to get closer, as I think too much of my mental illness and it’s cause. Tonight is awesome.
Mitzi Luttrull says
This article is well said. Satan is the great deceiver, the great liar. We must always focus on our Lord for He is the truth, the light and the way. I must slow down and be still more often. Maybe my busy-ness is my destroyer.
Margaret Cochran says
How happy I am to have your edovotion back on my phone! It is just SO much an answered prayer. I truly benefited from The Lenten Experience. Thanks for serving God in this way.
Margaret Cochran says
E-devotional. Sorry typo.
Margaret Cochran says
Whisper of God… <3 《♡》
Nike Kassim says
It is a blessing reading your blog and an affirmation from God that he does talk to me but I need to be still because I am reading a book by ” Hearing from God” by Charles Stanley and my Pastor Femi Monehin just finished preaching about hearing the voice of God. I just heard from God today. Thank you and God bless you. I pray for the Holy Spirit to give me patience to wait on the Lord amen.