How to Hear the Voice of God
God speaks to His children but at times we struggle with hearing His voice. God wants to guide us in our lives. We need His guidance. But how do we understand His voice so we may follow Him? To recognize and become attuned to the voice of God, it begins by applying God’s word, seeking His voice, and expecting to hear from Him.
Apply God’s Word
James 1:19 Wherefore my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only deceiving your own selves.
Psalm 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a lamp unto my path.
When you hear and apply God’s word you increasingly become sensitive to his voice. God will illuminate the word in your spirit. The entrance of God’s word gives light and understanding (Psalm 119:130). And, the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him (Psalm 25:14). The fear of the lord is to keep his commandments.
Use the word of God to determine decisions that must be made in life. The word of God should be the litmus test for every decision that is made. Obey God’s word concerning your daily habits, family life, career, ministry, finances, and you will increasingly become sensitive to the voice of God.
When you hear and apply God’s word you increasingly become sensitive to his voice.
Seek His Voice
Proverbs 2:3, 6 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which though knoweth not.
Seek the voice of God before you make any life decision. If you seek the voice of God concerning the decisions that you need to make, He will reveal His plan to you.
Expect to Hear
God is always Speaking
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day
With every act, God speaks. Adam and Eve would hear the voice of God walking. God’s very steps uttered His voice. This is because before God acts, He speaks. Or rather, He performs His word. Therefore, expect to hear from God as you seek Him; He speaks as He works in your life.
Job 33:14-15 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of th night when deep sleep falleth upon men, in the slumberings upon the bed.
God will speak to you in a variety of ways. It may be in a vision or dream. He may give you a sense of peace in a certain direction. Or the Lord may give you a prophetic word. Expect to hear from God.
With every act, God speaks.
His Sheep Hear His Voice
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.
All born again believers are sheep in God’s pasture. He is our shepherd and so we should hear his voice. Expect God our Shepherd to lead you in the path of righteousness.
Sons of God are Led by His Spirit
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God.
Here is another confirmation that you should expect to hear from God. All of God’s children are led by the Spirit of God. If you are not led by God’s Spirit, you are not one of His children. God is leading you, listen for His voice.
The Anointing Abides in You
I John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Don’t wait for someone, expect to hear from God. The anointing in you will teach you and lead you into truth.
God Reveals the Hidden Things to us by His Spirit
I Corinthians 2:9-11…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard…But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; …..The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
His Spirit reveals to us the blessings that we have in Christ Jesus.
His Spirit Bears Witness with Our Spirit
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God
The Holy Spirit gives us the inner confidence that we are the children of God.
Your Steps are Ordered
Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord
Through Christ we have been made righteous. The steps of good men are ordered by God. God will set the course of your life. Listen to His voice and follow Him.
All these promises of God tell us that we should expect to hear from God. God speaking to His children is the norm, not the exception. Since you are his sheep, since you have His Spirit, since he orders our steps, then with confidence anticipate that God will speak to you.
Follow the Spirit
As you expect to hear from God, He will speak to you by His Spirit. Follow and obey the leading of the Spirit. Whatever the Spirit leads you to do, do it quickly. I Thessalonians 5:19 says, quench not the Spirit. Do not water down the prompting of His Spirit. Instead, follow His voice.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Receive Prophetic Utterances and Revelations
I Thessalonians 5:20 Despise not prophesying.
God may use a prophet or just a faithful believer to give you a message that can give you clarity in your situation. When God speaks to you through a proven prophet, or a faithful believer, do not despise it. Receive it.
2 Chronicles 20:20 Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Look for Confirmations
2 Corinthians 13:1...Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established.
God often confirms His word. In whatever form God may speak to you, He will often confirm his message to you. Once as a revelation lines up with God’s word, you can ensure that you are hearing from God when the message is repeated in different means. God will speak more than once perhaps in a dream, vision, or by the Holy Spirit (Job 33:13-14). He may confirm the word through counsel from a true servant of God (Proverbs 11:14), or through a sermon or prophecy spoken in a church service.
Test and Act
I John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Once as you believe the Lord has spoken to you, then test the message that you have heard, and act on the message.
To test the revelation, answer the following questions:
· Does it agree with the Bible?
· Has it been confirmed?
· Does it glorify Jesus for who He is? (I John 4:2)
· Is the source credible?
You may have had a dream because of something that is on your minds such as a movie, a personal desire, or just your activities through the day. These are causative dreams. Any message that seems to come from someone who is dead is not of God. If the source of the message is from someone who is living an ungodly life, then reject it. Test the credibility of the message that you are receiving.
· Does it give peace? A sense of Assurance?
I Thessalonians 5:21-22 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22Abstain from all appearance of evil.
When you obey God’s word by testing the revelation, He will be faithful in speaking to you. Test all things. Act on what is good. And avoid what seems evil.
God will speak to you on a personal level with prophetic revelation and insight. By faithfully seeking after God, and becoming familiar with His voice through the Bible, and the leading of His Spirit you will grow more sensitive to His voice. Begin expecting to hear God’s voice as you commit yourself to knowing and seeking after him.
