My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Joh 10:27
God is more anxious to talk to us than we are interested in listening to Him. He is always talking. We simply need to tune in and become aware of His voice. There is a process that we can take to become aware of Him speaking in our life.
1. The Word To Mind
Joh 14:26 ESV But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
The first step is to become familiar with the Bible. As you read the Bible, God will speak to you. The promise here is that the Holy Spirit in believers will bring to our mind the words that God has spoken and explain to us what it means.
Since God transcends time and space, when He speaks, His words are always in the present. You see, the Bible is a record, not of what God spoke (past) but what He is speaking (now) and what He will speak (future). When you read the Bible you are reading God’s thoughts. As you live your life, and spend time in the Bible, you will find that God’s word will begin to come to mind without you even trying to remember it.
Application – if you want to hear the voice of God
- Hear the words that God has already spoken…and recorded in His word.
- God will bring those words to you to remind you
God’s word
- Helps you judge the words that you hear God speaking to you.
- You will be able to differentiate between your subconscious mind speaking and the heart of God.
- It will help refine what you hear and know what to do with it.
2. Inner Nudge
The second step in hearing God’s voice is to become aware of Spirit of God nudging the centre of your heart. Spirit to spirit you will at times be inclined towards a certain action. That action will mirror a spiritual decision that reflects the nature of the Spirit of God in you – not your natural “spiritual” direction.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal 5:22-25 KJV
The nudge may be also a desire to operate in a spiritual way. As you become aware about how the Holy Spirit wants to give others spiritual gifts through you, you will have the inner nudge to do things like pray for sickness, offer encouragement, etc. (see 1 Corinthians 12 & 14)
1Co 14:3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
3. Internal Whisper
1Ki 19:9-13 KJV And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? (10) And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. (11) And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: (12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (13) And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
The final step is to become aware of the regular quiet voice of God in your life. God speaking to your mind through your spirit. You speaking back to Him through your spirit. You being able to distinguish His voice from any other voice. You recognizing a voice that is not from yourself. You responding in obedience and over time the impression of that voice becomes more and more distinguished.
Realize, that getting to this point may take some time (1 Samuel 3). Your spirit flows from the centre of your abdomen. As you recognize its’ flowing, you will hear God more and more.
Joh 7:38 ESV Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'”
Joh 7:38 KJV He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
How To Start?
- Get into the word
- Quiet your mind (very important)
- Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you from your heart….
- Write what you hear…(Jer 30, Hab 2:2)
- Examine what you hear…distinguish voices…
4. Words Externally
Isa 30:19-21 ESV For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. (20) And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. (21) And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.
The audible voice of God is very rare but does happen on occasion.
Factors that Determine Voice of God
1 – Obedience Level / Sin
Mic 3:5-8 ESV Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths. (6) Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. The sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be black over them; (7) the seers shall be disgraced, and the diviners put to shame; they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer from God. (8) But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
2 – Trust
Pro 11:13-14 KJV A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. (14) Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Psa 25:14 KJV The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 3:32 ESV for the devious person is an abomination to the LORD, but the upright are in his confidence.