How to Know the Voice of God

How to Hear God’s Voice

Jesus said, “My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (TLB)

It is imperative that we learn to recognize the voice of God.  Listening to Him and  being able to discern what He wants us to do and how He wants us to do it is key for our lives.  We must learn to know God’s voice.

The question is, how do we do that?  How can we know (recognize) the voice of God? It’s a huge challenge, because the world around us is filled with all kinds of voices and distractions which  can easily cause us to mistake His voice for something else. 

Most of us have very busy and hectic lives.  We have all kinds of communication filling our ears; radio, tv, internet, cell phones, people, kids, etc.  We’re surrounded by literal noise all day long, and often the messages we’re hearing directly compete with what God is trying to tell us.

So, you might expect me to say, “If you want to hear God, turn off all the noise around you”, but I’m not.   The fact is this is the world we live in.  It is filled with voices.   God never said we would not hear other voices.  He said we would not follow those voices.  (John 10:5, “They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice)

Too often we are told that in order to hear God we need to get away by ourself in some isolated place.  I have good news ,  the same God who speaks in the quiet and isolated places is also speaking to you in the middle of your busy and noisy world.  If we want to hear from God we have to learn to be able to filter out all of the noise and all of the static, and tune in to God’s voice.  I’m not saying not to take some time and get alone.  We all should look for opportunities to draw apart from our hectic schedules, but God is speaking to us in the middle of all our business.  We need to know how to hear His voice at all times.

Learning to clearly recognize God’s voice will pay you huge dividends.  It will provide the wisdom and insight we need for God’s direction and protection.  Your life will become utterly transformed by hearing the voice of God  better.  Here are 3 keys to know Gods voice better;

1)  Know Him Better.  The first thing we need to do is be a follower of Jesus.  Jesus said, “His sheep WOULD hear His voice.”   Notice He did not say they “could or might”, but they would.   So, are you one of HIs sheep?  If you don’t know Him, chances are you will not reconize His voice.  Once you know Him get to know Him better.   The better you know Him the easier it is to recognize His voice. 

I’ve known my wife for well over 40 years.   I can pick her voice out in a huge crowd.  In fact we can be in a loud and crowded event and if she even coughs I can recognize her by that cough.  Why?  I know her well.   We recognize God’s voice because we recognize Him. The better we get to know God the more clearly we will recognize His voice. To recognize the voice of God – know Him and know Him better!

2)  Know His Word Better.   God will never contradict His written Word.  He is not going to tell you one thing in the Bible and then tell you something different.  In  fact, God’s written Word is God speaking to you.   The number one way God speaks to us is through His Word.

I have people asking me all the time how they can  hear God’s voice?   I ask them if they have ever read the Bible?    The  majority of God’s will for your life is in His Word.   The better you know the Word of the God the better you will recognize His voice.

3) Know Your Heart(spirit) Better.    God speaks to us,  through our spirit.   “His spirit bears witness with our spirit.” (Romans 8:16).  God is not speaking to our flesh or even by our reason.    We need to develop our spirit so we can better recognize the voice of our own heart.   God will speak to your heart and your heart speaks (guides) you.   Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, “Guard our heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” 

Colossians 3:15 in the Amplified Bible says, “And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].  When you have peace in your heart you know it is God speaking.

When you commit to developing a deeper relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him and in His Word and then strengthen your own spirit so it can rule you by the peace of God you will “Know the Voice of God”.   You will be able to fine tune  your spiritual receiver and eliminate the static of the world around you and be able to focus in on what God is saying.

You can and should know how to hear the voice of God!