This topic is ever so common in the lives of those who genuinely want to please God. Christians consistently find themselves in situations where they desperately want to know what direction God wants them to take. What decision does He want them to make?
How to hear God’s voice is a topic of concern for many.
Maybe you’re trying to make a career decision. Perhaps you are young and need to decide about your career, a job, or a school of some kind. Or, maybe you’re older and simply want to discern God’s voice with clarity about decisions you’re making in middle age or retirement.
A lot of us struggle too much and worry far too much that we will not hear the voice of God- or that we will not understand the voice of God.
So, I don’t write this as a master class in hearing God’s voice. I’m not sure who qualifies to teach that anyway. However, I do have enough life and ministry behind me that maybe I can offer a few nuggets of truth to help us as we learn how to hear God’s voice.
However, as we go along, remember this – God is not trying to “hide” His will from us.
He doesn’t speak in some deep spiritual code that only the spiritual giants of the world can hear. As we engage in a relationship with Jesus we can hear from God and learn to recognize God’s voice when He speaks.
The Importance of Hearing God’s Voice
Let’s recognize right away that this is not some side topic or throw-away question. Our most important relationship in life is with our God. Our relationship with Jesus Christ should come before all others because if we truly hear and obey Him, then all of our other relationships will be better as well.
However, we must listen. Suppose we spend quite a bit of time talking to God. We might give Him prayers of praise and thanksgiving. We will definitely give Him our requests and ask for Him to work in situations in our everyday lives.
But, what if we never listen closely enough to hear what God is saying to us? Does that really indicate a healthy relationship?
What if you had lunch with your best friend almost every day? What if you talked and talked to them, shared your life, and asked them questions, but you never heard them respond?
Unless there was some kind of physical or emotional problem with that person, you certainly couldn’t consider that as being a good friendship. For a relationship to be healthy you need to be able to communicate with each other. Speaking and hearing are both necessary for a good relationship.
What Does God’s Voice Sound Like?
We’re not talking about hearing God speak in an audible voice. Occasionally, God spoke that way in the Bible to a number of people in the Old Testament and New Testament. And, although God speaks to us today, I have never heard God speak to me out loud – in an audible voice.
He certainly can if He wants to, but normally that’s not the case for most believers. God speaks to us in many other ways, but if you’re waiting on His audible voice, you’re probably going to miss what He is actually saying in your life right now.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27
So, if I’m one of God’s sheep and His sheep hear his voice, then HOW do I know if I’m hearing God or not? How do I know it’s the voice of God I’m hearing? How do I know that it’s not just my own thoughts that I’m hearing?
Is that thought scary to you? How do you know that what you thought was God’s voice wasn’t something that you just thought up on your own? Worse, what if you make a decision based on your own thoughts rather than God’s thoughts?
Wow… do you see how we could get ourselves in a panic about learning how to hear God’s voice? Some people worry incessantly about that. But, let’s not make it a source of anxiety. Does God want us to clearly hear him? Certainly. Does he want us to be so stressed about it that we can’t even think clearly? No.
However, He does want us to be serious about learning to identify when He is speaking to us in our spirit, through circumstances, and through others. Why? It’s because there are so many voices and noises in this world trying to grab our attention. We are surrounded by influential sources that are not of God. There are many sources in the world promoting things that will harm or ruin our lives.
There are things that come along that seem right and good on the surface but can lead to bad consequences if we are not obedient to God.
“There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”
Proverbs 14:12
Oh, wow. Does this seem harder than it should be?
It doesn’t have to be that way. God doesn’t want it that way for us. If we don’t hear Him well, it’s not because our Heavenly Father doesn’t want us to hear from Him. It’s not because the Holy Spirit has taken a vacation. He is very near.
As Christians, the Holy Spirit lives in us. So to hear God speaking doesn’t mean that we need to change our location and go out into nature or up on a mountain (although those things can encourage us sometimes).
God wants to speak to us in several ways and we can learn how to hear God’s voice and be confident that we have heard God’s voice. So, how can that happen? What else can we do to learn how to hear God’s voice?
How To Know When God Speaks
Let’s take a look at some ways – or some filters – that can help us recognize how to hear God’s voice and be confident that it’s God speaking.
1- How To Hear God’s Voice – The Written Word of God
Even in times when we aren’t confident that we are discerning and listening to the Holy Spirit well, there is something in which we can always be confident. That is the Bible – God’s word. When we are spending time in the word of God and regularly applying it to our daily lives some of the questions and decisions of life are solved before we even need to ask God the question!
If you have a situation in which you are trying to hear God, and a thought or idea comes to you that violates God’s written word, then guess what? It wasn’t from God. Obviously, if you have an idea come into your mind that involves cheating, stealing, dishonesty, etc., how could you say that was from God? Well, honestly, you couldn’t.
So, if you think that you hear God giving you a solution to a problem that includes you engaging in some type of violation of God’s word, then it’s not God talking. Take that one off the table.
2- How To Hear God’s Voice: Seek God’s Wisdom
We ultimately need God’s wisdom to make proper decisions in life. Jesus desires the type of personal relationship with us in which we worship Him, have fellowship with Him, and bring our needs to Him.
Rather than us trying to guess about God’s will, He wants us to pray and depend on Him for wisdom. God actually instructs us to ask Him for His wisdom and to listen to and obey Him concerning particular decisions.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:5
In the 1990s many groups of young Christians wore the WWJD bracelets meaning “What Would Jesus Do” And some form of that question is certainly not bad to ask when trying to determine if we have heard God’s voice.
When you have an idea or solution that you think might be from God, you may well ask “What would Jesus Do?’ “Would Jesus Do That?” “Would Jesus Say That?” Would He take the action that came into your mind?
Jesus will only ask us to do things that are wise. So, if you have thoughts that are truly unwise, they’re not from God.
Look at what James, thought to be the half-brother of Jesus, had to say in the book of James.
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”
James 3:13-18 (NLT)
That’s a remarkable passage of scripture that reveals so much about how you can know that if you “hear” something from God. If it involves sinful things such as selfish ambition and jealousy you can know that the idea is not from Jesus. Ask yourself, is the idea merciful? Is it born out of peace-loving and gentleness? Does it seek to harm others or get even with someone?
Jesus is not going to ask you to do things that are in violation of His word found in the Bible.
3- How To Hear God’s Voice? Listen to Other Believers
The book of Proverbs in the Old Testament says this:
“Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.”
Proverbs 15:22
This point is an important one. However, we need to exercise caution. If we have a solution, an answer, or an idea that we think might be from God, it can be very beneficial to talk to other Christians about it. However, it should be people who walk with God and those who you genuinely trust.
I hope you have several people in your life who are like that – people who can look past your personal preferences and biases and try to see the picture from God’s perspective.
On the other hand, if you know the town blabbermouth who spouts off their opinion to everyone about everything, they probably shouldn’t be on this list of people!
When you are seeking a word from God or to clarify something that you think might be from God, share it with trusted people around you. Share it with those who will pray with you about the situation and will speak the truth to you.
Depending on the topic, you may need to share it with several spiritually-minded friends and quite possibly your pastor. In many cases, other voices of spiritually minded believers can help us identify if we really have heard God’s voice.
4- Hearing God’s Voice: Through Circumstances
The various circumstances that God allows into our lives are not always indicators of what God is saying to us… but they can be.
For instance, maybe we find ourselves in situations where finances are tight or maybe we are having trouble paying our bills. So, those circumstances would probably dictate that we not go out and buy a new BMW. Right?
When Jesus gave His disciples instructions about where to stay or leave when they were doing ministry. they didn’t have to get, alone, fast, pray, and beg God to give them spiritual insight about it.
He simply told them if the people of the town embraced them and the message of God, they should stay and minister there. If the town wasn’t receptive to the message they should move on. That’s a case where God allowed them to be dependent on circumstances.
Maybe you have a request to God concerning a new job or a school you want to attend. He might just open up a door wide enough to drive a truck through with big signs waving “this way to God’s will!” Well, probably not, but sometimes He seems to make the decision-making process more clear than at other times.
On the other side of the coin, He might put you in a circumstance that initially seems unfavorable for you to choose. Does that mean that the answer to your request is a “no?” Not necessarily.
At times God may allow you to face huge obstacles to overcome in order for you to achieve your goal. That’s when you will need to be in serious prayer and trust God and others to help make the decision to go or not go for the goal that you have in mind.
He may provide for you and speak to you about the situation in other ways. That’s why it’s good to use several methods when you’re trying to hear from God about a particular subject.
5- How To Hear God’s Voice: Convicting vs Condemning?
When you are sincerely trying to live your life trusting God and listening to His voice you should hear encouragement.
If most of what you hear in your heart and soul in general is negative or condemning- with very little encouragement – then something may need to be reprogrammed. God doesn’t constantly bring words of condemnation to His children.
Okay, so don’t hear me say that God doesn’t convict us of sin. He does so and asks us to turn away from those. However, if we are genuinely seeking Him and loving Him we are going to hear encouragement from God if we listen.
Allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of how much God loves you, and how much he wants to have a real relationship with you. If you are a Christian, you are not condemned!
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1
God’s not going to condemn us with His words. If we truly listen to Him, we will hear encouragement. So, yes- God may have to bring some things to your attention that are unpleasant.
However, if you are truly a child of God and judgment and condemning thoughts are what you consistently hear about who you are, then chances are you may not be truly hearing God.
6- How To Hear God’s Voice: Rely On The Holy Spirit
Christians also need to focus on the fact that God is not far, far away in some distant galaxy! No, we don’t even have to drive over to the next city to meet Him. He is within us in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
John 14:26
This is one reason why personal spiritual growth is so important. God tells us things through the Holy Spirit (and remember, the Holy Spirit is God also)! When we spend time with the Lord in God’s word, speaking to God, and, more importantly, listening to God then something supernatural begins to happen.
Know that He loves you, practice communion with Him, and know that you are His beloved.
7- How To Hear God’s Voice: Having The Mind of Christ
Something supernatural happens? Yes. As we spend more and more time in His word and in a relationship with Him, the more His thoughts start to become our thoughts. Our minds and our thoughts begin to be transformed so that we will better hear and understand the things of God.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2
Just know that we can come confidently to God and ask Him for anything that we need or any answer to any question. He may not always answer in the way we want or on our timetable, but we have access to Him.
Here is a great verse that gives me comfort when I think about calling on Jesus for anything that I need.
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:16
Hearing God and Obeying God Can Cause “Earthly” Struggles
I’m not sure I can end this post without saying this. Sometimes when you hear from God and take action on what He says, it may offend someone or cause difficulty in some way even if you heard God correctly.
God will never, ever ask us to do anything wrong, but that doesn’t mean that other people, even other believers, will understand or agree.
Even in a church setting – among other Christians – we know how many viewpoints there can be about any given topic. So, every decision you make will not please everyone. However, we do want it to please God.
I faced a situation not long ago in which I was frustrated about something and asked God to take care of it. It doesn’t always happen like that but I had almost an immediate thought about the issue that was brief, and simple, and I couldn’t shake it. The thought stuck in my mind and I couldn’t get away from it. Although it’s not always the case, that can be a signal from God.
Well, I believed that the thought might be from God. So, I shared it with some Christian friends, including my wife.
My wife was in full agreement and we eventually made the decision to follow through with what I thought God had spoken. We made a decision according to what we believed God had said.
But, even though we strongly believed it was God’s will and the right thing to do, there were some who didn’t agree with us, were offended, and even angered by our decision.
We totally believe that we made the right choice and have peace about the decision until this day. However, it offended a few people.
The truth of the matter is that if you make decisions that are good, just, and God-honoring there is a big chance that you will offend someone and you might even have a breach in one or more of your personal relationships.
We have to be able to respond to those people in love while standing on the truth of what God has told us to do.
But if you made that decision with God’s direction, using all the truth at your disposal, with the word of God as your fundamental resource, then you can lay your head down at night knowing that you tried your best to obey God.
Will we miss it sometimes? Yes. We are still on a fallen planet with imperfect human bodies with reasoning and choosing abilities that aren’t perfected.
In learning how to hear God’s voice, I also recommend this personal and thorough article by Tiffany Nicole from LavendarVines.com.
Conclusion
Learning how to hear God’s voice well is a process. Understanding our identity in Christ, how much He loves us, and spending time in prayer and in His word are definitely part of the process of learning to recognize His voice.
We should take seriously our relationship with Him and nourish it in a greater manner than we would any other relationship. He is life and we want to know what He has to say to us.
God bless you as you engage in a dynamic relationship with your Creator!
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