Can you Hear It?
Can You Hear It?
Only crazy people claim to hear God’s voice.
I never hear God’s voice so it must not be a real thing.
It’s impossible to tell the difference between my voice and God’s voice.
The last time I obeyed what I thought was God’s voice, everything went wrong – not going there again.
God doesn’t speak to people now that we have the Bible.
Ever hear any of these statements? Ever think any of them?
We all have.
They are reasonable conclusions in the face of the reality that hearing God’s voice can feel elusive. Mystic. Even Dangerous. The modern mindset is not comfortable with uncertainty. It messes with our illusion that we are in control, solely responsible for the outcomes of our own lives, and can (or at least should) successfully handle everything that comes our way.
But if we say we believe in God and what His Word says, there’s a problem with our reasoning. The Bible only talks about hearing God’s voice as if it is a given. A fact. And that if we are His followers, hearing it is necessary to make it through life on earth.
- “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:3-4 NIV
- “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 ESV
- “I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people…” Psalm 85:8 NLT
- “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 NIV
- “Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.” Isaiah 58:9 NLT
- “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.” John 14:26 ESV
- “Your own ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:21NLT
- “…But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.” 1 John 2:27 NIV
In addition to these verses, there are also many, many other passages throughout the Old and New Testament that offer examples of times God spoke to people.
Even though we can be assured from Scripture that God does speak to His people, there are lots of reasons we still struggle to hear Him. These may include fear of what He might say, medicating pain, unresolved sin, noisy (distracted) lives, unforgiveness/grudges, turning to human reasoning first (or instead), distrust, and even not obeying the last thing He has spoken.
However, one of the biggest reasons is that God speaks with a “still, small voice.” And it takes on different forms. This can feel frustrating. But imagine a loud, booming voice from the sky directing our every step and laying out everything the Creator God of the Universe knows about what is best in every single situation. Because of the power differential between God and us, our ability to choose anything would feel overridden, leaving us with a dictatorship. This would not inspire the kind of love relationship God had in mind for us to experience with Him when He created humanity. Love requires choice. So does genuine obedience.
The Bible reveals that while God is always speaking, “having ears to hear” Him is a heart posture. This is what a heart ready to listen looks like…
- Its Motives For Wanting To Hear God’s Voice Are Pure
Christianity is a relationship with God. When we seek to hear His voice simply to feel better, ease uncertainty, feed an addiction to spiritual revelation and excitement, avoid failure, or be successful, we are missing the purpose of His desire to communicate with us. But when we long to know His thoughts and please Him with our lives as a way of engaging in intimate relationship with Him, we are in alignment with His purpose for conversation, and we can rightfully expect to hear His precious voice.
(Matthew 22:37-40; John 15:5; Exodus 20:3; Jeremiah 3:6; Matthew 7:23)
- It Desperately Craves To Hear The Healing Truth God Reveals To The Point Of Arranging One’s Life Around Opportunities To Do So
Just like the background noise of cars driving by, the ticking of the clock, and the humming of the refrigerator, God’s voice can become something we don’t even notice if we are not intentional about listening for it. But when we rearrange our schedules around times to connect with God, tune out all other noises, give up idols and sins that are lying to us, and ensure our hearts are always “on-call” to hear His voice, it starts standing out in all its various forms.
(Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 1:2; Acts 2:42; Matthew 13:23; 1 Samuel 3:9-10; Matthew 6:33; Deuteronomy 6:5; Proverbs 4:23)
- It Can Discern What God’s Voice Does And Does Not Sound Like
In his helpful teachings on hearing God’s voice, Vlad Savchuck talks about how being able to distinguish the difference between God and Satan’s voices is much like *learning to discern regional accents. The following list is his way of explaining God and Satan’s differing “accents”:
- God’s voice will calm you, but the Devil’s voice will obsess you.
- God’s voice will comfort you, but the Devil’s voice will worry you.
- God’s voice will convict you, but the Devil’s voice will condemn you.
- God’s voice will encourage you (not affirm sin or positive attributes we do not truly possess), but the Devil’s voice will discourage you.
- God’s voice will enlighten you, but the Devil’s voice will confuse you.
- God’s voice will lead you, but the Devil’s voice will push you.
- God’s voice will reassure you (give peace), but the Devil’s voice will frighten (scare) you.
- God’s voice will still you, but the Devil’s voice will rush you.
Vlad also points out that God’s voice will always…
- Agree with God’s Word (Scripture)
- Produce faith and hope in God and His goodness and rightness
- Will draw you to obedience to God
We will make mistakes in the process of learning the differences. But if we do not get discouraged by this, failures will serve to help us discern more accurately.
(John 10:5; John 10:10; John 8:44)
- It Is Obedient
What is the greatest sign of a profound, unreserved, relational trust in God? And delight in hearing His voice? Obedience. Even when it doesn’t make sense or costs something. When through our experiences with God we become convinced that His heart is only good (Psalm 145:17)), His ways truly are better than any human ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), He does not tempt us to do anything wrong or harmful (James 1:13), and He is the only giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:16-17), we develop a state of mind where obedience is no longer scary, threatening, or an imposition on our will. Whatever He speaks or asks us to do becomes the genuine desire of our hearts.
(James 1:22-25; John 14:15; Hebrews 3:7-15; Luke 11:38; Exodus 19:5; Acts 5:29; 1 Samuel 15:22; Deuteronomy 13:4; Jeremiah 7:23; John 14:21)
God’s voice is calling.
Can you hear it?