Hearing God’s Voice

There are many stories in the Bible that tell how God spoke to people in unusual and even spectacular ways. However, today God speaks to us differently. He speaks to us in a still, small voice, which is heard within our hearts through the channel of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, there are times when our hearts are cluttered with the cares of this world, and we cannot identify His voice. However, He is constantly speaking to us, in an effort to give us wisdom and guidance.

The Holy Spirit, also known as the Comforter, lives on the inside of us, making it possible for us to receive messages in our spirits. In John 14:26, Jesus described the role of the Holy Spirit:

“But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in my place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall—will remind you of, bring to your remembrance— everything I have told you” (The Amplified Bible).

When we yield to the Holy Spirit, He gives us wisdom, guidance, and direction. He also brings to our remembrance God’s written Word that we have stored in our hearts. This is why it is important that we read and study the Bible. When we do, His Word is planted in our hearts and made available to us when we need it.

If we are not knowledgeable of God’s Word, we can easily be deceived, and ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit. I have often heard people say they didn’t act on something the Holy Spirit told them to do because they felt it was just a hunch. Or, how many times have we heard people say, “Something told me”?  Well, that “something” was the Holy Spirit speaking to them. He is not a feeling or a “something” but an actual person living on the inside of us. And He can speak a Word that can save our lives! It is crucial that we learn to recognize His voice.

Early in my ministry, I received a revelation about hearing from God, which taught me how to more easily decipher between God’s voice, Satan’s voice, and my own.

He gave me these five safeguards:

What you hear will go against the reasoning and rationalization of the world (or society).
It will require faith.
It will require courage.
It will line up with God’s written Word.
It will bring peace.
For more than 20 years, I have been using these safeguards to be sure I have heard from God.

In contrast, if what you hear brings confusion, condemnation, worry, doubt, fear, or any other negative emotion, it didn’t come from God. It either came from your own inner voice or from Satan.

Keep in mind that God has proven in His Word that He wants to communicate with us so that He can lead us to our divine destination. This is why—and I cannot emphasize this enough—we must read and study His Word so we can recognize His still small voice.

Whose voice are you listening to? I pray it is the voice of the Holy Spirit.

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