How Do We Know God's Voice?

          The biggest roadblock to hearing God’s voice, is not knowing how to recognize that it is Him, through the Holy Spirit, speaking to us. We all have our own thoughts and ideas in our head. How can we tell if that is our idea or God’s idea? Although the enemy of our soul can never live in us, if we have the Holy Spirit living in us, he can certainly tempt us in our minds. He is the one tempting, condemning, telling us to go against God’s Word, or do the things we know we shouldn’t do. So, how can we determine whose voice it is?

          Pricilla Shirer in her excellent book, Discerning the Voice of God, says five things characterize God’s voice.

God’s voice is:

1.     Persistent. Just like in the book of 1Samuel when God’s voice persistently called young Samuel, God is persistent when He has something for us. When we have a thought that won’t go away, we should consider if that is God trying to tell us something. Shirer says, “God persistently calls me in an attempt to turn my ears and actions in His direction.

2.      Personal. Isaiah 45:3 “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.” Isn’t it great that the Holy Spirit leads us personally and individually?

3.     Peaceful. James 3:17 says, “The wisdom that comes from heaven 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 good deeds.” We know it is God because God’s voice and His Word lead us to peaceable relationships with others.

4.     Verifiable. Anything God’s Spirit reveals to you will always match up with what the Bible says. Scripture provides the boundaries into which all of God’s fresh words will fall, even those words concerning our everyday life.

5.     Authoritative. The voice of the Holy Spirit has an authority that can only come from God. Your own conscience will justify and rationalize, but God’s voice comes with such force and weight that it makes a firm impact on our human conscience.

          Have you had a persistent thought that is personal to you and lines up with what the Bible says? Will it bring peace to a relationship? Does it have authority to it, not your own rationalization?

          Sit down with your Bible and as you read, pray and ask God if that thought is Him speaking to you.

“Those who do not believe God speaks specifically will simply ignore or explain away the times when God communicates with them. However, those who spend each day in the profound awareness that God does speak are in a wonderful position to receive His Word.” Henry Blackaby

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If you have heard a specific word from God recently, we would love 
for you to share it with us in the comments below.

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