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Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left (Isaiah 30:21, NLT).
Hearing God’s voice is a basic right of all believers. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice: I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
I’ve heard believers say, “The Lord spoke to me.” And I’ve also listened to a significant number of believers who ask, “Why doesn’t the Lord speak to me clearly?” Then a third category, when someone says, “The Lord said…” and it’s obvious they had not heard the Lord.
Which category describes you?
A. “The Lord said,” B. “I wish the Lord said,” or C. “I thought, but I didn’t.”
I’ve experienced all three, and, as I’ve learned to hear God’s voice, I’ve noticed that the Lord often breaks into my nice, peaceful days with a faith-stretching request, then says nothing when I cry out for help during what I think are crucial moments.
Below are three things that I’ve learned about the voice of God.
- Expect it!
The Greek word for disciple is “mathetes,” which literally means “to listen and learn.” Jesus often said this common “after phrase” upon completing a parable, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It could easily be concluded that the most important lesson that Jesus taught His disciples was, “Follow me!”
Jesus still says to us today, “Learn to hear my voice.”
- Know the difference between hearing and just listening.
To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the Lord. They don’t want to listen at all (Jeremiah 6:10).
Those who hear know it’s God and obey.
The Israelites had the Old Testament Scriptures and prophets; they were listening but not hearing. Saints throughout history have held the principle that hearing often requires obedience. Paul writes, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” And James writes, “How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without works is useless?”
Are we just listening or hearing Words that activate our faith to obedience?
- Make it a priority!
Hearing God’s voice is an art that requires discipline.
Those best attuned to hearing God’s voice have a practiced ear honed by Biblical memorization, disciplined daily prayer, clean relationships, and testimonies of following into and thriving in the difficult spaces of God’s will.
God has warned me many times to avoid certain situations. I was blessed when I did and troubled when I didn’t, learning more fully about God’s grace in both victory and defeat. But why live in constant defeat? Let’s learn to listen to God’s voice.
Expect! Hear! Our priorities as disciples.
Yes and Amen