One of the most important things you must learn as a Christian is how to hear the voice of God. Without His voice, you cannot be led by Him, and without His leading, you will never fulfill His plan for your life.
Many struggle in this area. They wonder whether it is God speaking, their own thoughts, or the enemy. But Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” You can hear Him. But it doesn’t happen automatically — it takes spiritual preparation.
First, God always speaks in line with His Word. The Bible is your safeguard. The devil will try to imitate God’s voice, and your flesh will speak as well. But if what you hear contradicts the Word of God, it is not Him. Many have shipwrecked their lives because they followed voices that drew them away from sound doctrine.
Spiritual hearing develops over time. You must train your spirit by spending time in the Word and in prayer. The more time you spend with God, the clearer His voice will become. The less time you spend, the harder it will be to hear Him.
You cannot live in the noise of this world and expect to hear God clearly. Many are too busy — always talking, always moving, always distracted. But the Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” You must set aside time to pray, to feed on the Word, and to wait quietly in His presence. Many miss this and wonder why they hear so little.
God often leads through the inward witness — a knowing in your spirit. He also speaks through the inward voice of your own spirit and at times through the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. But none of these will ever contradict the Word of God. And something else—Do not seek voices. Seek God. When you chase after voices, you open yourself up to deception. Stay grounded in the Word. Stay in prayer. Stay in fellowship with the Lord. If you do, He will speak — but on His terms, not yours.
One of the greatest helps is praying much in other tongues. It builds you up spiritually and makes you more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Many of the clearest leadings I have received came after extended times of praying in the Spirit. Obedience is also key. If you ignore the small promptings, you will not hear greater direction. Disobedience dulls your hearing. The way back is simple: repent, obey, and your spiritual hearing will clear up again.
Guard your heart. Bitterness, unforgiveness, and sin will cloud your spiritual perception. Keep your heart pure. Walk in love. Stay close to God. Don’t give up and give into any lies that say you can’t hear the Lord. He wants to speak to you, but you have to be in a position to hear. God is with us!
