Welcome to Day 20 of the 40Days of Return. Today, I want to answer the question on the heart of many people, ‘how do I hear God’?
It is Your Right!
Hearing God’s voice is supposed to be the right, nature, and daily experience of every born-again child of God. If you have given your life to Jesus, then you have the ability to hear God’s voice as a matter of relationship and fellowship with God. I have said it before, having a quiet time where you rush through the scripture or devotional guide without fellowshipping with God is a waste of time. And it is not possible to hear God’s voice without being in communion or fellowship with God.
Are You Listening?
The scripture says, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Romans 8:14). God still leads his own and the scripture is clear that those who enjoy God’s leading are the children of God. The scripture also says in John 10:27: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. So, let me ask you, do you really hear from God? A better way to ask that question is, do you really listen to God? The truth is God speaks always to his children, but are you listening? Are you waiting to be led?
God is very clear about his promise to lead and guide us by His Spirit. For instance, the scripture says in Psalm 32:8: I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. Romans 8:16 also says: The Spirit himself testifies (bears witness) with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Will I Hear an Audible Voice?
The question you have asked, how does God lead his children? How can you hear God’s voice? Many times people get confused about hearing God’s voice, they think they are supposed to hear an audible voice. Of course, God sometimes speaks audibly to his children but that is not his default way of speaking to his children. God is Spirit and he relates with his children spiritually.
I understand that you might have thought that when people say God just spoke to them about something and it turns out to be really true they heard God; you wonder in your heart if they actually hear God audibly. You also want to hear God but it seems you just are not spiritual enough like those who hear him.
Maybe you need to fast more or give more money in church? Maybe you need to pray more and confess more sins? Well, all of those might not be your problem. Most times, the problem is that people miss the supernatural because they are always looking for the spectacular. God still speaks and He has spoken to you today. The question is, are you listening and recognizing his voice? Are you acknowledging and accepting how he speaks to you?
God’s Primary Way of Speaking
How can you hear God’s voice? How does it speak? God speaks primarily to us by his Word and through His Holy Spirit. Of course, sometimes he speaks through visions, dreams, revelations, and angelic visits. But his primary way of communicating with us is by His Word and His Spirit.
Identifying God’s Leading in Your Life:
Let’s dive into specific ways by which God communicates his will to us, for which you should develop your ability to identify and master over time.
1. Impressions and Inner Knowing
How do we hear Him? We hear him in many ways. Sometimes God’s leading comes to us as impressions or an inner nudge. The dictionary defines impression as ‘an idea, feeling, or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought or on the basis of little evidence.’ God’s will or leading can come to you from within as an idea, feeling, or thought. It often comes from within your spirit but gets to you through your mind or emotion as a thought, idea, or consistent feeling. Impressions should be subject to time and further confirmation.
At other times, God’s leading can come as intuition or inner knowing. When you have an inner knowing, it is like having a reality or knowledge downloaded in your spirit. You have a knowledge of what to do or what to say divinely. God drops it in you and you just know what God is telling you to do or say.
2. Inner Witness or Confirmation
Sometimes, God’s leading comes as inner witness or confirmation, something within you testifies that you are getting it right or agrees with your intuition that you should not do it. The scripture says in Romans 8:16, ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
3. Inner Voice or Conversation
We also hear and receive God’s leading through an inner voice, the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is a channel that becomes clearer to us as we spend time with God. You will hear like a voice within you, in your spirit. Your spirit can hear it. This is not audible to the human ears but your spirit can clearly hear it. The voice sometimes will call your name or bring forth a scripture up in your spirit as a guide. It comes with clarity and assurance.
4. Inner Conviction or A Desire from Within
It is also possible to perceive God’s leading as a desire or a conviction. You can have a desire to buy something on your way home from work because God knows you will need that thing when you get home, even when you do not feel like buying it. You get home only to discover you need it. Yes, God speaks through our will or desire. The scripture says: for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
God’s leading can also come to us a conviction or inner peace; the conviction to do or not do something. At such times, it is wise to slow down and give it time and let God clarify things to you. A conviction is a strong belief or persuasion from within you that you have about something or a course of action to take. God will always confirm his leading when we need it.
5. Beware of Environmental Signs
God also uses physical and environmental events to get our attention or confirm his leading. But I will not encourage you to base your life decision on the outwards. I have found outward signs to be misleading and to fail many times. Devil easily hijack environmental occurrences to deceive and discourage us from obeying God and moving forward. Seek God for more understanding and clarity before making decisions based on outward signs.
Look within You!
One important thing to keep in mind as you practice listening to God is to not miss his voice by looking for something spectacular. Instead, be sensitive to the gentle nudge of the Father through his Holy Spirit within you. Be sensitive and acknowledge how he is communicating to you. He is in You!
Above all, trust his leading and trust in His love to guide and lead you into His will. Even when you are not very sure, trust that He will lead you, and guide your steps to the right and best pathway. Walking with God is a journey of 100 percent faith!
