God speaks in varied ways to each individual. He knows how we will respond and will
use whatever methods are necessary to get through to us. The three most common ways
God communicates are through prayer, the Bible, and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Also, God can use a godly mentor to provide wise counsel (Proverbs 12:15). If God
wants to speak to us, nothing can stop Him. He may use one, all, or a combination
of methods to make Himself known, but one thing remains the same: our duty is to
listen and obey.
When we are listening for God's voice, how can we know that He is
the one speaking? First of all, we have something that Gideon and Samuel did not.
We have the complete Bible, the inspired Word of God, to read, study, and meditate
on. “All Scripture is God-
We can rest assured of God’s promise: “Draw near to God, and
he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). As we pray, study Scripture, and seek to live
holily before the Lord, He will reveal His plan for us in His perfect time and in
a way we can understand.
When we question God’s timing, it is often because we are
looking for guidance or deliverance from a difficult situation. We can rest assured,
however, that our heavenly Father knows exactly where we are in our lives at every
moment. He either put us there or is allowing us to be there, all for His own perfect
purpose. In fact, God often uses trials to strengthen our patience, allowing our
Christian faith to mature and become complete (James 1:3-
Often when
we are going through a difficult or confusing time, we are unaware of how God is
guiding us. Years later it becomes very clear why God brought us through that experience
the way He did. Looking back, the hand of God can be clearly seen moving, guiding,
protecting, etc. A time of trial is rarely enjoyable. At the same time, there are
many instances where a trial or struggle is looked upon as the most meaningful spiritual
time in a person’s life. This is why James exhorts us to “consider it pure joy” (James
1:2) when we encounter various trials, because they are immensely valuable to our
spiritual lives.
If Scripture commands something of us, there’s no need to hesitate
and wonder if it’s really God’s will for us. He cares so much about us that He already
gave a plain and clear guidebook to life – the Bible. “Your Word is a lamp to my
feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). “The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving
the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm
19:7). “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word”
(Psalm 119:9). Likewise, God never contradicts Himself, so He’ll never ask you to
something contradictory to Scripture. He will never ask you to sin. He will never
ask you to do something Jesus Christ wouldn’t do. We need to immerse ourselves in
the Bible, so we will know which actions meet God’s standards. “Do not let this Book
of the Law depart from your mouth: meditate on it day and night, so that you may
be careful to do everything that is written in it” (Joshua 1:8).
We should be so familiar
with God’s Word that when God does speak to us or lead us, it is clear that it is
God. God speaks to us so that we may understand truth. While God can speak audibly
to people, He speaks primarily through His Word, and sometimes through the Holy Spirit
to our consciences, through circumstances, and through other people. By applying
what we hear to the truth of Scripture, we can learn to recognize His voice
God does
not want us to fail. The more we listen to God, the better able we will be at distinguishing
His voice from the other noises in our heads. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gives His
promise: “He goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his
voice” (John 10:4). Others may speak, “but the sheep [do] not listen to them” (verse
8). The better we know our Shepherd, the less we have to worry about heeding the
wrong voice.
It is less important how God speaks to us than what we do with what He
says. God speaks most clearly to us in this day through His Word. The more we learn
it, the more ready we will be to recognize His voice when He speaks, and the more
likely we are to obey what we hear.
Finally, we must always keep in mind that God’s
ultimate goal for His children is not our comfort, but the transformation of our
minds into the attitude of godliness. He wants us to grow spiritually, to become
like Christ. This doesn’t mean losing our personalities or becoming mindless clones.
Christlikeness is all about transforming our minds. Again, Paul tells us, “Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
By Dr. Michael Cochran
My Sheep Hear My Voice
