God Almighty is a Father, not like some fathers in the world, but a Father who delights in doing you good. He is described as the Double-Breasted One, the Abba Father. He has a close, loving, and trusting relationship with His children. This denotes an affectionate intimacy with respectful obedience, representing a profound confidence in Him as tender yet authoritative.
It is His utmost desire to communicate with you at all times. He wants you to know Him and hear His voice. It gives Him joy when His children hear His voice and obey. In John 10:1–5, Jesus was teaching and said:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”
It is your responsibility as His sheep to identify His voice and follow Him.
There are many voices that speak, so it is important that you are able to identify His voice. Apart from God speaking, the devil and his agents also speak. Your own voice speaks, and other human beings also speak to you. In fact, situations and circumstances also speak. To recognize the voice of God takes practice. It is continuous, and you grow from one stage to another.
Below are some of the ways God speaks to us:
1. Through His Word
2. Through dreams
3. Through visions
4. Through prophets and other spiritual fathers
5. Directly to you in an audible voice
6. Through inner nudging
7. During prayer and other spiritual exercises
8. Through situations surrounding you, and so on
Now, the extent of your relationship with Him will determine how He speaks to you.
Hearing and recognizing His voice is progressive. His desire is that you hear Him yourself. In Ephesians 4:7–14, with special emphasis on verses 11–14:
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
No communication from God will contradict His Word. This is very important. To gain assurance that it is God speaking to you:
1. There must be confirmation in His Word. Any prophecy or word that does not have a basis in the Word of God needs to be examined thoroughly.
2. There may be confirmation from other sources, other people, situations, etc. The Bible says, “Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed” (Deuteronomy 17:6).
3. There is a peace that floods your heart when it is God, a peace that surpasses all understanding.
4. The devil also speaks and disguises himself as an angel of light. He may start with a word from the Bible to get your attention, but you need discernment to know, he may remove a part or introduced a lie. Therefore, you must master the voice of God and study His Word deeply so that you are not deceived. This must be done deliberately, as the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:25–27 and 2 Timothy 2:5.
5. It starts with small directives and instructions, and as you obey, you grow.
6. If you truly desire this, you can ask for His help. However, understand that your idea of help may differ from God’s. He may ask you to cut out certain things and take on others. Obey Him completely. You are on a journey that can only lead to your best life yet.
There is absolutely nothing that God cannot speak to you about if you have truly engaged in the process of growth.
Hearing God will save and keep you from diverse headaches and destructions. Purpose to hear His opinion on all things. Determine to obey that still, small voice.
He knows everything. He knows your end from your beginning. He knows every obstacle on your path, even if the road appears like a smooth six-lane expressway. He alone knows the wickedness in the heart of man, even when that person declares love with their mouth. The hidden agenda in man’s heart is clear to Him.
Have you been tossed to and fro? Has life or relationships become like a generational cycle of failure? Has all your effort felt like hitting a rock every time? Then lay aside all distractions and seek to know His voice.
God speaks at all times. He is not a talkative, but He speaks through diverse ways and means. Even the silence of God is speech. When it seems He is silent, He is still speaking.
Develop the habit of hearing Him, not only when you need something. He also has desires, even though He is God. Your fellowship with Him should not be based only on your needs. The Bible refers to Abraham as God’s friend. Do you think the word “friend” would have been used if Abraham approached God only to ask for a child every time? He related with God.
There is always a way that seems right to man. Ask Lot in Genesis 13:7–18 what followed is history. Yes, the grass may look greener on the other side, but it may be artificial turf that heats up when the sun rises.
When you become accustomed to His voice, you will not make unnecessary haste that leads to destruction. When He says move, you move. When He says stay, you stay. When you cannot hear His voice, do not take a step or make decisions.
He may lead you through rough paths, but be assured that the end of it will be for your good.
SHALOM.