Hearing God’s Voice
Hearing God’s voice is an enterprise experienced by all, sought by many and recognized by few.
Now I know that probably sounds crazy right? Let me explain – Read on!
Hearing God’s Voice
Scripture speaks of God’s voice as being a still small voice. As such many people never recognize it or “hear” it even while they listen for it.
I would like to propose that we are hearing God’s voice whether we acknowledge it or not. Hearing is as simple as listening – or having ears to hear as scripture teaches. We may ignore God’s voice, “turn it off”, tune it out – it’s all pretty much the same thing. The end result is we feel a disconnect with God and a lack of peace in our souls.
Listening is the obvious path to hearing God’s voice. The problem is that we have to learn how to listen, discover what we’re listening for and then practice. All this takes time and a little sorting out. If what you’ve been listening for and the way you’ve been listening isn’t bringing you results then it’s time to look at some other options.
One of the main reasons people have difficulty with hearing the voice of God is because they expect to hear in a specific way. If they don’t hear God speak in that way, they assume God is not speaking to them.
God never ceases to speak. His voice can always be heard.
As Jesus said “He that hath ears to hear let him hear”. So what are “ears to hear”?
Ears to hear are the ears of the heart that is loving and seeking God. A heart that delights in God’s presence. Ears of the heart understand that God’s voice is seldom understood as an audible sound but as a flow of thoughts that arise with no effort put forth from the mind.
Jesus said “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38 (KJV)
When you’re heart is in tune to the flow of living water you’re hearing God’s voice. It’s as if you’re plugged into the current source. You’re not generating electricity yourself – you simply “plug in” and allow it to flow through you.
Once you realize that God’s voice may actually be that still small voice you’ve been trying to quench, that little voice that “interrupts” your prayers, those little nudges you usually ignore – you will become more aware of how often that still small voice speaks to you.
What does this mean? It means that God has been speaking to you all along and you’ve been asking Him to stop!
Now that you know better you can allow yourself to listen to that flow of thoughts. By paying attention you may begin to recognize God’s voice within.
Don’t confuse God’s voice with the ramblings of your distracted mind. Often when we come before God it’s difficult to still our minds – the mind just wants to run from one thing to the next carrying us along.
You’ll notice God’s voice beyond stillness. In other words after you’re still – and your mind is quiet then you’ll notice God’s voice.
Stillness is the door through which one must pass to hear God’s voice.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Robert, when you mention that God speaks by a spontaneous flow of thoughts, isn’t that restricting the way he speaks because it would make my mind conscious about it’s thoughts.. I don’t know, any advice?
Joseph,
The spontaneous flow I’m talking about is something that happens as a result of becoming still in the presence of God with the intention of hearing God’s voice – or at least that’s what I think happens.
When you are in the “flow” these thoughts really aren’t coming from your conscious mind, but you are aware of them. Does that make sense? You will know that the thoughts that are flooding your mind are not anything that you’ve drummed up. They’re new, light, inspiring, revealing, and you know with absolute certainty that they are truth.
It’s not as if you are sitting, thinking about something and mulling it over in your mind and then another thought comes in and you consider that one and from that thought you develop another and so on…. That’s very slow, and energy consuming.
When God speaks, it is fast. It is energizing. There isn’t time to consider or think about the thought. The floodgates open and they come rushing in!
Does that make sense?
Robert
Thanks, I sort of get what you mean, but when a thought comes to my mind when I try to be still, I note it down but I don’t assume straight away that it comes from God right? I wait for a confirmation through the scriptures, church or other believer. Is that the way you do it?
Joseph,
Great question!
That’s not exactly how I do it. I intend to hear from God and I believe that what I receive is from God. Now obviously if I have a thought about wondering what I should have for dinner – I don’t note that down. But I do not wait for confirmation.
I personally believe that waiting for confirmation from scripture, church or another believer demonstrates a lack of trust on my part that God can and will speak to me. You see, taking on communicating with God is a huge responsibility. It’s just you and God. That leaves everyone and everything else out. Why would we want to have communication with God, then go ask another source what they thought about it?
That’s just my perspective. And I know that there are teachers out there that demand that one must get confirmation from some other source. The problem I see with that is that source becomes your God.
Robert
Hello Robert..
I love this particular article that you wrote. I, too,pray that one day I may hear the actual voice of God. I’ve also been struggling to know Him and maintain that personal relationship with Him but it is SOO hard. And the more I struggle to be closer to Him, the more my personal problems drown me, like financial concerns, my marital relationship and my work… I feel I’m a bigger failure than yesterday.
That’s why I pray for God’s voice. I need to know that HE still thinks of me at least or that He has current plans to turn my life around. But none yet. I will not give up though. Maybe I just need a some sort of a support system like this site.. I hope God will eventually speak to me– in any manner He wishes to…..
GayFleur,
I feel your pain. I too struggle with this stuff. And I know we are not alone.
If you get a chance, please check out this webinar replay: http://robertlikes.com/Level5Replay.
One of the things Brian discusses is a paradigm shift – a change in the way we see. In this website I’ve tried to point people to the idea that we are all really One. One with God and One with each other. Brian does a really nice job of explaining this. The visuals help too.
Getting this at a very basic level is the key to not only a relationship with God, but it affects every other part of our lives as well.
That’s why I’m encouraging everyone to check it out! We simply are not compartmentalized beings – we don’t just fix money issues and then go on to something else.
To really see change in our lives, we simply must see ourselves as we really are – and live in that space.
Blessings,
Robert
Hello Robert,
Thank you so much for the time and effort you have put into this great information. I’ve only read two articles so far, so please forgive me if you have already answered my question somewhere. I’m trying to just get to the heart of my question, so that I can move on to my business with the Lord.
I’m looking for help separating the Voice of the Lord from my own thoughts and ideas. I feel that I’ve been hearing His voice, but sometimes I’m less certain than others. So, far the “thoughts” which I attribute to His voice have two main parts. The first part is that the thoughts coming from Him are usually things that are not like myself to have thought of, or they give instruction to do something that I’d really rather not do.
The second part of the pattern is that they usually interrupt the thought or question in which I am currently engaged. Especially, when I am asking a question of the Lord, the thoughts that I feel come from Him are the ones that interrupt my question before I am even half way through asking it.
But, I cannot say that they particularly “sound” or “feel” differently from my own thoughts. At the moment, I still have to “test” whether or not they might be my own thoughts. So, I have three questions for you (being someone who seems to have a grasp).
1: does it sound to you like I am on the right track, or might I really just be spiritualizing my own thoughts?
2: (assumes that I am on the right track) do you have any advice for discerning the Lord’s voice from my own thoughts?
3: how do you and/or other people describe the Voice of the Lord?
Thank you,
Taylor
Taylor,
Thanks for asking. You might find the answer buried somewhere within my blog….
Here’s one article that you’ll find useful: http://www.bestillknowgod.com/how-to-clearly-know-god-is-speaking-to-you/
And to answer your 3 questions.
1. I think you’re on the right track – but it doesn’t really matter what I think! As long as you are seeking God, that’s the track you’re on! There are far to many people who will happily tell you if you’re on the right track or not – and heck, you have enough of that stuff coming from your own mind and training. You don’t need any more of that. Seek God and you’re on the right track.
2. I think the article above will help you. Here’s a few more: http://www.bestillknowgod.com/how-to-know-its-god/; http://www.bestillknowgod.com/what-is-gods-voice/; http://www.bestillknowgod.com/gods-voice-and-conscience/. The biggest thing we all have to learn is to trust. God’s voice is subtle. We’re used to being hit over the head with “God’s will” – and it’s our churches and religious leaders that are doing that. They don’t serve us.
3. In several places here on my site I describe God’s voice as a flood of thoughts. That’s the way it is for me. Others experience it differently. Read this one: http://www.bestillknowgod.com/experiencing-god/. Don’t assume that your experience will be similar to mine. We’re all working within the limits of our beliefs and those can create all kinds of issues.
I hope this helps and if you have any more questions, please ask!
Blessings,
Robert
Maybe you can tell me it this is what you are talking about. When I was driving to work this morning, I was thinking to myself. “I miss Jesus.” I used to be Charismatic and we were very Jesus orientated. I still love Jesus, but the ardor is not the same. I heard a small voice in my head saying ” I haven’t left you. I am still here.” Is this what you are talking about?
Dennis,
Could I convince you that it wasn’t God? If not, then that IS what I’m talking about.
Some of the more significant events involved communication that answered questions for me. That’s where the content for this site has come from.
Blessings,
Robert