- Vincent Bujor
How to hear Gods voice
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27
One of the most important things for a Christian is knowing God’s voice. Sometimes, we end up in a valley of decision and find ourselves wondering what God wants us to do…
Should I pursue a relationship with this person?
Should I take this job or not? Sell this car or not?
Does God want me to move or stay?
Does God want me to move or stay?
How do I know if I’m on the right track?
Scripture tells us that God speaks in three different ways to us.
- through His word (Psalm 119:105)
- through providential circumstances (Ruth 2:3)
- through lessons from nature (Job 12:7)
If you’re wrestling with a decision right now, here are some practical steps you can take to recognize God’s voice.
#1 — Study His Word
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable (…) for correction [and] instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). If I’m on a wrong path, God’s word corrects me. If I need instruction, His word provides it. When my wife and I were asking God whether or not to move back to California, we stumbled over Exodus 14 and this devotional text. There, God spoke to us to go forward in faith, so packed our things and moved.
#2 — Be Meek & Humble to Receive It
But there’s a catch. You can read a verse and take it out of context. You can pray and make up your own answer. We have to be meek and humble to receive God’s voice. “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way” (Psalm 25:9). This means our attitude matters when we pray and study. It’s not always easy to put personal preferences aside. But the greatest blessings are waiting for you if you do it!
#3 — Obey Even if It’s Counterintuitive
Recently, I saw an advertisement for a “Holy Spirit Revival” event in San Diego. On the screen, a preacher stood beside someone falling to the ground—what many Christians today would label as receiving the Holy Spirit. Speaking words they themselves can’t understand and losing control of their own bodies. One of you recently asked me, “How do I know that I actually have the Holy Spirit?”
Acts 5:32 tells you how. God gives the Holy Spirit “to those who obey Him.” The evidence of a Spirit-filled life is actually seen in obedience to His voice. In other words, someone who knowingly rejects God’s law does not have the Holy Spirit.
So how do I hear God’s voice? Read His word with a humble heart and pray. Be sensitive to the things that happen around you. And always remember: a conviction grows stronger over time, whereas an impulsive thought feels powerful at first but eventually fades away.
“The Holy Spirit is a divine teacher. If we heed its lessons we shall become wise unto salvation. But we need to guard well our hearts, for too often we forget the heavenly instruction we have received and seek to act out the natural inclinations of our unconsecrated minds. Each one must fight his own battle against self. Heed the teachings of the Holy Spirit. If this is done, they will be repeated again and again until the impressions are as it were ‘lead in the rock forever.’ …”
Counsels on Health, p. 561
Vincent Bujor
