Have you heard people say, "God told me..."? It might be a prelude to justify themselves in some way, or as a justification for telling you something. I don't know about you, but I wonder about all these things God has told people.
Serial killers, such as Son of Sam, testified that "God told them" to do the terrible things they did. So, it's understandable if you're skeptical about what God "tells" people.
On the other hand, prophets in the Old Testament spoke on God's behalf, and Jesus said that His followers would know His voice (John 10:16, 27). It can make a person question it all. And so, it's reasonable to ask if it's really possible to hear the voice of God.
Cacophony
Living in a fast-paced, social-media-driven culture, we're flooded with a multitude of voices. Many of these voices claim to be experts. It can be overwhelming, confusing, and noisy. How is a person able to hear God's voice in the midst of this cacophony? Cacophony is just another word for noise—harsh, discordant noise, and it's a descriptive word that fits our world.
And it's not just the voices outside, but those inside our minds. They range from self-talk of our own, to the echoes from parents, friends, even enemies. And let's not forget, the enemy of our soul tries to get his two cents in to counter the voice of our conscience.
[bctt tweet="Cacophony is just another word for noise and it fits our world today"]
The need to listen
If we want to hear God's voice, we need to listen. But how can we know it's His voice for sure? Often, something needs to change for us to hear God's voice.
This was the case for the prophet Elijah. After a great victory over the prophets of Baal, he hid in a cave out of fear. God made Himself known, not by a great wind, or fire, or earthquake, but in a quiet whisper (1 Kings 19).
God interrupted the zealous mission of Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, so he could hear the voice of Jesus (Acts 9:5).
[bctt tweet="If we want to hear God's voice, we need to take time to listen"]
How can we hear God's voice?
What will it take for each of us to listen for the Lord's voice? It might surprise you how simple it is. We just need to know Him in a personal way. In John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep . . .” In other words, He needs to become our personal Shepherd, the One who looks after us, guides us, protects us, and knows us better than we know ourselves.
The more we know Him, the easier it is to distinguish His voice out of the multitude of other voices calling out to us. Just as a baby or young child knows the voice of their parents, we will learn to distinguish Christ's voice.
[bctt tweet="What will it take for each of us to listen for the Lord's voice?"]
Make time to listen
Then, we need to make time to listen. How? Set aside some time each day, and learn about Jesus from His own words in the gospels. As you consistently do this, you will begin to hear His voice more clearly, because God desires to speak to those who will listen for His voice.
If you are a follower of Jesus, then you have the capacity to hear His voice.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”—John 10:27 (NKJV)
This is your assurance when you know Him as your personal Shepherd.
[bctt tweet="If you are a follower of Jesus, you have the capacity to hear His voice"]
Take some time today, or this week, to find a quiet place and take some time to listen for His voice. It may work best early in the morning, or later in the day, or at night before you go to sleep. It's worth the effort and worth the time investment.
This is a guest post originally published on Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale's blog—here it is in its original form— Christ's Voice
Thanks for reading!