“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; — John 10:27 NASB
Longing to Hear His Voice
In 1981, the Lord saved me and gave me a brand new identity and I quickly came to understand that I had believed a lot of lies about myself and about Him for many, many years. Out of my deepest longing to know the One Who had so lavishly loved me, I set upon a quest to learn how to hear His voice. In order to do so, I felt led to go on a fast from as many non-essential voices in my life as possible.
My fast consisted of no longer listening to secular radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, and even cutting off relationships that tied me to my old life. My goal was to silence every voice I could that kept me from learning to hear the voice of the Lord. The fast lasted from 1981 until 1993. I missed the 1980s…but as I look back, I realize I did not miss much by way of media!
The reason my fast was so drastic was because I was desperate to hear my Father’s voice.
It had come to my attention that government agents assigned to uncover counterfeit money did not study counterfeit money in order to better identify the fake currency. They studied the real thing so that whenever they came across a counterfeit bill, it was easier to recognize that fake bill because they knew the real thing so well. That is what I decided to do to learn to hear my Father’s voice. I would seek the real thing by cutting off as much outside noise as possible…and mainly cutting off the voice of the enemy and his subtle lies.
My goal was relationship with the real Living God.
When talking about relationship, we must remember we are in a relationship with a God who is alive and not distant. We have already discovered that He desires to have an intimate communion with us. He wants us to know Him even as He knows us. But how do you get to know someone intimately? How do you get to know God?
I have several small grandchildren at this juncture of my life. It seems they never tire of asking me questions about myself and what I was like as a child. They enjoy—no, relish would be a better word—they relish the opportunity to quiz other relatives (like their own parents) about what I was like in my younger days. Why do they do this? Because they want to know us…and I believe also because it also helps them understand a bit more about who they are and where they came from—whether they cognitively realize it or not. They get to know us—and themselves—by asking questions.
Since our faith comes as a direct result of our ability to ‘hear’ God’s voice, faith is born when we ‘hear’ the Word of Christ. How can we hear the Word of Christ if we do not ask Him questions about Himself? How can we get to know Him?
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. — Romans 10:17 NASB
What is the Word of Christ?
We know that all Scripture is God’s Word and profitable (necessary!) for the man or woman of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
For years and years and years, I can remember trying to know God simply by reading His Word. Even though I could read that Word and, at times, find direction for my life there, I never felt I had direct access to God—no real relationship.
I finally discovered that I could never have a real relationship with a book! I had to seek the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ. I had to seek a real, living, vital, heart-to-heart relationship with Him! We do not have a relationship with a book but with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who can hear God’s voice?
I grew up in a non-charismatic church…but had a grandmother who attended the Assemblies of God church in town—a grandmother who faithfully followed the ministries of Oral Roberts, Kathryn Kuhlman, T. L. Osborn and others of a charismatic persuasion. I can remember hearing those ministers speak of hearing the voice of God and wondering why they could hear Him and why I could not. Even my grandmother told me that she often heard the Lord speak to her. She once told me she would recognize my grandfather Jernigan when she got to heaven because God had told her his new name in glory! I was flabbergasted, to say the least. And made more curious by such bold statements.
When I came to the end of my rope after college and really got desperate to know God, I began seeking to hear His voice. I soon came to understand that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). This only spurred me on to seek to hear His voice that much more—especially after I came to the point of realizing I truly was His sheep!
Those who have heard His Word who are born through faith into His Kingdom (Romans 10:17)…and that was me! So how did I begin to learn to hear His voice? Initially, it was just as my children seek to know me: I began to ask Him questions…and then wait for His answer. I soon learned that God was not afraid of any questions I might ask – so I began to ask some very difficult questions.
At first, my questions were very child-like: Father, do You love me? But they soon became more and more complex: Father, how do You love me? How can you fix the mess I have made of my life? How can I minister life to this person who faces physical death? etc., etc., etc..
Over the course of my personal journey of learning to hear His voice, I have put together my own practical reminders…little tidbits of wisdom which I hope will be of some benefit to you as you seek to hear His voice. The best leaders are those who are about their Father’s business.
How can we know what He is doing moment by moment? Learn to hear His voice moment by moment.
Be quick to hear.
So often with my children, I instruct them to do a certain task only to find that task unfinished when I make my inspection. I hear everything from ‘I didn’t hear you’ or ‘I don’t know that’s what you meant’ to ‘brother said you didn’t mean what you said’ or ‘I didn’t know you meant ‘now”!
As I look at my children, I am reminded that I have made all those same excuses to Father God when I thought I have heard His voice. ‘But I didn’t hear You, Lord…Pastor said You didn’t mean what I thought You meant…Lord, I didn’t know you meant ‘now”!
As new creations, we are brought forth by the Word of Truth. This truth reveals our true nature as first fruits among God’s creatures. If we do not learn to hear the voice of our Father quickly, the enemy can often wreak havoc upon our souls. My children learn from their mistakes: that all of our actions (even being slow to hear) have consequences. If I learn to hear God’s voice, I am more apt to quickly put down the lies of the enemy…because I have learned to discern between God’s heart and voice and the condemnation or quick-fix mentality of the enemy. Let us be quick to hear that truth day by day and not be deafened by anger or by the lies of the enemy (James 1:18-19).
Who He is reveals how He speaks.
We know His voice by its content. We know His voice by what He says about Himself. How would a shepherd speak? What would he say? When would a shepherd speak? What are the results of a sheep hearing a shepherd? What about a King, Father, Provider, Victory, Peace, Creator, etc.? When we are in a relationship with someone…when we spend time asking them questions then waiting for the answers, we learn what they sound like…but also what their character is like. In other words, God cannot lie…and He would not treat one of His children like anything less than one of His own. So what is God’s voice like?
He speaks truth.
One of the best ways to discern the lies of the enemy from the voice of God is to simply ask yourself, “Would Father say that? Would He say it that way or with that tone of voice? Would He say something like that?” Always remember – God cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18)!
Ask the right questions. Be specific.
God is God. He can handle whatever we bring to Him. Often, my children may ask me for something only to be disappointed when I don’t come through. Many times, this is simply because they did not ask a specific question. In a relationship, you get what you ask for many times! If you desire specific answers, you must ask specific questions. “Father, do You love me? How do you love me? Lord, is this sin? Holy Spirit, what is the wise direction here?”
Next month, we will discuss various forms of the way in which God communicates to us.
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