Hearing the Voice of God

Hearing the Voice of God

John 10:1-5 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers

John 10:27 - My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Jesus calls Himself the Shepard and calls believers the sheep. He said that the sheep hear His voice and know His voice and another voice they will not follow.

If Jesus said we would hear His voice that means He must be speaking to us, If He said we would know His voice that means we would hear it often enough to recognize it and know it.

When a fighter or boxer steps into a ring and engages in a fight. They rely on their trainer/coach to guide them and instruct them during the fight … so with so many voices going on (the fans, the other coaches and trainers, the cheers of the crowd) how can a fighter distinguish the right voice? … the answer is the fighter “knows” the voice of his trainer. He hears it so much that it can cut through the loudest noise and a thousand voices … so should we also know the voice of our God!

Elijah and the voice of God ……………

1 Kings 17 - And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land

Elijah not only knew the voice of God … he obeyed the voice of God! He was able to do as the Lord commanded because he knew His voice!

Verse 8 goes on to say … Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks.

He goes on to bless the widow and multiplies her Oil and flour, and revives her son, all because he heard Gods voice and went and did as he was instructed to do.

The still small voice ……………

1 Kings 19:11-15 - Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.

Most of the time God will speak to us in a calm, soft voice that demands our innermost attention!

Philip and the voice of God ……………

Acts 8:26-40 - An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen, had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was (Isaiah 53) So the eunuch asked Philip of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, (supernaturally transported).
Notice God told Philip to go towards Gaza which was desert, Philip didn’t question God concerning Him sending him to desert territory, he just went, and as a result God had arranged and ordained for Philip to minister to an Ethiopian man who was there reading Scripture and seeking revelation of the word of God, because of Philips obedience, that man was born again that day!


Samuel and the voice of God …………….

In 1 Samuel Chapter 3 … Samuel hears the voice of God 3 times while lying in his bed but does not recognize that it was the Lord speaking to him … 3 times he goes to Eli and says to him .. “Here I am, for you called me“? … (vs. 7 says Samuel did not yet know the Lord, Nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him), finally Eli recognized that it was the Lord speaking to Samuel and tells him to lie back down and if He calls to him again to say “speak Lord, for your servant hears”. so the Lord called a fourth time to Samuel …. “Samuel Samuel“ and Samuel answered “Speak, for your servant hears”. The Lord goes on to tell Samuel that He will judge the house of Eli because of the sin of his sons and his unrestraint.


Peter and the voice of God …………..

Acts 10:9-16 - The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again


Obeying the voice of God ……………..

Deuteronomy 28:1-6 - Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.


Disobeying the voice of God ………..

Deuteronomy 28:15-19 - “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. “Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. “Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. “Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.


Jonah learned the curse of Disobedience by running from the voice of God, Jonah chapter 1 says that the Word of the Lord came to Jonah saying “Arise and go to Nineveh and preach against it”. Jonah disobeyed the voice of God and found himself in the belly of a great fish for 3 days. After repentance and a vow of obedience, chapter 3 says the Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time saying ‘ arise and go to Nineveh and preach against it”. he was given a second chance to obey the voice of God …

Our response to the voice of God should be immediate obedience as with the Prophet Isaiah …..

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “ Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” - Isaiah 6:8,9


7 ways you can hear the voice of God …………

*Through Scripture:
*Through the Holy Spirit/ inner voice:
*Through the Prophetic word:
*Through Godly Counsel:
*Through Visions/Dreams:
*Through Confirmation:
*Through Circumstances:



Romans 8:14 - As many are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God