10 Ways You Can HEAR God's Voice In Your Life

God speaks to us in many different ways and knowing them can truly impact our life in Him. This Kingdom motivational minute provides 10 ways we can hear God's voice.

Communication is the foundation of any relationship. Communication is about connecting, contributing, loving, strengthening, and encouraging others. We are designed to live from it and will die without it.

What separates humanity from anything else in creation is our level of communication. We are made in both God's image and likeness. We have the capacity to communicate with God, to talk with the One who never had a beginning and will never have an end.

The world we live in is full of noise. Distractions abound. Voices are constantly vying for our attention, whether these voices come from our loved ones or are the voices of advertising, television, or social media. The noise is constant, relentless, and unyielding.

God Voice Comes To Us Various Ways

It's only through relationships that we develop an "ear" for those we do life with. Because God can speak to us on so many different heavenly frequencies, we need to train ourselves to tune in and hear His voice. Understanding how He speaks is the first step, then seeking to discern His voice daily needs to follow.

I remember sitting in a church staff meeting, and a Pastor around the table said, "can anyone truly hear the voice of God?" I looked at him, completely shocked, thinking, "Uh, you're a Pastor!?" If Pastors are not hearing the voice of the Lord, then the people they lead are in trouble. So I looked at him and said, "YES!, It is possible to hear the voice of God because I just had a conversation with Him this morning. It's called prayer!"

For the record, God's primary language is not English. His voice is multi-colored, multi-faceted, coming from the realms of heaven. It comes to us in various ways, so it's important to distinguish those ways. 

I want to give you ten ways God speaks to us. These ways are not exhaustive because God can get our attention in hundreds of different ways. Yet, these are what I would consider both normative and foundational. 

1. The Bible - Hebrews 4:12

The primary way God speaks to us is the Bible. The Bible is the ultimate revelation of His voice. It's the "litmus test," "anchor," the "filter" to measure all other things we feel the Lord might be saying to us. Though I believe God will never contradict His Word, I believe He is bigger than it.

2. Visions - Acts 2:17, 2 Kings 6:14-17

A scene you can see with the natural eye. The word vision means "to see." Visions from God are heavenly scenes supernaturally imposed on the eyes and mind while one is awake. The event found in 2 Kings 6:14-17 is an amazing example of an open vision.

3. Dreams - Acts 2:17

Dreams are a series of images and ideas that occur during sleep. Spiritual dreams originate in the Spirit and carry specific messages from the Lord. An encountering spiritual dream is where God speaks directly to the person in the dream (Genesis 31:24; Matt. 2:13). Another type of dream is where there is no direct voice, and it needs to be interpreted (Daniel 2:27-28).

4. Mental Images - John 1:48

Mental pictures are images that occur in the mind while awake. They are snapshots from God that often come without warning or forethought. They often come when the gifts of the Spirit are in operation but are not limited to just the gifts. Mental images need to be prayed over before acting upon.

5. Audible Voice of the Lord - Mark 1:11, Acts 9:3-6

The audible voice of the Lord comes to us while we are awake, and it sounds as if someone is talking to us directly. It can be heard clearly and carries with it a realm of God's presence. Both Jesus (Mark 1:11) and Paul (Acts 9:3-6) experienced the audible voice of the Lord.

6. Still Small Voice - 1 Kings 19:11-13

The "still small voice" is sometimes called an "inner voice" where God speaks through the inner declarations by His Spirit to yours. This often comes to us when we slow down enough to listen. A busy mind is a hindrance to hearing the still small voice of the Lord.

7. Angels - Luke 2:10

Angels are divine couriers sent from heaven to instruct and inform us. We see them often in the New Testament breaking into the earthly realm to serve believers. Hebrews 13:2 says that we entertain the angelic without even knowing it.

Angels are found in crucial times in human history releasing the voice of the Lord (Luke 1:11-17; Luke 1:26-33; Matthew 28:5-7; Acts 10:3-8)

8. Coincidence and Circumstance - Judges 6:36-40

Both coincidence and circumstances are what I consider events or occurrences that take place in our lives that are more than just happenstance. There is a sense of the presence of the Lord around these events that take place. We sense some Kingdom connection and quite possibly God speaking within them.

When these events occur, it's essential to make sure that as we discern God's voice, we stay securely in the banks of His Word. 

9. Intuition, Perception, and Impressions - Mark 2:8

All of these have to do with an internal Spirit-led 'heightened awareness" or a "gut feeling" that one cannot ignore. It's out of relationship with the Lord that we develop this sensitivity and recognize the inner impressions and nudges of things unknown to us at the time.

This is one of the main ways the Lord speaks to me. As they come, I have learned to recognize and respond to them.

10. The Prophetic - Acts 2:17

To prophecy means "to declare," "announce," or to "foretell" under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God will often speak to us through others to release His voice. The gift of prophecy is given to encourage, edify and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). The voice of the Lord comes to call out the treasure in others, building up and strengthening them.

We must never value prophecy above the Word of God, nor should prophecy ever contradict God's Word. It should come to bring both confirmation and hope.

Let me say that first and foremost, the Lord will speak to us by His Word in communion with His Spirit. I set this as my number one priority. But He has spoken to me, by His Spirit, in the many of the ways I have shared.

Learn To Lean Into His Voice

I would urge you to lean into His voice. Learn how He speaks and pay attention! The good news is that He wants to talk to you more than you want Him to. Enjoy the journey of hearing His voice in developing an eternal friendship with God. He delights in making Himself known on every frequency of heaven.

Your Turn: Has the Lord spoken to you in any of these ways? Why is it so important for believers to hear the voice of the Lord?