Learn How to Hear God’s Voice Clearly

Learn a sure-fire way of hearing God’s voice easily right now! This article shows you how and helps you overcome three common problems.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

In the beginning, your Creator Father blew His spirit breath into you.

You were created spirit, soul, and body, and so you are automatically equipped with spiritual senses to hear, see, and perceive spiritually.

We each have physical and spiritual senses. You have heard the terms “intuition” or having “a sixth sense,” or a “gut feeling.” Those are simply terms for being spiritually aware.

Most of us have developed our rational mind and physical senses but have neglected our spiritual senses.

Many believers continue to remain spiritually unaware most of the time.

However, because you are a human spirit created in God’s image, you can hear your Creator Father’s Spirit communicate to you.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

Have you ever wondered, “Why can’t I hear God speak to me?”

1. Learn How to Hear God’s Voice

In the Garden of Eden, the first humans experienced God’s communication with them in their personal spirits.

Even though they did not know everything, their spiritual understanding was pure.

Their hearts were not cluttered with sin. Their senses were sharp, perceptive, and clear.

They understood all the ways God spoke to them—until they sinned.

Today we have access to an even better relationship with God through Jesus Christ! We can understand His communication with us and experience His presence living inside.

Hearing God’s Voice in Different Ways

God speaks in a number of different ways. Often He uses words that stand out to you in the Bible. He can use words from a pastor, or a friend, or a TV show.

God can speak through words in the Bible that are highlighted to you, or he can speak through visions, pictures, or dreams.

He can speak through our personal emotions, especially through the presence of peace or unrest in our hearts.

For example, have you ever felt agitated until you did what you knew was the right thing to do?

God speaks through circumstances—remember Jonah.

He can use anything He desires to get a message to you.

One time in the Bible, God communicated to Balaam through a donkey.

However, one of the ways God speaks to us personally is through spontaneous flowing thoughts to our minds (or in our hearts).

Now, this is where some people can get confused, so here is a short checklist to help sort things out: What Does God’s Voice Sound Like?

2. To Hear God’s Voice, Unclutter Your Mind

Our lives are hectic and full of many things. Our thoughts are here, there, and everywhere.

It becomes difficult to lay distractions aside and still our mind, will, and emotions.

We must learn to still our minds and hearts to clearly hear God’s voice on a regular basis.

We see the value of stillness and quietness for Elijah in the cave at Mt. Horeb. He witnessed the mighty earthquake ripping and breaking the rocks to pieces, fierce winds and fire.

Yet, God’s voice was not in the massive display of power, but the quiet and still calmness.

Elijah heard the “gentle blowing,” “gentle whisper,” or “quiet whisper,” or, as the King James translates, the “still small voice.”

In quietness and peacefulness of soul, we recognize the deep stirring of the presence of God.

We begin hearing God’s voice to us.

It is in the peaceful praise of our hearts that we recognize the river of living water flowing from our inner being. Here we drink and are satisfied.

Why Do I Not Hear God’s Voice? Learn to Still Your Anxious Mind

It is sometimes difficult to still all the noise, voices, and thoughts in life.

Learning to quiet one’s inner being is the biggest key to learning how to hear God’s voice.

The best way I have found to still my mind is to think on a verse of Scripture (for example, Psalm 23). And I often read Scripture to still my mind at bedtime.

We must posture ourselves in stillness and peace to hear God’s communication.

As you are learning to still your mind, you will learn to become more aware of God’s presence than you have before.

Learn more about how still your mind and be at peace in this article, Be Still and Know God is with You: 4 Steps to Quiet Your Mind to Find Peace

In addition, you must make sure there is no unforgiveness or disobedience in your heart that would hinder the flow of His communication.

3. Ask Questions to Hear God’s Voice

The Holy Spirit will teach, guide, and direct you. However, many times as humans we tend to lean on our own understanding and forget to ask questions.

The apostle James bluntly tells us, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

So, begin asking questions.

The Most Helpful Strategy I’ve Ever Found To Hear God’s Voice More Clearly

This is the most helpful strategy I have ever found for clearly hearing God speak to me. With this strategy, I can hear more and understand more than in any other way.

The key is to practice asking, then listening, and then write down what comes to mind. I first learned this strategy from Dr. Mark Virkler and have adapted it for our use here. So grab a notebook or journal and a pen/pencil to get started!

We see this strategy in both Habakkuk 2:1-3 and Rev 1:10-11. God specifically told Habakkuk to write, John to write, and Jeremiah to write. We see all the writers of the Bible wrote down what the Lord inspired them to write.

Of course, our written words are not the Bible, but they can be inspired words of exhortation and comfort to you personally. In this manner, we can learn to flow with the Holy Spirit and grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians.

1. First: Be Still and Set Your Mind on Jesus

Quiet yourself to hear His voice. Ps 46:10 tells us to, “Cease striving [let go, relax] and know that I am God.” The King James and other versions render this, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Focus on the truth of Jesus Christ in some manner. For example focus on Jesus in your mind, on a Scripture, the cross, a word of praise, pray or listen to Christian music that helps focus your mind on Jesus.

2. Second: Listen & Write

Write your question, “What would you say to me today, Lord?”

Then write down the flow of thoughts and/or pictures that light upon your mind.

Begin to notice that your own thoughts are analytical and progress logically from one thing to the next. But, thoughts from God are spontaneous, flowing from the Holy Spirit living-water-well inside you (see 2 Cor 10:4-5; Gal 2:20; John 7:37-39).

This is a two-way journaling strategy to hear God’s voice. This is also called listening prayer.

It is a discussion (prayer) between you and God.

This is a biblical method that can help you grow in discerning the voice of God in your heart.

You see, it is simply a matter of recording prayers and then also what you sense to be the answer from God. We see David did the same thing in the Psalms. Many times David would pour out his feelings and requests to God and then in the process of writing, his attitude would shift from despair to praise, hope, and expectation.

The reason journaling helps so much is that you can simply write down whatever spontaneously comes to mind without judging.

There will always be time later to judge.

Through the ages, it is easy to see that the Psalms were inspired and prophetic Words of God.

So, just let the words flow and write—you are growing and practicing hearing God’s Voice!

It is important to have several mentors, pastors, spiritual leaders, or other mature spiritual friends to help to discern and evaluate if what you are receiving is from God.

Conclusion

You can learn how to hear God’s voice easily and consistently!

He will speak edification, exhortation, encouragement, and comfort to your heart. And He will lead you into a fuller love relationship with Himself!

Hopefully, these small nuggets have resonated with you in some way and added some valuable insight into your pursuit of our gracious Lord.

Bookmark this post, Pin, or print it out to help in your devotional time.

Practice this strategy and see what will happen!

God bless you on your journey, beloved of God!

Read Next:

• Hearing God: What Does God’s Voice Sound Like?
• How to Feel God’s Presence, Tips for Spiritual Growth
• Why Has God Not Answered My Prayers
• 7 Ways to Increase & Grow Your Faith

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