Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When He Speaks

by Priscilla Shirer

Rather than telling God things I already know, I invite Him to tell me things only He knows, things He wants to share with me by His Spirit.

Scripture encourages believers to meditate on God and His Word. Not to empty our minds for the purpose of focusing on “nothingness” as pagan meditation aims for, but to fill them with intentional thoughts of Him and His Word (Joshua 1:8;

Remember, learning to hear God’s voice is a process, a learning experience, a discipline that involves active elements like prayer, meditation, worship, and listening. Just as any relationship grows stronger and more intimate as you spend more time getting to know a person, so your relationship with God—your ability to discern His voice and to pick it out of the crowd—will grow keener and more developed as you spend more time with Him.

The Spirit’s ability to see what we cannot, and then communicate information to us based on His knowledge, provides us with insight we could never obtain through onboard instruments alone. And yes, sometimes what He asks of us puts us in a place of discomfort that at the time seems unnecessary from our vantage point, but trusting Him and responding to Him is always in our best interest.

When we talk about “listening” for God to speak to us, as we did in the last chapter—discerning His voice, determining His will—the Holy Spirit is the One we’re listening for.