HEARING GOD'S VOICE

Is it really possible for a Christian to hear God’s voice in prayer? Absolutely! Can we trust every voice we hear? Absolutely not! We might be hearing the call of the world, the flesh, or the devil. God has clearly placed a longing in our souls for fellowship with Him. And He has told us, "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them , and they follow me" (John 10:27). God therefore knows you, and He longs to talk with you. Listen for his voice.

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STEPS TOWARD HEARING GOD

• Find a quiet place. It is important to find a quiet place where you can spend time in God’s Word and then listen.
• Confess your sins to God. Isaiah 59:1 "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 
• Spend time praising the Lord before asking Him to answer you. Jeremiah 31:7 This is what the LORD says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, 'O LORD , save your people, the remnant of Israel.'"
• Write down your thoughts. Write down the thoughts that come to your mind
• Seek confirmation. If you feel God is giving you a specific plan of action, check to see if you can find confirmation in Scripture. Then ask God to confirm His Word. Ask God to confirm His word to you through others.
• Check for peace: God will always give a peaceful assurance.
• Consider circumstances last. If you get the go-ahead from Scripture and godly counsel, then it is safe to consider circumstance. A common mistake is to look first at circumstances and then reason, "Look how everything just fell into place. This must be God." Be careful with that line of thinking. Satan can manipulate circumstances. That is why we always need the confirmation of Scripture and of godly counsel first.

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