God still speaks to His people, and you tell His voice from your own thoughts by testing what you hear against Scripture, His loving nature and His peace. Recognizing His voice is learned over time, as you read His Word and pray, so you can begin where you are.
In what ways does God speak to a believer?
God speaks above all through the Bible, but not only through it. In his Wisdom Seed series, Apostle Guillermo Maldonado teaches that God's voice can also come through circumstances, a spiritual father, dreams and visions. At times it is not a voice at all, but a sense or a perception. While you pray, He may speak to you through a verse of Scripture. He may also speak to you differently than to someone else.
Ask Him, then, to show you how He is speaking to you. There is no need to measure your experience against anyone else's.
Go deeper: If you want to keep studying how God speaks, read the book How to Hear the Voice of God.
Why can it take time to recognize God's voice?
Even a willing listener has to learn who is speaking, as the boy Samuel did. When the Lord called him, Samuel went to Eli three times, sure that Eli had called him (1 Samuel 3:4–8). At last Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the child, and taught him how to answer:
Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. — 1 Samuel 3:9 (King James Version)
Not recognizing His voice yet is not a failure; it is where Samuel began. God was calling before Samuel knew that it was Him. You can answer in the same way, and let more mature believers help you, as Eli helped him.
How can you tell God's voice from your own thoughts?
Measure what you hear against what God has already said and against who He is. In How Can We Hear the Voice of God?, Apostle Maldonado teaches that three voices can speak to you: God's, the enemy's and your own. God's voice always agrees with His Word and never speaks against it. It also agrees with His nature, and God is love, so a voice urging you to lie or to disobey God is not His.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword… and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
Here, quick means living. The written Word is not a dead rulebook; it searches the heart. The more you read it, the more readily you can sort your own thoughts from His.
If you are troubled by distressing or intrusive thoughts, or by hearing voices, please talk with a doctor or counselor as well as a pastor. Doctors, counselors and medicine are good gifts from God.
How does the Holy Spirit lead you in a decision?
He leads you, through His Word and His peace, and He never pushes. In How to Make Decisions Led by the Holy Spirit?, Apostle Maldonado teaches that the Spirit's leading may come to mind as a thought. It may also come as an inner witness, a small voice inside. God's peace rules your heart like a ruler, so if you have no peace about something, do not do it.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts — Colossians 3:15 (KJV)
Peace is one sign among several, never a replacement for Scripture, and every thought you sense is still weighed by the Word. If anxiety makes peace hard to feel, be patient with yourself: start with what Scripture says and take your time.
What can you do when you are still not sure?
Keep asking, and keep listening. Tell the Holy Spirit, in your own words, that you want Him to lead you, then wait for His direction instead of forcing an answer. Talk with God in prayer every day, because a voice grows familiar through time spent with the one who speaks.
If you would like someone to pray with you, we would love to. Reach a person through our Help and Prayer Support page.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Bible say you can hear God's voice?
Yes. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Hearing Him is part of belonging to Him, and it goes together with following Him. Read all of John 10, where He calls Himself the good shepherd who knows His own.
Is it possible to actually hear God's voice?
Yes. Scripture records God speaking to people from Genesis to Revelation, among them Abraham, Moses, Jacob and Daniel. Feeling nothing on a given day is no reason to stop listening, and it does not mean you have failed. Return to Him in prayer the next day.
What blocks you from hearing God's voice?
Often it is not distance but noise. A hurried mind and the pressure to decide quickly can crowd out a quiet voice. Set aside a few unhurried minutes without distractions, give God your attention, and bring what you sense to Scripture.
Should I act at once on something I believe God told me?
Not before you have weighed it. Test it by Scripture and keep praying about it. Counsel is a safeguard, never a reason to stay where you are not safe, so talk a big decision over with your pastor or a spiritual father before you act.
Keep reading
Related teaching from the store
- How to Hear the Voice of God - Manual, a study manual by Apostle Maldonado on recognizing God's voice.
- Prayer & Intercession collection, books and manuals for a growing life of prayer.
Published by King Jesus International Ministry. This article draws on Scripture and on Apostle Guillermo Maldonado's messages “How Can We Hear the Voice of God?” (Wisdom Seed, 2020), “How Do I Hear the Voice of God?” and “How to Make Decisions Led by the Holy Spirit?” (Wisdom Seed, 2022) and “How to Be Led by the Holy Spirit” (2021). It is offered for study and encouragement. It is not medical, psychological, or financial advice.