Ever wonder how to know when God is speaking to you? After all, every day, many times a day, we get so many thoughts and things that fly into our heads. Often, the voice sounds just like our own voice. A flurry of ideas, both good and bad, which frequently pop up to distract and divert our attention. Sometimes, these come to us with brutal clarity. Other times, with deep convictions and introspection. But most often, if you’re like me, such thoughts involve instant replays of life’s situations, all with a narrative of what you could have done, or should have done better.
Amidst all the mental kerfuffle is God’s voice. Very rarely is this an external voice. Often, it’s not even a loud voice. And one thing is for sure: it’s never the voice that tells you to do anything against what Jesus says in Scripture.
So how do we know if it’s God talking to us, or if it’s just our own self-talk? And what about the Devil? Did you know that he talks to us too? And often, the Devil’s voice will masquerade itself to sound exactly like our own thought voice, but with the Devil’s tainted, anti-God slant on things. This counterfeit self-talk is meant to make us more angry, more fearful and more self-reliant, so that we hate our neighbor, or stay far away from Jesus.
Tone Matters
Yes, the voice of God has a tone. Ever hear someone say something to you that seemed to make sense at first, but it turned out to be rotten because it had a tone of contempt? Or what about when you received “sage advice” from a friend, but the feel of it was all wrong? It sounded wise until you realized it was stained with fear, paranoia, and self-reliance. The advice gave you plenty of extra burdens but with no encouragement. It made you feel heavier, not at peace, and less free. You can be sure that none of this is God’s voice. God may tell you things you don’t want to hear. But in the midst of this, He gives you hope.
So when all is said and done, does the tone make you more reliant on your own abilities? Or does it encourage you to move forward while humbly depending on Jesus? The tone should match how Jesus responded to people in Scripture. If it doesn’t, then this is the wrong voice talking to you! It’s just your flesh or the Devil himself in disguise.
God’s tone can be reprimanding. For example, when you hurt someone out of your anger and pride. It can also be gentle, such as when you admit to Him you’re terrified and totally at your wits’ end.
God can even be stern and scary, such as when I was about to physically harm an ex-roommate and the Lord warned me that if I did, I shouldn’t expect any mercy from Him when I ask for help finding employment. I will never forget that day. I knew it was the Lord. And I knew the fear of the Lord was what stopped me from doing something rash and catastrophic.
God’s voice will always direct you to Him, not to your own navel-gazing. Even when He corrects you, He will lift your chin up to His face, not point you to an inward solution. God’s voice will not list your numerous failings to remind you of your own deficiencies.
This is the voice of the accuser. It is not God. For God gets no glory when you are crushed and defeated and in despair. Nor does it matter if the voice you hear has some truth in it. The Devil is the king of half-truths. Truth laced with the wrong tone is not the truth, just like food laced with iron filings is not food! Do not eat it, do not trust it, and never give it to your friends!
The Apostle Paul understood that truth comes from only one source. And truth from the wrong source must be rejected just like food mixed with iron filings. This is why Paul cast out a demon from the slave girl even when she was spouting the correct facts about Paul’s mission. Paul knew that he couldn’t trust demons to help him with public relations. Nor should you.
The source of truth matters; it always matters. Truth is never about just the facts. Truth is the person of Jesus Christ. This is why He says “I Am the truth. I am the way, I am the life.” And part of the truth is not just about the words, but about whether it demonstrates the character of our Jesus. Likewise, truth with the wrong tone is untruth. The wrong tone means it comes from the wrong source. If you hear a voice with the wrong tone, a voice which spouts wisdom but is outside of God’s character, then it’s an imposter. It’s not God’s voice. Pay it no mind.
God’s voice always puts the focus back on God and not yourself. He may tell you to repent. He may encourage you to move forward, even when you’re afraid. He may also command you to refrain from doing something you really feel compelled to do. But if it’s God’s voice, He will provide you with the insight and direction to rely more on Him and less on you. He will instill in you more humility even as you act boldly. And this will drive you to seek Him out more, to pray more and to praise Him more too! The voice of truth magnifies God, not you. But because it magnifies God, you are blessed and at peace whenever you are sensitive and submissive to it.
Content Matters
As noted by Christian author Joy Dawson: “We are never enlightened or surprised by what comes from our own thoughts. But when God speaks, there is always an element of wonderment and awe.“
Does the voice you’re hearing simply confirm what you knew all along? Or does it add yet another dimension to it? Something that gives you a WOW moment?
James 3:17 says that the wisdom of Heaven is peaceful, then gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Does the voice you’re listening to sound like this? Does it open your eyes to being more merciful than harsh? Does it expand your mind to how the person who hurt you is thinking or feeling? Or perhaps, how you have hurt others? Does it focus merely on how you can protect yourself better, wall off yourself, or justify what you did?
Remember also that God is not the author of confusion but a God of peace (1 Cor. 14:33). Does listening to the voice leave you more scattered, more unfocused and more confused? Call out to Jesus to turn that voice off and to give you the ears to hear Him and Him alone!
Anything that shows you what you lack, or what you can’t do, should always be drawing you closer to God. If all the voice does is remind you how weak and pitiful you are, then again, you are listening to the wrong source.
Checklist
- Does the voice you hear draw you to God’s personhood? Or does it just require you to be more cautious and self-reliant? (regardless of whether it’s encouraging, reprimanding, or gives you new options.)
- Does the advice from this voice make you look inward or outward?
- Does the voice help you love God and love people?
- Does the tone of the voice sound like the Accuser? Does it place a burden on you without in some way also lifting you up and giving you new direction?
- Does the voice align with Jesus’ personhood? (Jesus was hard with the arrogant, but gentle and kind to the humble. His voice points to forgiveness, reconciliation, and loving your neighbor.)
- Are you more in awe of God because of what the voice said?
- Did the voice you heard humble you or harden you?
- Does it align with Scripture?
- Is it telling you to do something that Jesus wouldn’t do?
- Is it scaring you into avoiding what you know Jesus wants you to do?
- Does the voice encourage you to navel-gaze (to find fault rather than lookup to our Savior)?
- Does the voice merely restate what you already know, but without the humility, awe, grace, insight or love that marks a godly voice?
- Does the voice reflect the fruit of the Spirit? “…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Gal. 5:22-23).
- Does the voice provide godly wisdom? Wisdom “that is peaceful, then gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere?”
- Does it make you love your neighbor or want to run away from your neighbor?
Videos
Hearing God’s Voice | Pastor Josh Mayo
How to hear God’s voice and know what is NOT God’s voice. Video starts at key point in the pastor’s message.
Other Blogs
Is Truth More Than Just Having All The Facts?
Why do two people with the same facts reach the opposite conclusions? Could truth be more than just having the data?
Other Blog Topics
Praise & Prayer Time
Pride
Repentance
Christian Songs (Youtube)
Thrive Worship – Show Me Your Ways
All that Matters (Colton Dixon)
Sing Of Your Love (Elevation Rhythm)
Run To The Father (Cody Carnes)
I Know A Name (Elevation Worship & Brandon Lake)