How Do You Know When God Talks To You - Free Prophetic Training from our Power University course.
Now you'll know when God is trying to tell you something (He doesn't try, though- He does) and How to respond to the voice of The Lord. You'll also learn how to hear God specifically in our article below.
Secrets on How to Know The Lord is Speaking To You
- God's voice is life-giving
- It feels like confirmation of what Scripture says but on the inside, as if The Scriptures came alive in your heart.
- After having a quiet time and studying the Word of God with an open heart you have an innate, above-your-thoughts knowing of what God wants you to do.
- In answer to your prayer you experience blocked pathways, dreams, feelings, inspirations, music, nature, symbols, tender mercies.
- If it aligns with the Word of God, it is from God
We pray that this page will be a resource for you in your quest to know for certain that you hear the voice of God. Prophetic Words For Today
Here are a few safeguards:
- Godly counsel brings confirmation
- Line up what you hear against the Word of God
What next? We answer the question: Can a woman be a bishop?
My Experience AND Why I'm sure By God's Grace I Can Teach You to Hear God's Voice if You're Born Again
From the day I was first born again and became a Christian, I wanted to hear God and I wanted to do what He said. And to this day, I have not lost that desire because the more that I hear Him the more that I want to hear His voice.
By the way, you can also receive a free prophetic word from the Lord here.
Today, by the grace of God, I'm going to share with you how to hear the voice of God. Wouldn't you like to know that after your prayer you can hear what God says about the situation? It's amazing to hear God speak, and you're going to know when Gode speaks in answers to your prayers and much more.
Learning this will give you a new perspective on how to live with God leading the way. Whenever Christians learn to discern when God speaks, their lives change forever, because there's nothing like living by the Word of God that He speaks in your spirit!
You're going to know how to discern God's voice and you're going to learn it well, because the Lord is a great teacher, and with all of my slip-ups and failings in this area, He has taught me how to hear His voice accurately.
The great thing about this is hearing His voice is the way that you get faith! Without the rhema of God there can be no faith. You need to hear God's voice in order to go from faith to faith and from glory to glory.
How do you hear the voice of God? Well, as a born-again Christian, you already hear His voice. You just have to practice listening! You heard Him when He called you to Himself and you haven't lost that ability! Jesus Himself said that My sheep hear my voice and a stranger they will not follow.
So, if you're a born-again Christian, you CAN hear God's voice.
Listening in your spirit is key, so you'll learn listening prayer. This is how you'll hear that inner voice that is the Lord speaking with you.
I'm going to go wide with this and then bring it all in so you can understand it, okay. Glory to God!
All true believers, according to the Lord Jesus Christ, can hear God's voice. It's the gift that you receive when you have eternal life. (John 10:27)
How Do You Know When God is Speaking To You
How to hear the voice of God
STEP #1: You must yield yourself to the voice of God.
Yielding yourself to the voice of God is very important to hearing the voice of God because it is to the humble, that scripture says, that he gives grace. And the ability to hear God is a grace that He gives.
So in order for you to hear the voice of God, you must enable that grace to come to you through being humble. And that humility has to do with yielding, making him first place, making him the center of your life, not just in your thoughts only, but in your words and in your deeds.
And when you come into that place where God is at the center of your life, and you want to serve Him, and you want to know exactly what he wants you to do, that's when you're going to begin to hear his voice. Because scripture in Hebrews chapter 11:6 says, that those who come to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. In order for you to hear the voice of God, you must believe that He is and that He will reward you with his voice, with his intentions, with his desires, with his will.
And once you set up your life in such a way, where God is preeminent, where God is the main man, then you will be able to hear his voice.
And this you will see through your reading of the scriptures, because when you read the scriptures, to get his voice, or to get his intent, or his want for his particular situation, you will indeed hear His voice.
So here's an exercise that I want you to try. I want you to take out your Bible, and go to a familiar passage of Scripture, maybe Psalm 23, I want you to go ahead and read that scripture and as you're reading, I want you to take your time as you read. Take your time as you read, so much so that the scriptures can begin to speak to you.
Biblical Scholars on Great Hearing God Methodology:
| Scholar (Years), Institution | View on Hearing God | Key Work |
|---|---|---|
| Nicholas of Cusa (1401–1464), University of Cologne | Advocated contemplation and humility; God’s voice is discerned through inner spiritual insight rather than sensory experience. | De Docta Ignorantia |
| John Colet (1467–1519), Oxford University | Emphasized scripture study and meditation; God speaks through the Word to the attentive heart. | Sermons and Letters |
| Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536), University of Paris | Suggested disciplined reading of Scripture and reflection; attentive conscience aids hearing God’s guidance. | Handbook of a Christian Knight |
| Martin Luther (1483–1546), University of Wittenberg | God speaks through Scripture, preaching, and prayer; discernment requires faith and obedience. | Lectures on Romans |
| John Calvin (1509–1564), University of Geneva | The Spirit illuminates the mind to understand God’s Word; prayer cultivates receptivity to God’s guidance. | Institutes of the Christian Religion |
| Juan de Mariana (1536–1624), University of Alcalá | Advocated moral and spiritual reflection; God’s guidance is discerned through study, prayer, and conscience. | De Rege et Regis Institutione |
| Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621), University of Rome (La Sapienza) | Prayerful discernment and obedience to the Church’s teaching reveal God’s guidance. | Disputationes de Controversiis |
| Francis de Sales (1567–1622), University of Padua | Gentle, consistent prayer and devotion enable the heart to detect God’s subtle voice. | Introduction to the Devout Life |
| John Owen (1616–1683), University of Oxford | The Spirit speaks inwardly to the believer through Scripture and sanctified reason. | The Works of John Owen |
| Blaise Pascal (1623–1662), University of Paris | Human reason and reflection reveal God’s providence; religious experience awakens awareness of God’s presence. | Pensées |
| Richard Baxter (1615–1691), University of Cambridge | Personal prayer, reading, and moral reflection help recognize God’s guidance. | The Reformed Pastor |
| Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), Yale University | God’s voice is discerned through the affections and reason enlightened by Scripture. | Religious Affections |
| John Wesley (1703–1791), Oxford University | Persistent prayer, Scripture reading, and spiritual discipline allow believers to hear God. | A Plain Account of Christian Perfection |
| William Law (1686–1761), University of Oxford | Spiritual attentiveness and obedience in daily life help detect God’s presence and instruction. | A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life |
| George Whitefield (1714–1770), Oxford University | Preaching, prayer, and openness to the Spirit enable recognition of God’s voice. | Journals and Letters |
| Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768–1834), University of Halle | God’s voice is experienced in the feeling of absolute dependence; prayer heightens this awareness. | Christian Faith |
| Henry Ware Sr. (1764–1845), Harvard University | Spiritual discipline, Scripture, and reflection on conscience reveal God’s communication. | Sermons |
| William Chalmers Burns (1815–1868), University of Edinburgh | Persistent prayer and Scripture meditation cultivate sensitivity to God’s guidance. | Missionary Letters |
| Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910), University of Glasgow | God speaks through Scripture, prayer, and pastoral reflection; attentive hearts recognize His leading. | Expositions of Holy Scripture |
| Thomas Chalmers (1780–1847), University of Edinburgh | Prayer, reflection, and moral discipline allow believers to perceive God’s voice and providence. | Discourses on Christianity |
If you're not hearing the Scripture, speak back to you, you're not reading it slow enough, read and read slowly. Read slowly to hear the written word speak to you on the inside. When you get an impression on the inside that this is for you, or that this particular area of the text is for you, specifically for you right now in this situation, in this time, this is the voice of God speaking to you.
Why does this process work to hear God?
Because the written word that you read has to be entered into for you to hear the voice of God, because God is Spirit and His words are spiritual (John 6:63). God is real. Also, when you enter the word through meditation it shows that you believe that He is and that He will speak to you, based on Hebrews 11:6
Again, the Lord Jesus Christ said His Words are spirit and life, John 6:63. So to enter into the life of God, to be able to hear the voice of God, you must allow the scriptures to speak to you on the inside. This takes us to step two.
Step #2 In hearing God's Voice, you have to remember how inspiration from the Bible feels.
You must remember how it feels because how it feels will give you an understanding of who is speaking. You know, sometimes in your day-to-day life, sometimes you get a thought or an impression, but you're not sure whether or not it's from God, or if it's from you, or if it's from the enemy.
By paying attention to how inspiration from the Word of God, the Bible feels, you will become familiar with the same feeling when it comes to you again, when you're not reading the Bible. And this helps you with your intimacy with the Lord in your day-to-day activities. Because God doesn't want you to be separate from him. He wants to be involved in every area of your life.
He wants to speak in every area of your life. When you're at your work, He wants to speak. When you're at your leisure, he wants to speak, when you're doing your house chores, He wants that still small voice to speak to you to give you instruction and give you revelation as to what to do and how to do it and what he wants to share with you.
Church Father Commentary on How To Hear God so you can see the continuity of what the Lord has revealed to me:
| Church Father (Years), Location/See | View on Hearing God | Key Work |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Martyr (100–165), Rome | God speaks through reason, Scripture, and Christ; the Logos enlightens the soul to discern God. | First Apology |
| Irenaeus of Lyons (130–202), Lyons | God’s voice is perceived in Scripture and the Church’s teaching; unity with Christ guides understanding. | Against Heresies |
| Clement of Alexandria (150–215), Alexandria | Spiritual knowledge comes from Scripture, reason, and contemplation; God speaks to the purified soul. | Stromata |
| Tertullian (155–240), Carthage | Prayer, Scripture, and moral conscience help believers discern God’s guidance. | Apologeticus |
| Origen (184–253), Alexandria | God communicates through Scripture, contemplation, and mystical insight; spiritual discernment is cultivated by study. | On First Principles |
| Cyprian of Carthage (200–258), Carthage | God speaks through the Church’s sacraments, prayer, and obedience; unity with the Church is essential. | Letters |
| Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373), Alexandria | God’s voice is heard through Scripture, the incarnation of Christ, and the Holy Spirit in prayer. | On the Incarnation |
| Basil the Great (329–379), Caesarea | Prayer, Scripture, and communal worship cultivate awareness of God’s guidance. | On the Holy Spirit |
| Gregory of Nyssa (335–395), Nyssa | God speaks to the soul through contemplation, prayer, and mystical union; purification of heart is necessary. | On the Soul and Resurrection |
| John Chrysostom (347–407), Constantinople | God speaks through Scripture, preaching, and pastoral guidance; prayer opens the heart to divine instruction. | Homilies on the Gospel |
| Jerome (347–420), Bethlehem | God communicates through Scripture and diligent study; prayer prepares the mind to receive divine truth. | Vulgate Commentary |
| Augustine of Hippo (354–430), Hippo Regius | God’s voice is perceived through Scripture, inner reflection, and the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart. | Confessions |
| Cyril of Alexandria (376–444), Alexandria | God communicates through prayer, Scripture, and unity with the Church; discernment requires faithfulness. | Commentaries on the Gospel |
| Leo the Great (400–461), Rome | God’s voice is mediated through the Church, Scripture, and pastoral authority. | Sermons and Letters |
| Gregory Nazianzen (329–389), Constantinople | Contemplation, prayer, and liturgical participation allow believers to perceive God’s guidance. | Theological Orations |
| Ambrose of Milan (340–397), Milan | God speaks through Scripture, liturgy, and moral reflection; spiritual listening is cultivated by devotion. | Explanations of Scripture |
| John Damascene (676–749), Damascus | God communicates through Scripture, theology, and prayer; the mind and heart must be purified to hear Him. | Exposition of the Orthodox Faith |
| Maximus the Confessor (580–662), Constantinople | God’s voice is perceived through mystical contemplation, prayer, and ethical living. | Ambigua |
| Evagrius Ponticus (345–399), Palestine | God communicates through contemplative prayer, ascetic discipline, and purity of heart. | Praktikos |
| Gregory of Nyssa (335–395), Cappadocia | God speaks to the purified soul through prayer, Scripture, and mystical insight. | Life of Moses |
| Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (5th–6th c.), Unknown, likely Syria | God is experienced in mystical ascent; prayer and contemplation allow the soul to hear the divine voice. | Celestial Hierarchy |
| Ephrem the Syrian (306–373), Edessa | God speaks through Scripture, hymns, and prayer; poetic meditation opens the heart. | Hymns on Paradise |
| Bede the Venerable (672–735), England | God’s voice is perceived through Scripture, prayer, and careful study; discernment requires diligence and piety. | Ecclesiastical History of the English People |
| Isidore of Seville (560–636), Seville | God communicates through Scripture and study; reflection on Scripture cultivates spiritual discernment. | Etymologiae |
| Leo I (Leo the Great) (400–461), Rome | God’s guidance is mediated through Scripture and Church authority; prayer aligns the soul with God’s will. | Letters |
| John Cassian (360–435), Bethlehem / Marseilles | God speaks to the soul through contemplative prayer, ascetic discipline, and inner reflection. | Institutes |
| Hilary of Poitiers (310–367), Poitiers | God communicates through Scripture and prayer; reason and faith together discern divine guidance. | On the Trinity |
| Fulgentius of Ruspe (462–527), Ruspe | God’s voice is perceived in prayer, Scripture, and moral reflection. | Letters |
| Peter Chrysologus (406–450), Ravenna | God communicates through Scripture, preaching, and attentive prayer. | Sermons |
| John of Damascus (675–749), Damascus | God speaks through Scripture, theology, and prayer; purity of mind and heart enables hearing Him. | Exposition of the Orthodox Faith |
The Lord wants you to develop in your faith and this development in your faith comes as you hear the word of God. The scripture in Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God there is not logos, it is Rhema.
Rhema is the proceeding word from God. In other words, it's the voice of God speaking to you, right now. He wants you to be able to listen to him to hear that small voice, but that comes through intimacy.
So again, you have to remember how inspiration from the Bible feels, you have to remember how that revelation feels, so that when you're in your day to day life, and you're not reading the Bible, that God can still speak to you and you can recognize that it is him.
STEP #3: In hearing God speak, you have to do what He says.
Doing what God says, is key in hearing the voice of God and growing in that ability to hear the voice of God, because one of the things that you will realize about God is that God gives you things little by little, he doesn't give you everything all at once.
So he may tell you to do this but he doesn't give you a clear understanding of why you should do it. But when you do it, that's when you get to know Him. When you do it, that's when you get to understand why you were supposed to do that. The doing allows you to hear more, the more that you do, the more you will, in fact, hear.
And the more that you do, though, is the more confident that you will become and that takes us to step number four.
STEP #4 - Grow in confidence in the Word of God that God speaks to you through the manifestation of What He Said.
So as God speaks to you, there will be manifestations that you will be able to see and verify.
This had to be the voice of God, this had to be very God speaking to me, because there was no way that I could have known this. This confirmation that you get as a result of doing the Word of God gives you the confidence in hearing God. Listen, and do what he says to do every day, listen and do what he says to do every day.
That's how you get to make this a lifestyle.
Step #5: You have to make this hearing of God's voice a lifestyle.
You have to make this hearing of God's voice a lifestyle, because it's in the lifestyle that you develop and grow in character because God not only wants you to hear Him speak in that inner voice that He gives you, he also wants you to grow in his character, He wants you to be conformed into His image. And the more that you hear, and the more that you do is the more that you will become confident and assured that God is in fact speaking to you.
Here's another Scholarly Table For Discerning God's direction in your spirit:
| Scholar (Years), Institution | View on Hearing God | Key Work |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471), University of Cologne | Emphasized interior devotion and meditation; God speaks through the attentive soul. | The Imitation of Christ |
| Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531), University of Basel | Scripture and prayer guide believers; discernment requires faithful obedience. | Commentaries on the Gospel |
| Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560), University of Wittenberg | God’s guidance is revealed through Scripture and reasoned study. | Loci Communes |
| Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), University of Paris (studied) | Spiritual exercises and discernment of spirits enable hearing God’s voice. | Spiritual Exercises |
| William Perkins (1558–1602), University of Cambridge | Prayer, reflection, and Scripture reading cultivate sensitivity to God’s guidance. | A Golden Chain |
| Richard Hooker (1554–1600), University of Oxford | God speaks through Scripture, reason, and the inner conscience. | Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity |
| John Amos Comenius (1592–1670), University of Heidelberg | Prayerful meditation and study of Scripture reveal divine guidance. | Didactica Magna |
| Franciscus Junius (1602–1677), University of Leiden | Meditation and careful study of Scripture reveal God’s voice; emphasized language study for understanding Scripture. | De Pictura Veterum |
| Thomas Boston (1676–1732), University of Edinburgh | Personal devotion and attentive conscience allow hearing God’s direction. | Human Nature in Its Fourfold State |
| John Flavel (1627–1691), University of Oxford (attended lectures) | Meditation, prayer, and Scripture help believers discern God’s guidance. | The Fountain of Life |
| Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758), Yale University | God’s voice is discerned through the affections and reason enlightened by Scripture. | Religious Affections |
| Thomas Secker (1693–1768), University of Oxford | Prayer and careful study of Scripture enable hearing God’s instruction. | Sermons |
| Philip Doddridge (1702–1751), University of Edinburgh | Prayer, Scripture, and devotional discipline cultivate awareness of God’s guidance. | The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul |
| Samuel Clarke (1675–1729), University of Cambridge | Reason, prayer, and Scripture reveal God’s moral and spiritual guidance. | A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God |
| Joseph Butler (1692–1752), University of Oxford | Conscience and reason together with prayer allow discernment of God’s will. | Analogy of Religion |
| Richard Watson (1781–1833), University of Cambridge | Prayer and Scripture study help detect God’s guidance in moral decisions. | Theological Institutes |
| William Wilberforce (1759–1833), University of Cambridge | Prayer, Scripture, and active obedience enable hearing God’s direction. | Practical Christian |
| Thomas Scott (1747–1821), University of Edinburgh | Meditation and careful study of Scripture help recognize God’s voice. | Commentary on the Bible |
| Edward Irving (1792–1834), University of Edinburgh | Spiritual discernment and prayer allow perception of God’s presence. | Sermons and Letters |
| Joseph Addison Alexander (1809–1860), Princeton University | Careful study of Scripture and devotional reflection guide recognition of God’s will. | Commentary on the Old Testament |
| Samuel Miller (1769–1850), Princeton University | Prayer, Scripture, and moral reflection cultivate awareness of God’s guidance. | Letters on Pastoral Theology |
| Lyman Beecher (1775–1863), Yale University | Prayer and Scripture reading are central to discerning God’s voice. | Sermons on Various Subjects |
| Charles Simeon (1759–1836), University of Cambridge | Prayer, meditation, and active ministry sharpen the ability to hear God. | Sermons and Letters |
| Albert Barnes (1798–1870), Princeton University | Careful Bible study and prayer allow the believer to recognize God’s guidance. | Notes on the Bible |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (1687–1752), University of Tübingen | Prayerful study of Scripture and careful exegesis cultivate discernment of God’s voice. | Gnomon Novi Testamenti |
| John Owen (1616–1683), University of Oxford | The Spirit speaks inwardly to the believer through Scripture and sanctified reason. | The Works of John Owen |
| Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768–1834), University of Halle | God’s voice is experienced in the feeling of absolute dependence; prayer heightens this awareness. | Christian Faith |
| Alexander MacLaren (1826–1910), University of Glasgow | God speaks through Scripture, prayer, and pastoral reflection; attentive hearts recognize His leading. | Expositions of Holy Scripture |
| Thomas Chalmers (1780–1847), University of Edinburgh | Prayer, reflection, and moral discipline allow believers to perceive God’s voice and providence. | Discourses on Christianity |
Let's Share Some More With Bible Verses on Hearing God Speak
Here are some bible verses on hearing God. It is our prayer that as you read you will recognize and know the voice of God when you hear Him in Jesus' Name.
To help you in hearing God's voice in your life, we've included New Testament and Old Testament scriptures because He is speaking God.
It is our prayer that you will hear the voice of God which usually comes as spontaneous thoughts and very rarely by His audible voice in the life of a believer. Why is this? Because God's Spirit is in you, so when He speaks, you're going to get impressions and spontaneous thoughts on the inside and not from the outside.
Again, our Old Testament and New Testament scriptures will help you understand this. It's our help that each scripture or bible verse will help you understand the different ways that God speaks to you in your everyday life. Almighty God has made it possible through Christ Jesus for you to hear His voice.
It's a guarantee of your Christian life, in fact. What, you didn't know that hearing God is a staple of Christian living? Yes, you can have great intimacy with Almighty God. Jesus said it in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me."
This is the Truth of God's Word. So when you're bible reading or speaking to God, know that when you're born again, you have a relationship with Him in which He speaks to you in your everyday life. I'm serious! Your Christian life should be a never-ending stream of hearing God, because we are called to live by faith and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God(Rhema or hearing His voice) Romans 10:17
He is a speaking God. Here are the verses for your bible study to gain Wisdom from God on this truth. The Lord Jesus shared in John 10:27 that every believer has received this spiritual gift. Every believer has been given the spiritual gift of hearing God's voice. And this isn't generally an audible voice but comes to the believer in the form of spontaneous impressions or thoughts from The Holy Ghost. In Acts 9:5, The Apostle Paul, as Saul, heard the voice of the Lord from the outside, but in Acts 27:10-25, the Apostle Paul heard the voice of The Lord internally when he perceived that the voyage won't end well.
Here are Very Insightful Bible Verses On Hearing God.
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
James 1:19-27
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ...
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 29:3
The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters.
Psalm 5:3
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
Psalm 85:8
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.
Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:22
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Hebrews 2:1
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
1 Kings 19:11-13
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
