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Hearing God’s Voice – Part 2

discernment fear humility obedience Feb 14, 2026

So, you want to hear God’s voice—now what?

The first and most honest question to ask yourself is this: Am I willing to obey what I believe God is saying to me?
This is a crucial starting point. A genuine “yes” is not the outcome of hearing God’s voice; it is the precondition. A willingness to obey creates the soil in which discernment can grow.

Jesus once asked His followers, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). His words are sobering. If we consistently ignore what God makes clear, we begin to live as though He is not truly Lord. Over time, something subtle but serious happens: our ability to hear dulls. Our spiritual sensitivity fades. It’s much like slowly losing your native language after living for years in a place where it’s never spoken.

As followers of Christ, we are invited to receive His direction above every competing voice and opinion. When we sense that God is leading, our posture matters. Let’s receive His word thoughtfully—and then...

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Hearing God’s Voice – Part 1

holy spirit listening obedience prophets Feb 07, 2026

What do people mean when they say they “hear God’s voice”? Is this something all believers can experience, or only a select few? Do some people hear God more clearly—or more often—than others? And does God seem to speak more in certain seasons or places?

Scripture suggests that God’s communication has unfolded differently at different times in history. The book of 1 Samuel opens with this striking line: “In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.” (1 Samuel 3:1). There was a season when God’s people experienced very little revelation. Then Samuel was born, and God began to speak again in a clear and powerful way through the prophets.

The New Testament gives us even greater clarity. The book of Hebrews begins by reminding us that “in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1–2). Jesus is the fulfillment of all prophecy. Ever

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Listen Up ... God Still Speaks

discernment growth guidance listening to god obedience scripture Jan 17, 2026

Does God Still Speak? … And Can You Hear Him?

Have you ever met someone who says they hear from God?

Maybe they talk about sensing His direction or making decisions based on what they believe He’s heard Him say.

Sometimes those people feel a little out there.
Other times, they feel intimidating—as if their closeness to God highlights something you’re missing.
And if you’re honest, you might feel tempted to quietly dismiss the whole idea.

Don’t.

Jesus was clear: “My sheep listen to My voice” (John 10:27).
That statement wasn’t reserved for prophets, pastors, or the especially spiritual. It was spoken to ordinary followers. To people like you.

God speaks. He always has.

Scripture is filled with His voice—thundering in Psalm 29, guiding prophets, stirring hearts through dreams, signs, and moments of revelation. Ultimately, He spoke through Jesus and through the written Word. And today, He still speaks—through Scripture, people, prayer, worship, images, thoughts, and gentle in...

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What Happens After God Speaks

clarity doubt failure god's will growth joy obedience repentance risk waiting Jul 26, 2025

I often hear people say they want to hear from God—that they long to know what He wants them to do. I smile when I hear this because I understand the desire. We tend to assume that if we just knew God’s will, life would be easier. But the truth is, clarity rarely makes things simple.

We hope. We pray. We wait. We wonder if we’ll ever truly sense His leading. And then—eventually—God makes His will known. But when He does, it’s not uncommon to feel caught off guard. Despite all the waiting and preparing, we often feel completely unprepared. Not only that, we may face an unexpected crisis of faith. We start to doubt: Is this really from God? What if I’ve misunderstood? What if I fail?

That moment of hesitation isn’t always about lack of faith. Often, it’s fear of failure. Deep down, we want God’s will to come with guarantees—of success, of smooth roads, of minimal pain. But that’s not how it works.

Look at Scripture. The lives of those who followed God were filled with struggle: setbac...

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Impassioned Desire vs. Confident Trust

actions believe choices conviction desire faith hope obedience risk trust truth Jun 21, 2025

Faith means a lot of different things to different people. I’ve often heard questions like, “Do you have much faith?” or “Do you have enough faith?” On the surface, these sound like objective questions—but in practice, they’re often asked in vague and fuzzy ways.

Usually, people are talking about whether someone has enough faith to believe that something they hope for will happen:
“Do you have faith that you’ll get married?”
“Do you have faith that you’ll land that job?”
“Do you have faith that you’ll become successful?”

But biblical faith isn’t rooted in our personal desires or wishes for the future. Biblical faith is anchored in God—in who He is, in what He’s said, and in what He’s done.

Paul wrote that faith “comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). Faith is not something we drum up emotionally—it springs from the message of Christ. It's a response to God's revealed truth.

In 2 Corinthians 1:20, we’re reminded that a...

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The Danger of Assumptions and Presumptions

discernment evidence obedience plans prayer prejudice racism stereotypes Jun 14, 2025

We’ve all heard the saying: “Don’t make assumptions.” And for good reason. When we assume, we act as though we fully understand a situation—without actually taking the time to investigate or discern the truth. Assumptions are conclusions drawn without sufficient evidence, and they’re often wrong.

Wrong assumptions fuel prejudice, racism, and harmful stereotypes. They fracture marriages, disrupt neighborhoods, and create tension in workplaces. When we think we know something we haven’t taken the time to understand, we often alienate others and make poor decisions.

Even Jesus experienced rejection based on false assumptions. Many believed He was a threat simply because He didn’t meet their expectations of how the Messiah should act. They didn’t pause to truly understand His mission—or His heart.

But if assumptions are dangerous, presumptions can be even more damaging.

To presume means to take something for granted. It implies an even greater level of certainty—often without any more ...

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"How to Know If It’s Really God Speaking"

alignment counsel direction god's voice god's will guidance obedience transformation Apr 19, 2025

Is That Really God Speaking? Here’s How to Know.

Have you ever paused and wondered, “Is this really God speaking to me?”
Maybe you sense Him nudging you in a certain direction—or correcting, guiding, or prompting you to take action. But how do you know if it’s really His voice and not just your own thoughts?

Discernment starts with asking the right questions:

Does it align with Scripture?
Is it consistent with godly counsel from trusted voices?
Are those in spiritual authority affirming it?
Does it bring peace, or does it feel condemning and heavy?
Is it drawing you closer to God and deeper into obedience?

When the answer is yes to these, it’s a strong indicator that God is indeed speaking.
But let’s go deeper.

At the core of God’s voice is always this truth: You are His beloved.
Everything God says—whether to correct, direct, or encourage—flows out of your covenant relationship with Him. You're not a servant earning approval. You're a son or daughter resp

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How To Know The Voice Of The Lord

application bible christian hearing god holy spirit interpretation obedience revelation Apr 06, 2024

“What do you think Jesus is saying to you at this point in your life, in the context of the challenges and opportunities you are facing?
What indicators give you some measure of confidence that it is indeed Jesus speaking to you rather than someone or something else?”

These two questions start Gordon Smith’s introduction to his book, The Voice of Jesus.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) Being a Christian means following Jesus Christ as Lord. It doesn’t mean to follow principles or even teachings, it is more personal than that. It is a matter of following the person of Christ by the help and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Hearing the voice of Jesus involves the inner witness of the Spirit of God and the outer witness of the word of God, and often the support of other believers. It is critical for Christians to “hear” the voice – or sense the leading – of the Lord. Yet, many don’t seem to make this a priority in their lives.

If yo...

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What To Do In Times of Desperation

anger counsel deliverance desperation isolation obedience panoic prophesy transformation treasure wisdom Mar 23, 2024

What do you do and where do you turn when you feel desperate?

We are desperate when we feel hopeless, when we feel like we are in an impossible situation that is too much to deal with emotionally, physically or spiritually.

Desperation is a human emotion … it’s going to happen. Unfortunately, it often functions as a logic suppressant. It makes us stupid. And, stupidity acts impulsively. We must be careful when we are desperate, or things could go south very quickly. These feelings can lead us to panic and to become isolated – a bad combination. Decisions made in isolation and acted upon rashly rarely turn out well.

We need not, however, follow the desperation tracks all the way to the station of utter despair. Instead we can allow it to take us to deep places in our relationship with God. Some have even said only desperate people grow spiritually and are transformed. It’s when we come to the end of ourselves and the resources at our disposal that we call out to God as God. And, i...

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Take Hold of Your Future

bible communion forgiveness future obedience oneness plans prayer presence purposes reflection relationship wholeness Mar 09, 2024

What are your plans for the future? Is there anything you want to accomplish or become? Is there anywhere you want to go or anything you want to do?

Have you given much thought to what God may have planned for you? He prophesied through Jeremiah that He knew the plans He had for the people of Israel. (Jeremiah 29:11) And, He knows His plans for you too. For, “You are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do.”(Ephesians 2:10) He has things planned for your future.

The apostle Paul wrote near the end of his ministry that he was pressing on to take hold of that for which Christ had taken hold of him (Philippians 3:12) God wants us (like Paul) to lean and press into the purposes for which Christ has taken hold of our lives.

We may imagine that Christ takes hold of us to accomplish His work, but God has more than work in store for us. He is primarily after relationship and wholeness. He saved us - He wants us to walk with Him ...

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