How do you recognize God's Voice?

ChrisinMI · Dec 9, 2005

Wondering how each of us determine God's voice from our own conscience? I know we need to consult scripture and God will only tell us things that will benefit us and not harm us. But really how do you decide? Should it be so involved?

revrobor · Dec 9, 2005

I do not hear God's voice audibly. When He speaks to me it's like a thought. I know it's His voice because He gives me wisdom I don't possess and never says anything that will contradict Scripture (although it may contradict some people's interpretation of Scripture).

BBgrey · Dec 9, 2005

I agree with the last post. God's voice has never been audible to me, but often I can tell it is him because it is like a thought I would not have normally come up with on my own -- a wise but simple leading toward the truth. God's words will always line up with scripture says, and often God's voice reminds me of a scripture I have learned or a word of wisdom that a friend has imparted to me. When I am convicted of a sin, I am also pretty sure that is God's voice (though the devil will sometimes try to make us feel guilty for things that have already been forgiven -- or aren't wrong in the first place).

BBgrey

hlaltimus · Dec 9, 2005

Same here. I have never heard an audible voice. I do know that you can learn, somewhat, just how God speaks by observing how His enemy attempts to speak. Never accept a thought that comes to your mind, which thought you did not volitionally will to think. If you didn't choose to think that thought, then who did? Could God have? Why then did He give us a will in the first place if it was not to exercise those wills? Mediums commonly receive their communications while in a passive mental state. God has been know to speak unsolicited & audibly to a person's physical ear because our will cannot effectively govern just what we hear, but this is not true of our mind. Normally I have found that if God wants to speak to me then He will use me to speak to me, (If it can be put that way,) and not bypass the normal functions of my mind and will. He will put, unsolicited, a burden or desire upon my heart, but not a thought in my mind. When a certain burden or godly desire forms in my heart, I then choose to think upon that God glorifying desire and coincidingly find an assurance from the Holy Spirit of the verity of that burden. When I am then willingly thinking upon what I already know is biblically allowed, God is at that moment speaking to me as a secondary agent to the primary agency of my own will. We are made in His image and just as God primarily made choice in Genesis Chapter 1, we do likewise. But He is the initiator in what He puts in our hearts as His children, while we are the initiators over our wills.

Wineberry · Dec 10, 2005

I feel I hear God's voice through comforting and reassuring thoughts that let me know He is with me when I need advice and guidance. He gently corrects me when I'm wrong by convicting me of the need to ask for forgiveness, and He teaches me to be strong to forgive others as He forgives me.

I know if I have a problem I can take it to the Lord in prayer, and He will be there to show me in my weakness how He can be my strength. He is Lord God, and in Him I will always depend.

KritterCat · Dec 10, 2005

I'm working on listening to God's voice to find guidance from Him.... the few times I think I have heard from him it has felt like a tug on my heart (mentally), and all of the sudden feeling like I know how to solve something... and strength to do it.

Charon · Dec 10, 2005

ChrisinMI said:
Wondering how each of us determine God's voice from our own conscience? I know we need to consult scripture and God will only tell us things that will benefit us and not harm us. But really how do you decide? Should it be so involved?

God is very good at getting a message to me when He wishes; it's always been by thought. Like others here, I have never audibly heard his voice.

strikerchris0411 · Dec 10, 2005

It may be like, a though like "oh i could do this"

SixClowns · Dec 12, 2005

Great post and answers! I noticed I never have a problem hearing him when I am listening, it is when i am distracted by my own devices that I have a hard time getting to the phone if you will. Normally that's when God leaves a message like... oh ok now your cars broke, now you want to pray, yes yes my son, your tire is will be fine and you will get to work but since I got you on the line...what about this little area in your life that you've been ignoring.

Great topic, these are my favorite, I'd much rather discuss this than Cath vs. Prots.

ChrisinMI · Dec 12, 2005

SixClowns said:
Great post and answers! I noticed I never have a problem hearing him when I am listening, it is when i am distracted by my own devices that I have a hard time getting to the phone if you will. Normally that's when God leaves a message like... oh ok now your cars broke, now you want to pray, yes yes my son, your tire is will be fine and you will get to work but since I got you on the line...what about this little area in your life that you've been ignoring.

Great topic, these are my favorite, I'd much rather discuss this than Cath vs. Prots.

I had to laugh a little when I read this post...mostly because I SO agree with you! The laugh part came with your preference in discussion! I completely agree! That is the part of this board I DO NOT LIKE..this division of the body in some of the discussions we have! THanks for the smile today SixClowns!..OH I guess that name fits you perfectly!

billwald · Dec 12, 2005

The voice must conform to the text, says Moses.

Lucius · Dec 12, 2005

Its not so much as being audible for me either, its more that I feel his love and warmth embracing me when he speaks, thats how I know.

strikerchris0411 · Dec 12, 2005

Maybe through the holy spirit

Stinker · Dec 12, 2005

Learning to recognize the promptings, then learning that we should address the promptings when they occur, is something I was never taught in the church where I started my spiritual walk in. He even uses providence to guide us. Looking back, I can now see all the attempts in which the Lord tried to reach me to get me to change direction to save me from bad occurances, and to lead me to do things which were not my will, but His will.

strikerchris0411 · Dec 12, 2005

Stinker said:
Learning to recognize the promptings, then learning that we should address the promptings when they occur, is something I was never taught in the church where I started my spiritual walk in. He even uses providence to guide us. Looking back, I can now see all the attempts in which the Lord tried to reach me to get me to change direction to save me from bad occurances, and to lead me to do things which were not my will, but His will.

yeah even trivial stuff

BOJAX · Dec 12, 2005

This has been VERY difficult for me. God has now given me the ability to hold each suspicious thought captive. I take whatever the thought may be and basically go over it in my mind. If it lines up with the Word of God ans his principals and is made to convict me and show me what I've done wrong and how to repent, then that is obviously from God. If all the thought does it condemn me and make me question scripture, or if the thought is purely foolish and meant to distract me, well guess who.

Jamie

ebia · Dec 13, 2005

Usually it's pretty obvious.

The Princess Bride · Dec 13, 2005

revrobor said:
I do not hear God's voice audibly. When He speaks to me it's like a thought. I know it's His voice because He gives me wisdom I don't possess and never says anything that will contradict Scripture (although it may contradict some people's interpretation of Scripture).

I very much agree with that. I believe He also gives us discernment and understanding of when He is speaking to us. Of course, hearing His voice takes time to recognize it. It is like tuning in a radio station, you have to get the "static" out of the way, so you can hear it clearly.

ChrisinMI · Dec 13, 2005

ebia said:
Usually it's pretty obvious.

No not always obvious or it would not be one of the BIGGEST questions christians continue to hold.

ebia · Dec 13, 2005

ChrisinMI said:
No not always obvious or it would not be one of the BIGGEST questions christians continue to hold.

Sorry, I was answering the question "How do you recognise God's voice" (ie me), not "How does one recognise God's voice".

How do you recognize God's Voice?

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