7 Tips on How to Hear God’s Voice and Fulfill Your Purpose

Raise your hand if you have struggled with how to hear God’s voice. Perhaps, like me, you don’t really know if it’s God speaking to you, or if it’s just your inner voice. (Or even the enemy.)

Perhaps you feel like God is playing a game of hide-and-seek. Or you are hiding, and not seeking,

Whatever the problem, there is a big disconnect.

From the outside, it looks like everyone else has it all together while you, on the other hand, don’t even hear as much as a “boo” from God.

In a quest for how to hear God, I decided to do some research on this subject. And I came across some interesting things.

Hearing God’s voice may not always be what we think. After much prayer and reading, I realized God is talking. We may just not be listening.

What I am saying is that the Holy Spirit has been dwelling in our hearts since salvation, so He’s been talking all along.

So why are we not hearing Him?  

Before you give up and call it a day, check out the 7 tips on how to hear God’s voice. These tips may unlock the door to fulfilling your purpose and God’s will for your life.

Without a doubt, these tips have helped me to hear God’s voice more clearly and trust that what He says is true.

7 Tips On How to Hear God’s Voice

Check out these 7 tips on how to hear God’s voice. These tips will help you connect with God in ways you never thought possible. More importantly, you will have inner peace just knowing you are doing God’s will, even if it looks ridiculous to the world.

1. Develop a relationship with God:

Cultivate a personal relationship with God through worship, meditation (on scripture), journaling, and regular reading of the Bible. These practices will help you to automatically filter out lies or faulty thinking.

Rule #1: If it contradicts scripture in any way, it’s an automatic “no.” Out of the 7 ways on how to hear God’s voice, I think this one is the most important!

Psalms 119:105 says: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV).

RELATED: 19 Creative Ways to Have a Quiet Time with God (That Are Fun)

2. Create a quiet space to pray:

Find a quiet and peaceful environment where you can focus on God and be free from distractions.

Sometimes the busyness and noise of daily life can drown out the still, small voice of God.

Earnestly seek God and ask Him to speak to you. I often use the ACTS method when I pray: Adore, Confess, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (requests).

If you are struggling to make time with God, ask Him to show you how to eliminate unnecessary activities from your overcommitted schedule. (See my book Creating Family Memories, if you need help with your schedule.)

Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (NIV).

RELATED: 29 Creative Ways to Pray (When You Don’t Feel Like Praying)

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3. Practice active listening:

Sitting and listening is probably the one thing I struggle with the most! I spend most of my quiet time talking to God (99%) and then forget to wait for an answer. Duh!

How can He tell us anything if we don’t wait for an answer?

God wants us to lavish in the silence so He can calm our hearts and love us.

Truly, I think this is where anxiety gets dropped at the feet of Jesus. My prayer on how to hear God’s voice is that we stop skipping this important step.

Psalm 5:3: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (NIV).

RELATED: War Room Prayer Strategy: 7 Tips to Pray Powerful Prayers

4. Seek spiritual guidance from strong believers:

Engage in conversations with friends, leaders, mentors, or counselors who have spiritual discernment and can provide guidance and support.

Just like a ship that only veers off 5 degrees and capsizes, we too can take a slight turn and end up in a big hole.

If the people in your inner circle are giving caution, it is wise to listen. They truly love you and have no motive other than your best interest.

In the meantime, commit to reprogramming your mind to the truth so you are not easily misled by your own thought patterns. This is an important tip to remember when thinking about how to hear God’s voice.

Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (NLT).

5. Look for confirmation:

Not every thought or feeling you have will necessarily be from God because the flesh often gets in the way. God knows this. (We are like sheep who go astray.)

Usually, God has a pattern of relaying His message to us in multiple ways and multiple times, so we don’t miss Him.

His messages may come through scripture, sermons, songs, books, dreams, podcasts, word pictures, etc. Look for answers throughout your day and be sensitive to His promptings.

Isaiah 30:21: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it” (NIV).

RELATED: 9 Shocking Reasons Why God Compares Us to Sheep In the Bible [Coloring Page]

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6. Confess sin often:

The biggest block on how to hear God’s voice is sin. Pride and unforgiveness often get in the way and clog the line of communication with God.

Another sneaky thing to look for is screen time. The messages we receive all day from FB, Insta, Twitter, news, Netflix, etc. keep us distracted and busy at the least or reinforce negative thinking at its worst.

Take inventory of what you are putting into your mind and heart. This is where the Holy Spirit is either welcomed or suppressed.

I Peter 3:12 says: “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (NIV).

7. Be patient and persistent:

Hearing God’s voice is a lifelong journey. It requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to grow spiritually.

Trust that God is always present and working in your life, even if  He is not sending fireworks daily. If you are confused, patiently wait for God to reveal the details.

Remember that different people have different ways of experiencing and hearing God’s voice. There is no mathematical formula. Moses got a burning bush, Abraham and Sarah got an angel, Jacob had dreams, Samuel heard a literal voice, David had Nathan the prophet, and the High Priests had the Urim and Thummim.

I can’t say what methods God will use to talk to you; it may be different every time. Whatever He does,  it will be unique and special to you because your relationship with Him is unique and special.

Psalms 40:1: ” I waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” (NIV).

How Can I Hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit?

The key to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit is to look for a “still, small voice” (I Kings 19:12) that is steady and unwavering.

Often the Holy Spirit sends signals such as stop, caution, wait, or go. These one-answer words can be enough to start you in a direction until more is revealed. I’ve noticed from past experience that I get just enough light for the next step.

Often, my flesh feels like it’s not enough. I want more than one step! Or more details for the step I am on.

Like me, you may be ten steps down the road worrying and fretting because you don’t see the full picture That’s when the Holy Spirit reminds us that He is in charge. And…we are not.

We must believe in faith that He will supply the details when it’s time.

If you are struggling, think back to what you already do know about your situation. Write it down. Look at it.

It could be that you haven’t picked up on subtle cues that have already been given.  Perhaps God has told you what to do, you just haven’t moved forward yet. Ironically, God may be waiting on you before He moves!

John 9:31 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (NIV).

How to Hear the Voice of God in Scripture?

I’m gonna be honest, I’ve done some really silly things when it comes to hearing the voice of God in scripture. I’m sure you’ve probably done some of the same things too.

My favorite… open up the Bible, point to a random scripture, and expect it to be heaven-sent.

In all honesty, this usually doesn’t work for me. When I do Bible roulette, I get something like…” Emperor of Assyria, your governors are dead, and your noblemen are asleep forever…”(Nahum 3:18). Yeah, try and make something of that verse.

I’m not saying this doesn’t occasionally work, but this is not a good practice overall for how to hear God’s voice.

God wants us to dig into scripture daily and study His word. (It’s all about the relationship.) When you connect with God on a daily basis, you will see verses jump out at you and speak to your situation.

There will be an inner “knowing” that resonates with your soul. A peace.

If you struggle to stay in God’s word,  I suggest you join a Bible study such as BSF, Precepts, Community Bible Study, etc. Or how about the Bible study offered at your church? It’s a good way to not only get in God’s word but also develop godly friendships.

John 10:27: “I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly” (NIV).

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What to Do When You Can’t Hear God’s Voice

If you don’t know how to hear God’s voice, keep praying and listening. God will pursue you.

Why?

Because He loves you more than you can imagine. He wants a relationship with you. Just like any relationship, it takes time to learn how the Holy Spirit moves.

Take time to sit down and journal. What is your heart telling you? Write it down. Look for scriptures that confirm what you are writing.

More than anything, you can trust God’s word.

Keep doing these 7 things on how to hear God’s voice. Something will break.

Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

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How Do You Know If God Has Spoken to You?

When thinking about the 7 ways on how to hear God’s voice, go back to rule #1; it should align with scripture.

If you get a message that appears to be from God, but it is wrapped up in things that include fear, condemnation, and guilt, or you are bombarded with the sins of the past, you can be assured that Satan is behind it.

God may want to reveal sin to you, but it is out of love and conviction, not condemnation or rejection. He wants to cleanse you and change you so that you can get back into right relationship with Him.

As I keep saying, it’s ALL about the relationship.

When looking for God’s voice, look for signals that move you forward, not backward. Tones of healing that include love, joy, peace, forgiveness, righteousness, and restoration. If the tone feels accusatory, punishing, or dark, tell it to flee.

It’s Satan or his minions lying to you.

God’s intentions are not to hurt you. On the contrary, He wants to set you free. The steps to freedom may be painful, but you will have a feeling of inner peace as you walk the road to restoration.

Even if you are misled (you will be), just know that you have not ruined everything. God will lead you back to His path in due time because He loves you.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that God wants you to hear His voice, so keep looking for Him throughout your day. He loves you and wants to fulfill your purpose. Just be ready to obey, once you do hear!

Now, wasn’t this better than that cat video?

Out of the 7 ways on how to hear God’s voice, which one is most helpful to you? Comment below. 

 

Got Family Problems? There is Help and Hope!

Are you experiencing family problems or have a family estrangement? Do you feel shame, anger, or rejection? Check out my book Estranged: Finding Hope When Your Family Falls Apart on Amazon or at your favorite digital store. 

This book not only talks about my seven-year estrangement (and reconciliation) from my Christian family but also gives solid tips to help you with your family problems. Break free from your pain. Allow God to heal you no matter what has happened in your family of origin. There is hope when your family falls apart.

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