Scriptural References: John 10:27, Psalm 119:105, Joel 2:28, Hebrews 1:1-2, 1st John 4:1, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 2nd Samuel 12, Revelation 3:7, Exodus 2:11-4:31, 1 Kings 19, Romans:14, John 16:13-14.

‘‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’’

 Do you know what God’s voice sounds like? In the scripture reference we read above, Jesus said “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me”. Based on this scripture, we can deduce that it is very important for every Christian who consider themselves God’s sheep to recognize and follow God’s voice.  

Life is a series of unending questions that require answers and It would be amazing to hear what God is saying, when we need to make certain decisions like, where should I go to school? Should I take this job? or Is there something better on the horizon? Who should I marry? Should I start this business? Should I sign this contract? and many other pressing questions. 

This 5-day devotional is written to help you understand some of the way God speaks, and to help you identify how He speaks to you. God is always speaking and if we train ourselves to listen, we will hear Him speak.  As you go through this devotional, please have an open heart and the good Lord who wants you to hear Him will reveal Himself to you.

Psalm 119:105 New International Version (NIV)

“Your word Is a light unto my feet and a light unto my path”

The first way God speaks to us is through His word. This is simply the basic way of hearing the way God speaks. To be quite honest there is no substitution for the bible. Every other way God speaks to us is built on His word. This day and age the bible is available in every medium possible. There are several apps, websites and more that make the bible readily available to us. We can’t hear from God when we don’t spend time studying his word. You only know how your earthly father sounds because you have spent most of your life hearing him speak. The best way to know how God speak, is to develop a habit of studying His word daily.

PRAYER: God as I go through this year and seek direction in all the decisions I make, please reveal the path I should take to me. I know one of the ways you speak to people is through your word. Please give me the discipline to study your word daily and the ability to understand what I am reading and how to apply it to my life In Jesus name I pray.

Joel 2:28 New International Version (NIV)

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”

The second way God speaks to us is through Dreams and Visions. The bible is riddled with different stories of people God spoke to through dreams and visions. In the old testament we have people like Jacob, Joseph, Daniel and some of the prophets. In the new testament we have the wise men, Joseph, Paul etc.  

One of the ways I have identified that God speaks to me is through my dreams. I once had a situation that I needed to hear God speak desperately. I was about to quit a job and my natural inclination was to give them my 2 weeks’ notice and walk away. I remember speaking to my wife about it and she asked if I had prayed about it. I decided to pray that night and God revealed to me what was going to happen if I quit. I decided to stay a few more months based on the dream. 

There are decisions you want to make or decisions you need to make and God will sometimes reveal the direction to you through your dreams.  He has spoken to people in the past through dreams and visions and He is still speaking to people through dreams and visions.

PRAYER: God as I go through this year and seek direction in all the decisions I make, please reveal the path I should take to me. I know one of the ways you speak to people is through dreams and visions, if this is one of the ways you speak to me, please give me the ability to understand my dreams and the vision you have revealed to me in Jesus name I pray.

Hebrews 1:1-2 New International Version (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe

Another way God speaks to us is through people. Have you ever heard a sermon that connects with you? A song? or even poetry? You may be going through some things or need to make certain decisions and by listening to other people you hear a word from God to you. 

Also, God sends people to speak to you directly about certain things.  This is one of the very tricky ones because a lot of people have been deceived by this. The bible actually warns us of false prophets (1st John 4:1). 

One of the ways you can confirm if it’s God speaking to you through a person is that, it will not contradict God’s word (1 Corinthians 14:33). This is why it is very important for you to study the word of God so as to know what it actually says.

I believe God resolves to speaking to us through people when He has tried to communicate to us and we haven’t heard. Sometimes we are in situations and places that are so distracting that God has to send someone to us. 

I remember king David in the bible who messed up and God had to send Prophet Nathan to speak to him (2nd Samuel 12). Kind David was deep in sin and moving in the wrong direction and God had to send the Prophet to redirect him on his steps. God is our heavenly father and His delight is always to communicate with us. He has great plans for us and He always wants to point us in the right direction.  

PRAYER: God as I go through this year and seek direction in all the decisions I make, please reveal the path I should take to me. I know one of the ways you speak to us is through people.  If this is one of the ways you are speaking to me, please give me the ability to hear your voice through the people you have sent to me and if it is not you speaking, please shield my heart and ears from hearing them in Jesus name I pray.

Revelation 3:7 New King James Version (NKJV)

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”

Have you ever been in a relationship that ended and you didn’t know why? Maybe you were devastated and wanted the relationship back. Eventually,  you will thank God that He ended the relationship because there is a new one that the old relationship would have prevented you from starting. 

God sometimes closes doors so that He can open new ones to you. He closed the door of the palace life to Moses so He could take him to a place where He could speak to him. (Exodus 2:11-4:31). 

I remember a friend sharing a testimony with me a while ago. She was enrolled in a PHD program at a school and something happened in the department and she was kicked out of the program. She had to enroll in another school and she got into a better program that her company ended up paying for and she went to school for free. Months later, she was informed that the PHD program she was previously in was canceled and was no longer accredited. If she had stayed in the program, she would have wasted her money and time on a degree that will no longer be valid. God shut the door on the first program so He could open a new one to her. Today, she is a PHD holder and doing amazingly well.

PRAYER: God as I go through this year and seek direction in all the decisions I make, please reveal the path I should take to me. I know one of the ways you speak to us is through open doors and closed doors.  If this is one of the ways you are speaking to me please give me the ability to hear your voice through the doors you closed and the ones you have opened. Give me the peace to walk away from closed doors and the courage to walk through the doors you are opening for me in Jesus name I pray.

John 16:13-14 New King James Version (NKJV)

13. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

In the past 4 days we have addressed ways in which God speaks to us.  Day 1, we said He speaks through His word. Day 2, we said He speaks through dreams and vision. Day 3, we said He speaks through people and Day 4, we said He speaks through open doors and closed doors. 

The final way we are going to address that God speaks to us is through His still small voice. This is one of the hardest one to develop because often times our voice is louder than God’s voice. God doesn’t yell or scream at us He speaks directly to us with His still small voice. 

When we read about the voice of God that came to Elijah in 1 Kings 19, we learn that the voice of God is a still small voice. God uses the still small voice of the Holy Spirit to speak only to His children. (Romans 8 vs14). As a young Christian, my pastor at that time told me that if I wanted to hear the still small voice of God, I should start praying for people during my prayer sessions. I started doing that and it didn’t happen the first time or the second time, but by the time it happened, God began to tell me specific people to pray for during those payer sessions. It was a still small voice that whispered those names to me. When we pray, God listens and He responds if we are willing to hear what He has to say.

PRAYER: God as I go through this year and seek direction in all the decisions I make, please reveal the path I should take to me. I know one of the ways you speak to people is through your still small voice. Please give me the ability to hear you clearly. Silence every voice that is contrary to your own in my life. Teach me to recognize you and how you speak to me daily In Jesus name I pray.