Seven Characteristics of God's Voice

The Lord wants His voice to be heard—Is. 30:30 The LORD will cause His glorious voice to be heard

Seven Characteristics of God’s Voice:

• Listen for the thunder of His voice - 2Sam. 22:14

• Listen for His still, small voice - 1Ki. 19:12

• Listen for His majestic voice - Job 37:2-4

• Listen for the shout of His voice - Ps. 47:5

• Listen for His mighty voice - Ps. 68:33

• Listen for His voice as He cries out like a warrior - Is. 42:13

• Listen for His voice that is like a Shepherd – Jn. 10:16, 27

He didn't say His sheep can hear His voice or should hear His voice. He made the emphatic statement that His sheep do hear His voice.

Radio and television stations transmit twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; but we only hear them when we turn the receiver on and tune it in. Failure to hear the signal doesn't mean the station isn't transmitting. Likewise, God is constantly transmitting His voice to His sheep, but few are turned on and tuned in. Most Christians are busy pleading with God in prayer to transmit when the problem is with their receivers.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God."

It's in stillness, not busyness, that we tune our spiritual ears to hear the voice of God.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,

I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Rev. 3:20

Those who love the truth listen to His voice

John 18:37

A 10-part series on the voice of God: HERE

God's Voice 5

Here are the final points from my list of the different ways we hear God's voice. I would appreciate any suggestions if you can think of other ways we hear Him.

-   The sacraments–Lu. 24:35

    Jesus made Himself known in the breaking of the bread. This is still one of the sweetest ways to hear his voice.

-   Angels—Num. 22:31:35; Jud. 6:12; Zech. 1:14; Lu. 1:13, 19, 28

God has directed angels – His holy messengers – to guard all Christians. If you do encounter an angel, pay close attention, because the message he or she delivers will be important.

-   Commonsense wisdom—Prov. 2:6; 3:13

Your common sense is a gift from God that you can use to help you make wise decisions. If you don’t sense God leading you about a particular decision in a specific way, you may be able just to trust the common sense He has already given you.

-   Signs—Ex. 10:2; Jud. 6:17, 36-40; John 3:2

   God may choose to get your attention through a supernatural and direct sign, but He will usually do so in conjunction with other ways of speaking to you. Don’t depend on signs to hear from God. Instead of focusing on signs, focus on God Himself and strengthening your relationship with Him. If you become close enough to God to recognize His voice, you won’t need to test Him by asking for signs. Sometimes it’s fine to ask God to send you a sign – when you want to obey and need one to strengthen your faith.

-   Dark sayings—Ps. 49:4; 78:2; John 16:25

Puzzles, hard questions, proverbs, parables, riddles; allegory or illustrated speech. The psalmist even found that playing the harp helped him to understand the riddle or mystery (Ps. 49:4). Jesus used parables and allegories to convey the heart of the Father to us. Luke 15 is an excellent example of His parables.

-   Words which are seen—Amos 1:1

    It seems that the prophet Amos saw the words he was instructed to speak from the Lord as some form of scrolling tablet or writing.

-   Burden—Nahum 1:1; Hab. 1:1; Zech. 9:1; 12:1; Mal 1:1

    It seems that some of the prophets received prophetic messages as a “burden” on their heart. It must be noted that the Lord will never put a heavy burden on us that is overwhelming to carry. His burden is always light (Matt. 11:30). The message of God can come to us as a burden that “presses” upon our spirit for a season. In Hebrew, the word for “burden” is massa which can also mean - a prophetic song.

-   Burning fire inside—Jer. 20:9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

-   A donkey and a hand—Num. 22:28–30

   The main thing we can learn from these two instances is that the Lord can use anything to convey His message to us.

    In Num. 22:28-30 the Lord used a donkey to speak to Balaam – even though there was an angel there who could also speak God’s word.

In Dan. 5:5, 24-28 The Lord used a hand (with no body attached) to write on King Belshazzar’s wall and give him a message. This was a very affective communication with this wicked king. Even though the writing was in Aramaic, which was understood by the Babylonians, no one but Daniel could interpret the prophetic significance of the four words.

The Voice of God 6: HERE
The Voice of God 1: HERE

The Voice Of God 2

Here are the results of hearing and obeying God's voice from Deuteronomy 28:1-14:

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (Amplified Bible)

1    If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

2    And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.

3    Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.

4    Blessed shall be the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock.

5    Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading trough.

6    Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7    The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

8    The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse and in all that you undertake. And He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

9    The Lord will establish you as a people holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

10   And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.

11   And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

12   The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

13   And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.

14   And you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

• v3 You will be blessed in city, business or agricultural work

• v4, 11 Your children will be blessed, and everything else you produce will prosper – even the offspring of your animals

• v5  Your food will be blessed

• v6 You will be blessed as you come into your home and as you go out

• v7 You will have God’s power over your enemies – they will flee faster than the way they came to attack you

• v8 God will command a blessing on everything you put your hand to – every aspect of your work and your home shall be prosperous. New avenues of prosperity and financial freedom will lead to an overflow of financial blessing

• v9-10 God will give you leadership and favor over all nations. You will be known as his holy people and you will command respect

• v12 You will have rain and not drought

• v12 You will lend to others and not have to borrow

• v13 You will be a forward thinking, visionary leader

Voice of God 1: HERE
Voice of God 3: HERE