How do you know when you hear from God? What does it look like to be in God’s will? What does it sound like to hear a word from the Lord? How does God reveal what He wants from us anyhow? When you think you’re hearing something, how do you ensure it isn’t the enemy or your own desires talking? 2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” The sound of never falling is indeed desirable, but how to be sure of the calling or election of God seems to be all too elusive at times. How do you know?
Circumstances? Sometimes. God works through circumstances, however, not exclusively. Circumstances are not a sure guide. We can’t simply look for the path of least resistance or a string of easily opened doors to tell us, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Nor is it safe to assume that when you run into difficulty, it must obviously be against God’s will. We need more assurance of His will than circumstance alone can provide.
Wouldn’t it be swell if we always recognized the will of God? Wouldn’t it be great to always get a direct Word from God for everything? How great would it be to never doubt what His will was for us? “John, time to wake up.” “John, tell that person about me.” “John, clean up that mess.” “John, avoid the Froot Loops and eat toast this morning.” We think this would be nice but if we’re honest, isn’t it just the easy way out? It’s certainly easier than taking responsibility for our own actions or walking by faith. It simply highlights our laziness. Do you think hearing an unmistakably clear voice from Heaven would remove all your doubts and equip you with an unshakable faith?
Consider a few Biblical examples: Jonah heard a Word from God that resulted in him heading the opposite direction. In Judges 6, Gideon heard directly from the Lord but needed numerous confirmations and constant affirmations. In Exodus 3, Moses heard from God in the burning bush but figured he couldn’t obey due to his oratory limitations. Exodus outlines the escapades of an entire generation of Israelites who saw and heard directly from God but whose wavering cost them 40 years of wilderness wandering.
We need to recognize God’s voice when He makes His will known. Knowing His Word is how we learn to recognize His voice. A Christian can be confident and free from doubt about God’s will for their lives by taking heed to God’s Word. John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Sometimes you must nullify the noise and nurture the nudge. Step in faith toward those areas you sense God has been preparing you for. God’s Word and His preparation in your life lead you to answer the question, “How do you know?”.