byOne way or the other, we have all heard a voice in our heads before. Sometimes when we are thinking, sometimes when we are doing something, and even sometimes when we are asleep. Sometimes it seems crazy or scary. I remember talking to a 5-year-old one time, and she said she heard voices. The voice would keep her company, and she even joined her to play. I got scared. Was my fear valid? Today’s article admonishes the believer to listen to the Voice. But we must first understand what the Voice is, how to ascertain whether it is God, and why you should listen to Him.
What is The Voice?
As human as we are, it is common to hear voices. Crystal Raypole, in her article Hear Voices in Your Head? When to Be Concerned, explains that they can happen because of a mental health condition or during times of stress, grief, or lack of sleep. Those are voices. Today’s article isn’t about voices but The Voice. The Voice is the one the sheep hear, as Jesus said in John 10:27. It is the same Voice that called “Samuel! Samuel!” in 1 Samuel 3:10. It is the same Voice that stands at the door and knocks in Revelation 3:20. The Voice is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Word of God. So, that Voice is the one that the believer may hear when they are going wayward. The Voice manifests itself in various ways. Those who wrote the scriptures heard the voice before writing. Others like Moses, Paul and Samuel also heard The Voice. It was external and not in their mind or hearts.
How do you identify The Voice?
Jesus Christ is God, He and His Father are one (see John 10:30). Jesus is the Word that was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. The Word of God is The Voice of God. This means that each time you hear or read scripture, you are hearing the Voice of God. That is the first stage of knowing the Voice.
The benefits of recognising and obeying The Voice of God are immeasurable—guidance, peace, power, and divine purpose.
The second stage is when The Voice is manifested in but not limited to promptings, visions, dreams, and prophecies. For instance, you can feel prompted in your Spirit to give food to the first person you see on your street. You could also have a vision where you are told to visit a particular lady in your organisation and pray for her. What about three consecutive dreams where governments and kings were praising you? Or a prophecy that you will become one of the wealthiest young people in the world? How do you know it is the Voice of God? Simple, Subject it to scripture. Scripture is the ultimate Voice of God.
If you are a Christian reader and practiser of the Word, you are most inclined to hear the Voice more clearly if you are close to God. You will also be able to discern the Voice of God from other voices. So, in the first instance, subjecting the prompting to scripture like Isaiah 58:7 will help you distinguish whether you heard The Voice. Furthermore, know that you cannot do it with your strength alone but with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Why should you listen to The Voice?
First of all, there is a clear difference between hearing and listening. To hear is to perceive (sound) via the auditory sense, while to listen is to hear with intention. Therefore, you listen to The Voice when you identify it and intentionally hear it. It must be your will to listen to The Voice. The question then is, why? First, Jesus’ sheep know His voice, and He knows them too (see John 10:27). If you do not know His voice, you are not known by Him. Even nature listens and obeys The Voice (see John 10:28). If nature listens to The Voice, then why should you not? Secondly, The Voice is powerful (see Psalm 29:4). There is so much power in The Voice that if you listen to The Voice, your life and the life of your generation will never be the same. When David waited and listened to The Voice, he heard that he could pursue the troops that took their wives and children captive, and surely he would “overtake them, and without fail recover all” (see 1 Samuel 30:1-20). Because of how powerful The Voice is, it came to pass.
The Voice also gives comfort and peace in times of distress. There is no way that you will be still and listen to The Voice and not know that He is God (see Psalm 46:10). You will experience peace that transcends all understanding. We mostly face difficulties and waste our lives because we do not listen to The Voice. Imagine yourself in an aeroplane with a pilot who does not listen to the air traffic controllers (who the pilot claims to trust with her life). The pilot thinks she knows where she is going and where to land, but in reality, she does not. Would you not beg the pilot to listen to the air traffic controllers? So listen to The Voice.
In a nutshell, hearing The Voice has never been a problem for believers; rather, the challenge lies in identifying and intentionally listening to The Voice. The benefits of recognising and obeying The Voice of God are immeasurable—guidance, peace, power, and divine purpose. Each moment you ignore The Voice, you miss out on the direction and blessings that God has prepared for you. As a believer, cultivate the discipline of discernment and obedience, knowing that The Voice of Christ leads you on the path of righteousness, fulfilment, and eternal life.
