How to Hear God’s Voice
How can I know God’s will for my life? Why can’t I hear God? Are these anomalies for a believer, or should they be normative? See how two short verses in Psalm 23 reveal much about God’s leadership and restorative qualities while answering some of our greatest searches.
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"He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for His namesake."
Psalm proposes two questions:
Is being led by God optional for a believer, or is it essential?
If we're to be led by God, then that would necessitate hearing the voice of God. So, is hearing God's voice normative or an anomaly for a believer?
Before answering those questions, let's look at the Shepherd's leading and restoration qualities.
The Three Qualities of the Shepherd's Leading and Restoration
1) Sheep Are Led, Not Driven
Jesus does not drive the sheep; He leads them. "He leads me beside still waters. He leads me in paths of righteousness."
While those are the words of David, we also see this in the New Testament, where Paul writes in Romans 8:14, "those who the Spirit of God leads, are sons of God." I want to note in that passage that whether you're male or female, I hope you would view yourself as a son. So, please, don't be offended by that, and let me explain why.
In Middle Eastern culture, and within the contexts of the New Testament, the firstborn son inherited everything from his father. I'm not going to discuss whether that was fair because we look at things differently now. But that was the cultural norm when this passage was written.
So what we are to understand that Paul's pointing to is that those who are "sons of God" have an inheritance from the Creator of the Universe. His wisdom, insight, knowledge, understanding, blessing, guidance, and so on are all available to you.
2) Sheep Know the Shepherd's Voice
In this passage, we note the picture of sheep being led, and as believers, we are invited to be led, not driven. Psalm 23 illustrates that this is not only important but essential. We need to hear the Shepherd's voice if we're being led.
In John 10:27, Jesus shares, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." What He's saying is that it's normative for believers to hear the Shepherd's voice.
I Can't Hear God's Voice
As a pastor, I frequently hear one thing during conversations and counseling sessions: "I'm just not hearing God right now." I always want to be tender and supportive, but you can hear from God. God has spoken, continues to speak, and is available to speak into your life.
But what about making a strategic decision or a circumstance that scriptures don't necessarily directly address? I would call that personal revelation from God, which always aligns with Scripture. God has many ways to speak to us, including the Holy Spirit, divine impression, circumstance, a friend's counsel, and many more.
Every time I've experienced the presence of God, which does not always happen the same, but it does work. There's a difference between the omnipresence of God that He is everywhere and the manifest presence of God.
If you are unsettled about a decision or movement, God may be speaking to your circumstances. When we "trust the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on our own understandings," God will drop peace into your heart.
Within the light of the Creator of the Universe, being willing to lead us is not only to understand that you have been born but why you've been born. I will lovingly submit that why you've been born can only be discovered in the heart of your Creator, the one who engineered and designed you.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are His workmanship." What that means is that it wasn't your idea. You didn't invent yourself, God did, and when you believe by faith in Christ alone, you become a new creation. Old things pass away, and the expression of God's heart will wind through your emotions and spirit.
So, is it possible for a person to never discover why they were born? Unfortunately, yes. It's a tragedy because all you have to do is fail to listen to the leading of the Shepherd.
But if you hear nothing else I say, hear this: Your life has meaning, and you were born for a purpose.
3) Sheep Are Invited Into The Shepherd's Rest & Righteousness
There's nuance to this verse that the Shepherd not only leads you to rest, but David describes this place with the metaphor of still waters. That's significant because sheep are afraid of rushing water.
The reason for that fear is because of the heavy fleece they carry. If they fall into moving water, they become waterlogged and cannot get out, so a good shepherd will lead them to still water. It's calming for the sheep to know they can draw nourishment and feel secure.
The verse also says we are led to "paths of righteousness." For some of us, our default mode when we hear the word righteousness is to connect that word to "boring." But let's shift our perspective on that. When righteousness gets into your experience, you experience the right way of thinking, acting, and feeling. It's a gift to act and feel in righteousness.
Scripture speaks of this righteousness in two ways.
There is righteousness that Christ gives us.
Righteousness to which He calls us.
Now, let's contextualize this using two theological terms:
Imputed Righteousness: This is what you experienced and have when you were justified or made right with God by faith. You received Christ Jesus and confessed your sins; therefore, you have surrendered your old life. You didn't earn it, nor was it about your good works. It's what Christ did on the cross.
Imparted Righteousness: This is the gift of the Holy Spirit who has empowered you to live differently and in conjunction with the revelation of God.
Restore means to return to a former condition. So for David to say, "He restores my soul," he means He leads us to righteousness.
Your soul is made up of your mind, will, and emotions. The beauty of this verse is that God leads us into His righteousness. He restores a believer's soul to the right way of thinking, acting, and feeling. Therefore, your mind, will, and emotions are restored to the glory of God.
[READ MORE: Rest Is A Weapon by Rev. Paul Lawler]
How Do I Know God's Will For My Life?
We see the term "lead" repeatedly, but if you are lead, you don't have to be concerned with being outside His will. Which begs the question, "How do I know God's will for my life?"
Righteousness is God's way, but He leads. When we walk in His way, we always fulfill His will. Let me illustrate from Scripture why the will of God doesn't have to be a mystery. Let's go back to Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."
God says He will direct our paths. This is not an isolated passage. Look at Romans 12:1-2, "I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what the will of God is, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
1) God Cannot Exaggerate
God cannot exaggerate because He can only speak what is true. Therefore, when the Lord declares His will is good, pleasing, and perfect, He's not just talking about for Him; He's talking about you and me. When you're walking in your design, the design you've been created to live in, for and by God, is good and pleasing. It is perfect.
2) You Cannot Improve God's Will
Many lives are turned upside down when they try to take the will and future of their lives into their own hands. Psalms 34:7 tells us to delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Be careful with this phrase because we've all been exposed to people who have hijacked this passage. But what's intended is as we delight ourselves in the Lord, He's writing desire on our hearts.
Many people think about the will of God as a tight rope. They're approaching their life as if they're afraid to make a mistake because if they do, they fall from the rope and plummet to the earth below. I want to remind you that's not the nature of the Shepherd. His lead is not fear-based.
The will of God is much more like a dance.
When you dance with your partner, you look into their eyes. You're trusting them to follow their steps. You follow their lead. It's not a place of pressure but a place of liberation. You don't have to fight to discover your purpose.
Soloman wrote in Proverbs 8:35, "For those who find me, find life, and receive favor from the Lord."
Righteousness is life-giving, and Christ is life-giving, but I want to remind you that He is doing this for His glory and namesake. This doesn't sound very pastoral, but Jesus shows off His glory through your life. That's why the glory of God and your purpose for living are synonymous.
TL;DR
Is being led by God optional for a believer, or is it essential?
Is hearing God's voice normative or an anomaly for a believer?
To answer those we look at the three qualities of the shepherd’s leading and restoration.
Sheep are led, not driven
Sheep know the shepherd’s voice
Sheep are invited into the Shepherd’s rest and righteousness
I can’t hear God’s voice
God has spoken, is continuing to speak, and is available to speak into your life.
God can speak through personal revelation.
Holy Spirit
Divine Impresison
Circumstance
Friendly counsel
More
How can I know God’s Will for my life?
Righteousness is God’s way, but He leads.
When we walk in His way, we always fulfill His will.
God says He will direct our paths.
The glory of God and your purpose for living are synonymous.
Related Reading
Give it To God by Bro. Chris Carter
The Lord is My Shepherd Explained by Rev. Paul Lawler
Who We Are Depends on Whose We Are by Rev. Paul Lawler
About Christ Church Memphis
Christ Church Memphis is church in East Memphis, Tennessee. For more than 65 years, Christ Church has served the Memphis community. Every weekend, there are multiple worship opportunities including traditional, contemporary and blended services
