How Do We Know When We Hear Jesus’ Voice?

Elsewhere in Scripture, Jesus says, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” (John 20:29 NLT) The same is true for hearing Jesus. The audible voice of the Lord is not impossible, but it’s not the common way He speaks to us in our everyday lives. Through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we are able to discern through a supernatural perspective, through our belief in Jesus! Naysayers may claim the Bible is just a bunch of stories …and to them …it may be! But to us, who believe in Jesus Christ our Savior, it is alive!

The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the armor of God. This is the way we protect ourselves from the enemy, who, as Jesus mentioned, is out to kill and destroy us. It also allows us the clarity and calm we need to hear the voice of Jesus and follow His lead on our lives:

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT

The voice of Jesus is living water. Imagine how life-giving a cool drink of water refreshes our bodies and quenches our thirst. We can feel the cold liquid on our lips, in our mouths, and travel down our throats and into our stomachs! This is the power of the word of God, and then some! The voice of Jesus brings us to life! Refreshes us and quenches our thirst, strengthens us, and prepares us …we trust in Him because of who He is and His good intentions toward us.

“Then a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.’” Luke 9:35 NLT

Listening to Jesus is counter-cultural. In fact, if you are finding favor with people, and enjoying popularity in this world, it might mean you’re tuned into the wrong voice, or maybe a prosperity gospel. Jesus said, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28 NLT) Hearing leads to doing. If we’re accepted by the world, we’ve done something as a reaction to what we’ve heard …what we believe. The apostle John wrote:

“I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:7-10 NLT

The favor of God is often misunderstood to mean favorable conditions on this planet. We are acceptance junkies, liking and sharing on social media. It feels so good to be liked. But Jesus said, “the gateway to life is very narrow, and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:14 NLT) The apostle James wrote:

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” James 1:19 NLT

The voice of Jesus meet us where we are at. Daily, when we immerse ourselves in the word, we can trust Him to meet us there, links arms, and walks out into the day with us. Always, forever, and onto eternity. He is the voice in our heads. The voice in our hearts. The voice of life. The voice of our Savior… leading us to life to the full.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Tatiana

Meg is a graduate of Ashland University. She is a writer, author, editor, and digital content creator. She stepped away from her job in Internet Marketing in 2008 to raise her daughters, which gave her passion for writing a chance to shine through her blog, Sunny&80… Life within the Love of Christ. Meg has served as a Children’s Worship Team Leader and Middle School Leader for her local church. She founded and led the Breakfast Club Bible Study for Tweens, has served as a Young Life Leader and Committee Member, and led Women’s Bible Study. She has also volunteered as a content creator for her local church, studied Bible/Ministerial Training through Global University, completed COMPEL PRO Writers Training, and is Ethically AI Certified. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the team at Salem Web Network. You can find her entire library of books on her Amazon Author Page.