Last time, we talked about the first step in saying yes to God — dying to ourselves.
But now we step into something that can feel a little more complicated… and even overwhelming at times.
If I’m being honest, learning to hear God’s voice wasn’t something that came naturally to me.
And if I can expand on that honesty… most days, it still doesn’t.
I have a tendency to overthink almost everything.
Was that God?
Was it just me?
Am I making this up?
But over time, I’ve learned something simple… and life-changing:
God is always speaking — if I will just listen.
God wants to speak to us. That’s the beauty of the relationship we get to have with Him — we get to hear Him.
John 10:27 — “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
God can speak to us in many ways.
He speaks through Scripture, through others, and most importantly, through the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings conviction and correction. He guides our daily lives and begins to transform our desires to match that of God’s.
Galatians 5:16 — “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Often, I’ve found it’s not that God isn’t speaking…
it’s that I haven’t positioned myself in everyday life to hear Him clearly.
So what do I mean by “positioning”?
Positioning isn’t complicated — but it is intentional.
It’s the practice of quieting your mind and your spirit from the constant distractions around you.
And in that quiet… you begin to grow in sensitivity to God’s voice.
You don’t just hear Him more clearly —
you begin to see Him in everything.
So how do we build this kind of relationship with the Lord… where we KNOW it’s Him speaking?
My brothers and sisters… this is something that’s easier said than done.
It takes time.
Think about the strongest relationship in your life — whether that’s a best friend, a spouse, or even a parent.
How did that relationship become so strong?
It grew over time.
The more time you spent together, the deeper the relationship became.
The more you communicated, the more familiar you became with their voice, their patterns, and their behavior.
The same is true with our Lord.
The more time we spend in His Word, the more familiar we become with His character.
The more time we spend in prayer, the more sensitive we become to the convictions of the Holy Spirit.
The more time we spend in stillness with Him, the more clearly His presence becomes.
Practicing these things daily is nourishment for our soul.
Psalm 1:2–3 — “But whose delight is in the law of the Lord… that person is like a tree planted by streams of water…”
It refreshes us.
It refills us.
And it develops a peace in our hearts that we cannot manufacture on our own.
It also deepens the roots we are building in Christ.
Now that we understand how God speaks… and our responsibility to listen,
let’s talk about how we discern His voice over others.
The Bible tells us to test every spirit.
1 John 4:1 — “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…”
Testing the spirit means asking: Where is this coming from?
Because every voice we hear has influence behind it.
Is it from the Father… or from the adversary?
When you hold the door for a stranger and greet them kindly — what is driving that?
When you speak harshly out of frustration — what rose up in that moment?
We can apply this same awareness to the thoughts that pass through our minds.
Is what I’m hearing aligned with Scripture?
Does it reflect God’s character?
Is it rooted in my flesh… or led by the Holy Spirit?
These questions don’t just help you discern —
they train you to recognize God’s voice more clearly over time.
Before you go, I want to leave you with this:
Filling yourself with God’s Word is the primary way to test the spirit.
If you know His Word, you will begin to recognize His voice.
Be mindful of the voices you may have unknowingly placed above His.
It’s easy to search for answers.
It’s easy to consume sermons daily and feel spiritually filled.
But those things were never meant to replace personal time with God.
They are tools — not substitutes.
Because when we skip time with Him, we miss the opportunity to build the relationship that teaches us His voice.
Our world often chooses what is quick and easy.
But God moves in relationship, in patience, and in time.
So I’ll leave you with this one simple, but serious question:
Who are you listening to?
The Daily Yes: The Journal 
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