“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” — John 10:27
Many believers desire to hear the voice of God, yet often believe it is reserved for prophets, apostles, or those with special callings. Scripture reveals otherwise. Hearing God’s voice is not a reward for the elite—it is the birthright of every believer. The issue is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are positioned to hear.
At God’s Altar and You, we understand that every divine encounter begins at an altar. Before God speaks audibly or inwardly, He draws us into intimacy. Thus, the first altar in learning to hear God’s voice is The Altar of Intimacy.
God Is Always Speaking
From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals Himself as a communicating God:
- He walked with Adam and spoke in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).
- He spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with a friend (Exodus 33:11).
- He spoke through prophets, dreams, visions, angels, and ultimately through His Son (Hebrews 1:1–2).
God has not gone silent. What has often diminished is our attentiveness. As a child I could literally hear the audible voice of God. Though I did not think much of it. At about age nine I thought it was the norm. But modern life is loud—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. So as I grew His voice became dimmer and dimmer until I forgot all about it. I later learnt, as I began to re-establish my relationship with Christ, that noise competes with discernment. Busyness dulls sensitivity. This is why hearing God’s voice always requires intentional withdrawal.
The Altar of Intimacy: Where Hearing Begins
An altar is a place of encounter, exchange, and alignment. The Altar of Intimacy is where we lay down distractions, self-will, and assumptions in exchange for clarity, closeness, and communion.
Jesus modeled this consistently:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” — Mark 1:35
Before miracles, before decisions, before choosing His disciples—Jesus withdrew to be with the Father.
If the Son of God needed intimacy to hear and obey, how much more do we? Note well — He went to a quiet place. Alone.
Why Many Struggle to Hear God
Here are a few common hindrances:
- Expectation of Drama
Many expect God to speak only through thunderous moments, yet Scripture says:
“The Lord was not in the wind… not in the earthquake… not in the fire… but in a still small voice.” — 1 Kings 19:11–12 - Unsubmitted Hearts
God speaks clearly where hearts are yielded. Partial obedience clouds perception. - Neglected Word
God’s voice will never contradict His written Word. Familiarity with Scripture sharpens spiritual hearing. - Unconfessed Sin or Emotional Clutter
These do not stop God from speaking—but they affect our ability to discern.
Positioning Yourself to Hear
To begin cultivating spiritual hearing, start here:
- Create a sacred space (your personal altar): a consistent place and time to meet with God.
- Still yourself before Him: silence is not emptiness—it is expectancy.
- Pray simply: “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10).
- Wait without rushing: God often speaks in peace, impressions, scripture, or gentle conviction.
Hearing God’s voice is less about technique and more about relationship.
A Closing Prayer
“Father, draw us back to the place of intimacy. Remove every distraction that dulls our hearing. Teach us to recognize Your voice above all others. We consecrate our ears, our hearts, and our minds at Your altar. Speak, Lord—we are listening. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Coming Next in This Series
Part 2: Recognizing the Voice of God vs. the Voice of Self and the Enemy
Learn how to discern, test, and trust what you are hearing so you can walk in confidence and obedience.
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