A random thought comes our way, suggesting a certain idea or action. We might even feel inspired. Yet we question the source of the thought. Where did it come from? Was it God, or did I eat too much pizza last night? We desire to follow Christ by the Spirit, but we can become paralyzed by such analyzation.
Jesus promises we will hear his voice (John 10:27). If we belong to him, as a sheep belongs to the shepherd, then we enjoy this treasured privilege. Christ later teaches that the Spirit will remind us of all he said (John 14:26) and lead us into all truth (John 16:3). What a gift! Yet it’s a struggle to take advantage of it when we can’t discern the voice of God from other thoughts and desires.
This is the goal of spiritual disciplines. The disciplines aren’t an end goal but a tool for us to engage in the unseen realm of the Father, Christ, the Spirit, and the Kingdom. Just as a disciplined athlete, one who’s trained over years and become better attuned to his body, how it feels, his breathing, and more, the follower of Christ who submits to spiritual disciplines better learns how to discern the voice of God from others.
And it begins with prayer.
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1. Prayer
Since Jesus operates as our High Priest, constantly interceding before the Father on our behalf, prayer first aligns our hearts and minds with the person of Christ. When we talk to God, he talks back. He lives and breathes and communicates, so when we pray, he generously expresses himself to us. Regular prayer quiets our inner thoughts and outer distractions, creating space for God to speak his Word.
We always approach prayer with humility, thankfulness, and faith, placing ourselves in the right position to receive the great things God seeks to bestow upon us. Our prayers teach us discernment. As we bring our desires, concerns, and thoughts before the Father, he corrects and adjusts our thinking. We learn to distinguish between his guidance and our wants. Through guiding us and responding to our prayers, God teaches us what truly matters. Persistent prayer trains our spiritual ears.
In addition, prayer deepens our relationship with God. He assures us, challenges us, and invites us to work with him in his redemptive plan. As he answers prayers over time, we build confidence in his promises and the voice we hear. When we listen, respond, and obey, God gives us more revelation, and we become more spiritually mature.
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2. Worship
As we said before, when we talk to God, he talks back. Unfortunately, most modern churches structure worship as a one-way event where we praise God. Yet when we praise him, his voice responds and reveals truth to our hearts.
When we participate in the eternal truth that all will bow and confess he is Lord, our attention shifts from ourselves and to him. In the words, we connect our minds and mouths to God’s truth. Singing songs of his faithfulness and meditating on his character, we immerse ourselves in his Word. Our minds are renewed according to his promises. His voice will always reinforce his promises and truth.
Praise and worship draw us into deeper intimacy with God. In our adoration, we participate in the activity around the throne in heaven right now (Revelation 4:8-11). As such, we open ourselves to his presence and invite the Holy Spirit to work within us. In our surrender and submission, we experience more clarity and peace about our lives. Not a dismissal of our problems or hardships but bringing us to proper eternal perspective about them.
As we exalt him, he speaks into our lives, teaching us to further trust his truth and voice. The discipline of praise trains our hearts to remain committed to his purpose and mission for the hope and reward set before us.
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3. Reading the Bible
The Bible doesn’t exist as a purely academic document for us to dissect intellectually. Neither do we seek some emotional comfort alone from a daily reading. The Spirit inspired the written Word, a revelation which includes but transcends both intellect and emotion. Every word, story, and principle reflects his character and contains eternal truth, the ultimate standard to discern the Spirit. Engaging the Scripture teaches us to better hear God’s voice and distinguish it from our own thoughts.
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the process. We must prayerfully invite his guidance, the one who wrote it. He will illuminate the Scriptures beyond our ability and help us grasp their meaning and application. Through this partnership, we gain the wisdom to distinguish between God’s voice and our own or the thoughts of the world. His voice often challenges, but it will bring clarity, conviction, and peace. Other influences, including our own, only bring confusion or self-centeredness.
Regular and intentional Bible reading disciplines our minds to think alongside God’s will and nature. When we are familiar with the truths of Scripture, we more quickly identify thoughts that conflict with his Word. The Bible reveals God’s heart and ways, and this helps us recognize his still, small voice. Through this, we can navigate life, hearing God clearly and confidently.
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4. Fasting
The Bible includes fasting as a regular spiritual discipline, often associated with prayer. However, modern Western culture has minimized or marginalized the practice. Throughout history, Christians regularly fasted, and Jesus specifically taught his disciples to use this discipline. Paul fasted to better hear the voice of God (Acts 13:2-3), and so should we.
In fasting, we intentionally choose to deny ourselves physical food or other comforts, creating more margin to focus on God. This discipline both expresses and reveals our dependence on God. It exposes our absolute weakness and desires that often confuse our spiritual discernment.
The discomfort of hunger or longing for what we’ve given up points us to acknowledge our human weakness. These struggles with our own selfish desires humble us, stripping away our pride and self-reliance. We therefore become more aware of our need of God. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). While uncomfortable, our humility places us in the proper mindset: God is everything and we are completely reliant upon him.
From this humility, we create a desperation for God which invites his voice to speak and become clearer to us. The Holy Spirit often speaks louder—or we hear better without certain distractions—and he offers guidance.
Moreover, fasting aligns us with God’s purposes. The act of sacrifice reminds us that His will matters more than our own. This realignment helps us distinguish between His voice, which brings peace and direction, and our own thoughts, which often lead to confusion or selfishness. Through fasting, we learn to trust God’s voice, recognize His leading, and grow in obedience, making this discipline a powerful tool for spiritual clarity and growth.
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5. Community
We weren’t born again to live the life of God in isolation. Living in the community of faith helps to ground us in the collective spiritual wisdom of the Church, which Paul tells us is the pillar and foundation of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). The Holy Spirit lives in each life individually and God lives in the Church, his Bride, as one Body. Through fellowship with believers, we have a safe and encouraging space to ask questions and test our understanding of God’s voice. A loving community will help us grow in such discernment.
The Church universal, established and maintained by Christ, provides sound doctrine rooted in the Bible. When we hear what we think God’s voice is telling us, we can seek confirmation from other mature believers who love us and have faithfully handled God’s Word. Accountability like this keeps us from treating emotional impulses or worldly thinking like God’s word. Fellow Christians can and should challenge us to ensure our discernment matches the Spirit and the Bible, to keep us from wayward and destructive decisions.
Regular participation in corporate praise, Bible Study, and prayer helps us to be better disciplined in these areas, which help us hear God clearly. We also see how God speaks and works through his people, often using their lives and testimonies to confirm his guidance in our lives.
Hearing God’s voice isn’t something we do in isolation but is a shared journey. By staying connected to the pillar of truth, we grow spiritually and better follow his voice with confidence.
Peace.
Related Resource: How to Build Godly Confidence
Often, the greatest hindrance to living out our calling comes from internal, rather than external, influences. When our insecurities dominate our lives, we become our biggest limiting factor. If you’re familiar with the Bible, you may recognize, intellectually, that you are a radiant, redeemed, chosen, called, and empowered child of God. The question is, how do we let this truth define us and our actions? In this episode of Faith Over Fear, author and speaker Amanda Pittman discusses her latest release, Stand in Confidence: From Sinking Insecurity to Rising to Your God-Given Identity, and shares actionable steps toward growing in courage and confidence. If this episode helps you face fear with God's confidence, be sure to subscribe to Faith Over Fear on Apple or Spotify so you get new episodes every week!
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Originally published Friday, 17 January 2025.