“A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5)

When I was a new Christian, hearing and knowing God’s voice were the two things I struggled the most with. How could I know whether I was hearing from God when I didn’t know His voice? How could I be sure the Lord was speaking to me while reading Scripture, listening to a sermon, or going to Sunday school or a Bible study lesson? I was so afraid of missing God’s instructions, warning, and encouragement that I often found myself paralyzed by doubt.

As I began studying the Bible, I learned how God’s voice matched the Scriptures. Thus, if I wanted to know what God had to say on a particular topic, I only had to know what the Bible said on that topic. If I heard a voice and was unsure whether or not that voice was the Lord’s, the Bible would confirm whether it was Him.

God’s voice will never contradict the Bible. If the voice you’re hearing is encouraging you to take Scripture out of context to make it fit your situation, the voice isn’t God.

We can grow to learn and discern God’s voice by studying the Holy Scriptures, praying, and asking God to teach us.

To help us more correctly discern His voice, here are ten things God’s voice will never say to us.

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