"How to Hear God's Voice"

I've heard this question a ton. People hear me talk about God like He's the person sitting right next to me & they look at me.. and say.. soo.. you're saying.. "God.. really talks to you?"

YES. He does. He's my Best Friend, My Creator, My Lord, My Savior, My God, My Life.. My Peace, My JOY, My Provider, My Comforter and A MILLION other things. Since He's all that.. I SHOULD be able to hear His voice right?!

If you look at Other religions.. their "god" -- is dead. So they pray repetitive prayers to the air, hoping & a praying. I don't know about  you but I can't serve no dead "god" that cannot hear me-- saying some repetitive prayer like it's gonna do something. OUR GOD, through Jesus Christ is LIVING, ACTIVE and sitting on the Throne in Heaven while all of heaven is bowing down & worshipping Him.. singing "Holy Holy Holy." THAT is my GOD. He speaks to me, He checks me, He shows me where I'm wrong, He encourages me, He tells me to shut up, He gives me wisdom, He tells me "not to wear that", He tells me "not to buy that"-- He tells me to GIVE, He tells me to pray, He tells me to do this & do that. Our relationship isn't this law-driven saying..ok, I HAVE to do this.. because if I don't He'll hate me. I aint like that. When you really love someone.. you WANT to serve them. For example, with my husband-- I'm not crazy about conflict in general and I don't want to ON-PURPOSE do anything to my husband that will hurt him or cause him harm. If my husband asks me to do something-- I do it because I LOVE him and marriage aint all about ME. I do what God asks of me because it's for my GOOD! He's leading me like He promised in Proverbs 3:5-6.

When I first found out..

I started spending time with God as soon as I got saved in 2003. My best friends sister told me that I'm supposed to spend time with Him daily so in my mind-- I needed to treat it like a new guy. Yes, you read that right. When you have a new little boo-- you think about them all day, call them, text them, spend time with them.. you do what you do.  IF I was REALLY going to get SERIOUS about my relationship with GOD I had to make Him a priority because I had all of the WORLD and my ex-randoms PRESSING in on me. So I went hard. I had date nights, coffee dates, went running, shopped with Him & studied together. I was INTENTIONAL in my date nights-- I talked with Him, asked Him what He thought of the movie we were watching.. you see.. if I was really going to learn Him & make Him my life.. I couldnt' do it.. without being INTIMATE with HIM.

Going to church 1x a week to get FED what another man or woman studied in their quiet time will not give you a relationship with God. HE must become your LIFE. So AS I am having these date nights and spending crazy time with God (studying & reading my bible-- listening to Praise & Worship Music)-- I begin to really practice hearing His voice. I would pray & listen to worship & then I would journal.. I would just write what He put on my heart. His voice.. became LOUDER & louder.. as I spent more & more time with HIM. You aint gonna know somebodies voice if you don't spend time with them.

                                                          The first time..

So do I hear God's voice.. audibly? Well, yes & no. I've only heard His voice audibility about 2 times. One time was in 2007 and I was in Target. I had just finished spending my entire Saturday morning on my face before God & I was checking out at the store. Then I heard a LOUD, booming voice say "Give her $20"-- it SHOOK me because I knew it was God's voice. I was so discombobulated that I almost forgot to pay for my items. The lady looked at me weird as I was searching in my purse for money. So after I paid-- I handed her the money and I said "The Lord told me to give you this"-- and the girls eyes lit up & she dropped to the ground. She said.. you have NO idea how much I needed this with tears in her eyes. I RAN out of there, I didn't need ANY credit because I sure wasnt' going to give her a dime. Not like that-- but it's not everyday you're handing money to cashiers. lol All the glory had to go to the ONE who told me to give it to her.

1. MOST times, I hear God's voice with my inner ear.. or my heart. One would say.. their "gut" or their conscience. Or.. "something' told me to do that."
2.  If you read my tweets and my facebook posts, I often tweet and facebook alot.. it's not like I sit & think of these things. It's in passing as I go throughout my day-- God places the ENTIRE thing on my heart and I just post it. He just tells me in my inner ear or my heart & it pops up in my mind and then I share it with you. (Same with this blog-- that took all of 5-10 minutes to write- He places an area on my heart & I just blog it)
3. I also go with my PEACE. If I'm going to God & I don't have CLARITY on an issue, I just wait quietly & I check my peace. If I HAVE zero peace-- I aint going & I aint' doing it.
4. If I'm not sure, I'll just keep standing & not make a decision until GOD has made it clear to me. I ain't doing nothing outside of HIM. I cannot AFFORD it & NEITHER can YOU.
5. Out of nowhere-- God will start to show me a person's heart. He just drops it in my spirit to stay away from that particular person because they don't have your best interest & they are POISONOUS to your life.
6. God speaks through humans, situations & LIFE in general. If you HIT rock bottom-- it's a good thing. Now you know that this world cannot sustain you-- so now you'll go to the real source of life & get that foundation right. So God speaks through CLOSING DOORS. He also protects you through those closed doors & He opens the right ones.
7. Dont' forget that satan also speaks to you to. Reconize the difference between his voice, God's voice & your emotions. Whenever satan tries to speak to me-- he speaks doubt & unbelief. He suggests that life isn't going to work out.. or this or that isn't going to happen so give up on everything. He's a LIAR & there's NO truth IN HIM. He's the one that suggests stupid things to you all day & it's up to you to TALK back to his lies & keep it moving'. If you don't know God's voice, you may confuse it with satans.. like "God told me that man is gonna be my husband".. but he keeps sleeping with you & everything that moves. Probably not honey.
8. WHEN God speaks.. the FRUIT lines UP. I KNEW my husband was going to be the "one" within 20 minutes of talking to the man-- but over the next year and 8 months I saw the FRUIT of Cornelius being a man after God's own heart. That FRUIT lined up so don't get so wrapped up in what you thought you heard "God" say that you miss what the BIBLE says. So NO, he shouldnt' be SLEEPING with YOU.. even if ya'll "plan to get married"
9. There's also quiet seasons.. where you don't hear a ton from God. I've gone through those. But during those times.. tell your emotions to shut up & KNOW that God is with you. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. GOD is still with you, EVEN if you don't feel like it.
10. When you spend time with God (I blogged about spending time with God here), don't forget to GET QUIET & LISTEN. If you sit & vent all day & then just jump up-- run to the shower & go about your day.. you get all cluttered & God has no room to even respond. LET Him freely respond to you. Set time aside DAILY to hear His voice. So SLOW down after you talk to Him. Give Him a chance to respond. God is ALWAYS speaking.

Cheers to all of you.. spending crazy time with Jesus .. hearing His voice & letting Him lead you. Don't forget that if you "step out" because you thought you heard God's voice & things don't work out.. HE will FIND YOU if you "MISS IT." Just have the right heart & desire to worship HIM with your entire life. And Remember.. the MORE you ignore God's voice.. the more hardened your heart will be to hear Him the next time He speaks.

God loves you like crazy,