Discerning between God’s voice, Satan’s voice, and our own thoughts is an important skill for every Christian to develop. God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, and by His Spirit who dwells within us. Satan, on the other hand, seeks to deceive us and lead us astray. Our own sinful nature and fleshly desires can also confuse us. So how can we know what voice we are truly hearing?
Listening for God’s Voice
God most often speaks to us through His written Word. As we read and study the Bible, we come to know God’s character and His promises for us. The Holy Spirit will bring Scripture to mind to guide and counsel us (John 14:26). As we spend time in prayer and worship, God may speak to our hearts and minds, conforming our thoughts to His will (Romans 12:2). His voice will never contradict Scripture.
The Lord speaks in a still, small voice that reassures and encourages (1 Kings 19:11-13). His words are truthful, gracious, and characterized by love, peace, patience, kindness and gentleness (Ephesians 4:15, Galatians 5:22-23). The voice of God brings clarity, conviction, comfort, and confirmation. It draws us closer to Jesus and leads to spiritual growth in our lives. God’s voice is consistent with His Word and His nature.
Recognizing Satan’s Voice
Satan seeks to deceive and destroy. His lies sound convincing but they undermine God’s Word and work. The enemy will put thoughts in our minds like “Did God really say?” in order to breed doubt, confusion, and distrust of the Lord (Genesis 3:1).
The devil’s voice condemns and breeds feelings of shame, guilt, and unworthiness. He accuses Christians of their failures and shortcomings, attempting to make us feel rejected by God. Satan magnifies our weaknesses while claiming God could never love or forgive us. In contrast, the Holy Spirit convicts us of specific sins in order to lead us to repentance and restoration (Romans 8:1).
The enemy’s words stir up anxiety, agitation, anger, and a sense of urgency. He presses us to make hasty decisions without praying or seeking wise counsel. The devil tells lies that contradict Scripture. He twists and takes the Word of God out of context in order to deceive (2 Corinthians 11:3). Believers must know the Bible well in order to recognize Satan’s deception and refute his falsehoods with God’s truth.
Examining Our Thoughts
Our minds are a battlefield between the Spirit of God and our sinful flesh (Galatians 5:17). Wrong thoughts and desires enter our minds, and we must take them captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Fleshly thoughts are self-seeking and self-serving. They follow human wisdom and cater to our selfish wants.
Ask God to search your heart and reveal any wrong motives or sinful intentions (Psalm 139:23-24). Hold your thoughts up to the light of Scripture to examine if they are pleasing to God or not. Reject imaginations and ideas that do not line up with biblical truth.
Our minds and hearts are deceitful and prone to wander (Jeremiah 17:9). We can easily deceive ourselves into following our own faulty reasoning. This is why we must stay grounded in God’s Word so we recognize His voice. The Holy Spirit living within believers is greater than the spirit of antichrist in the world (1 John 4:4). Trust the Spirit’s leading as you read the Bible daily.
Biblical Examples of Discerning God’s Voice
Samuel Learns to Hear God’s Voice
“Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him” (1 Samuel 3:7). As a young boy living in the temple, Samuel served the priest Eli. One night God called his name, but Samuel thought it was Eli and went to him. This happened three times until Eli realized it was the Lord speaking to Samuel. He instructed the boy to listen to the voice and respond. God then gave Samuel his first prophetic message.
This shows we can mistakenly think God’s voice is another person’s voice. But if we say like Samuel, “Speak, for your servant hears”, we will begin to recognize the Lord speaking to our hearts (1 Samuel 3:10). God calls us by name and patiently persists until we learn to discern His voice.
Isaiah’s Vision of the Lord
The prophet Isaiah had a powerful vision of the Lord seated on His throne in heaven. Isaiah was immediately aware of his own sinfulness and cried out “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips!” (Isaiah 6:5). An angel purified his lips and then the Lord said “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah responded obediently, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).
Like Isaiah, encountering God’s presence makes us conscious of our desperate need for cleansing and humility. His holiness convicts us of sin, while His grace redeems us. God’s voice calls us to willing service in His kingdom. When we know Him intimately, we recognize His voice and submit to His will.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Jesus is our Good Shepherd who leads us into green pastures and beside still waters (Psalm 23:2). His flock learns to discern His voice apart from false shepherds who lead them astray. We follow Him because we know He laid down His life for us and speaks the truth in love.
The sheep do not recognize the voice of strangers who threaten and steal. But the Good Shepherd calls us each by name to walk in His ways. His Spirit teaches us and brings Jesus’ words to remembrance. As we spend time reading the Gospels, we become attuned to the Savior’s voice.
Peter’s Vision
In Acts 10, the apostle Peter had a vision of a large sheet being let down from heaven filled with ceremonially unclean animals. A voice told him to kill and eat these animals, but being a devout Jew, Peter refused saying “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean” (Acts 10:14). But the voice insisted “What God has made clean, do not call common.”
This happened three times before the sheet was taken back to heaven. At first, Peter did not understand the meaning of the vision. But soon after he was led by the Spirit to preach the gospel to Gentiles for the first time. Peter realized God was extending salvation to all nations, not just the Jews. He obeyed the heavenly voice and saw the vision fulfilled through his ministry.
Like Peter, when God gives us clear direction through a dream, vision, or word, we should prayerfully wait to understand the full meaning. His instructions may not make sense to us at first. But if we follow His voice, we will see His greater purposes unfold.
Biblical Principles for Discerning God’s Voice
The Bible gives practical advice for growing in discernment and recognizing God’s voice in our lives:
- Study the Scriptures to renew your mind and know God’s character (Romans 12:2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Submit your thoughts and desires fully to God in prayer (James 4:7-8).
- Obey God’s commands with a faithful heart (Deuteronomy 26:16-17).
- Wait patiently on the Lord for His timing and direction (Psalm 27:14).
- Seek wise counsel from godly, mature believers (Proverbs 11:14).
- Consider the fruit of obedience – does it align with godly growth? (Matthew 7:15-20)
- Listen to the Spirit’s conviction and gentle leading (John 16:8, Isaiah 30:21).
- Test prophecy and teaching carefully against Scripture (1 John 4:1-3).
- Fix your eyes on Jesus and tune your heart to His voice (Hebrews 12:2).
Cultivating Discernment Through the Holy Spirit
All believers have the Holy Spirit living inside enabling us to discern truth from deception. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). By walking in the Spirit, we can recognize what is from God:
- Pray for wisdom – God promises to give it generously when we ask in faith (James 1:5).
- Renew your mind with Scripture – Gain knowledge and perspective to distinguish God’s voice (Hebrews 4:12).
- Crucify the flesh – Sin clouds spiritual discernment. Put self to death (Galatians 5:24).
- Obey God’s Word – Practicing truth deepens our discernment (John 7:17).
- Walk in love – God’s love moves us to selfless choices (Philippians 1:9-10).
The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth as we surrender to Him. We must be diligent to protect our hearts from deception and cling to Jesus daily.
Pray for Discernment and Wait on the Lord
While God created us to hear and respond to His voice, discernment is a process that develops through relationship with Him. We are fallen people who battle against fleshly desires and spiritual deception. Our minds need renewal to align with godly wisdom and truth (Romans 12:2). This happens as we read Scripture, walk by the Spirit, and commune with the Lord in prayer.
The more we know Jesus, the better we recognize His voice guiding us. The Good Shepherd is always speaking; we simply need ears to hear Him. So let us humbly ask God for discernment, believing He promises to supply wisdom to those who seek Him (James 1:5-8). By abiding in Christ and obeying His Word, we will learn to distinguish His voice from all others.
