The first girlfriend I ever had, was an identical twin. In the beginning, she and her sister would try to fool me as to which was which - and they succeeded! But after about six months, there was no fooling me anymore. The majority of people struggled to tell them apart, but I didn’t because we had become close caring friends and the differences between them became obvious to me.
For some people, it would be almost as if God and the devil were twins. I am continually told by people that they have trouble discerning if the voice they hear – “Is God or the devil they are hearing?”
I know that almost sounds sacrilegious but I understand why they say it. We don't physically see God or hear His voice. The inner voice we hear, sounds like our own voice. So, in the beginning, you can't tell if it's your own imagination, if it's the devil lying to you, or if it's the Lord's voice. The voice sounds like you! What is said and how what is said is what determines whose voice it is.
The reason I could eventually tell the difference between my girlfriend and her twin sister was because of intimacy. No, I don't mean sexually. It was because we became the best of friends and we cared for each other. This is the place where you truly know someone and in that place you come to know who they are - their voice.
When Jesus was teaching His disciples about Himself, He called Himself
“the good shepherd.
” John 10:4-5 says,
“After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from the stranger because they don't recognize his voice."
Please understand that when Jesus is talking about His sheep recognizing His voice – He isn’t just talking about the sound of a voice or voice patterns. It is through a voice that you get to the heart of a person. It’s where you discover their purpose, their character, who they are, and what they believe. You get to know their manner – how they conduct themselves. You come to know what they would do and what they would never do. Only a loving caring relationship produces this. And that is what helps us to know Jesus' voice.
We live in the day of tabloids and “star mania.” People seem to crave hearing and reading about movie stars, singers, and famous people. After a while, they begin to think they know some of these people, even talking about them like they were friends. You can read all day every day about someone but you will not truly know them. That only happens through true personal intimacy between two people.
Many Christians are casual at best in reading their Bible. Reading your Bible is a critical step toward the development of intimacy with God. But, even if you do read your Bible all the time, that alone won’t produce the ability to distinguish between God and the devil’s voice. Why? Because again, reading about someone – even Jesus, does not produce intimacy. The theological halls of seminaries are filled with those that have studied Jesus but don’t intimately know Him.
Jesus disciples followed, learned from, and did what Jesus asked them to do. They knew what His voice sounded like, but more importantly, they eventually knew His heart, His character, and His mission. They knew Him! The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and religious leaders of Jesus day also followed Him around but very few came to know Him. They were continually trying to catch Him violating the law to prove He was a false Christ. They knew His voice but they surely didn’t know Him. They confused Him with the devil and accused Him of being Satan’s aide. It turned into a divisive issue amongst them. Why? Because some knew the true signs of God and knew the devil and God don’t mix. The rest were blinded by their own bias and jealousy.
John 10:19-21 validates this saying,
“At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?" "But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
Jesus has given those that would draw close to Him the most phenomenal gift – the ability to have an intimate relationship with Him and to learn His voice - His heart, His character, His mission, and follow Him.
The starting place of discernment for anyone in learning to discern between the voices you hear, is first receiving Jesus as personal Savior. From there, obey
James 4:8 that instructs us,
“Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you…” 
Be committed to drawing close to God and reading His Word. Each time you do, pray that He reveal more and more of Himself to you. You will begin to establish and intimate relationship with Him and His voice will become more and more clear to you! More tomorrow...
Proverbs 8:17 (NIV) "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me."
In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
Fresh Manna
I know that almost sounds sacrilegious but I understand why they say it. We don't physically see God or hear His voice. The inner voice we hear, sounds like our own voice. So, in the beginning, you can't tell if it's your own imagination, if it's the devil lying to you, or if it's the Lord's voice. The voice sounds like you! What is said and how what is said is what determines whose voice it is.
” John 10:4-5 says, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. They won't follow a stranger; they will run from the stranger because they don't recognize his voice."
Be committed to drawing close to God and reading His Word. Each time you do, pray that He reveal more and more of Himself to you. You will begin to establish and intimate relationship with Him and His voice will become more and more clear to you! More tomorrow...
