Did you know that each of us can make a conscious choice to hear God's voice? 

"My sheep will hear my voice and another they will not follow". 

"Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds (not proceeded) out of the mouth of God".

"My words they are spirit and they are life",

Each born-again, spirit filled child of God can hear His voice. This is why Satan ensures the world is filled with such a cacophony of voices - so God's voice can't be heard. Think about it - in our generation especially, the ability to mass communicate with each other has reached a fever pitch. It's so easy to fill our days with a multitude of voices - TV, movies, radio, music, internet, even books and magazines are filled voices in written form, but in all this maelstrom of noise, God's voice is nowhere to be found. Even churches seek to monopolize our ears with the voice of the Pastor and elders, yet in all this too do we ever hear God's voice? Do we take time out from our busy lives to "Be still" and get to know Him? Not just about Him by reading His word but to get to know Him personally? Did you know He usually speaks to us in "a still, small voice"? In other words, a whisper? We cannot hear a whisper unless we draw near to the one who is whispering. Those who are intimate with Him will hear His voice! 

Always keep one ear tuned in to His voice even while the other ear is listening to whoever it is you're listening to. Keep one ear reserved for Him, this way he can cut through the confusion and trivialities the devil shouts at you all day long to keep your attention distracted from God's voice. God's voice will give you clarity of thought and purpose in any situation you find yourself in. His voice is a tether, an anchor you can attach your soul to that will never fail you. 

Learn to hear His voice personally, in your heart of hearts, then you will recognize His voice coming from others you listen to. Hopefully your Pastor and leadership speak his words. One word from God Himself spoken by His Spirit has more power and impact on a human soul and body than ten thousand words from a mere man. 

If your church leadership is intimate with Him, their words will reveal it, if not, and you are, you will quickly see this too. I've often sat in church services where the Pastor would be speaking in one ear while the Holy Spirit  would speak in the other, usually disputing what the Pastor was teaching and telling me His understanding of the scripture. And too, there were times when I would sit and rejoice because the words coming from the pulpit were from the Holy Spirit - good, accurate, anointed teaching and preaching. 

Remember, we follow our God, not any man so always remain humble and teachable enough to let Holy Spirit reveal truth to you. This way false doctrines so often taught in churches will not enter the soil of your heart and take root there. A heart held belief is much harder to uproot than one in the mind only. 

Yes, the written word is simply God's voice written down but when we are filled with His Spirit, when we are baptized in Him - the very author of the written word, we enter into a relationship that becomes our reality because you cannot have a relationship with someone without ever speaking with them, not just to them but them to you also. Denominations that teach us that God only speaks through the written word are teaching a false doctrine and they are avoiding intimacy with Him. We are never to pit the written word of God and the spoken word of God against each other. This is a ploy of the enemy to cut off communication with God in the here and now. 

I have read Shakespeare therefor i know some things about him but i do not know him personally. It's the same with the Bible. We can learn all about God by reading the Bible, and by reading the Bible, we can learn to recognize the enemy's voice because the spoken word of God will never contradict the written word of God, though it may contradict our UNDERSTANDING of the written word, if we have been taught false doctrines. Ask yourself, do you really know Him or do you just know all about Him? And does all you know about Him come from your Pastor and leadership or have you been personally taught by the Holy Spirit?

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Turn off your TV, your radio, put down your book or magazine. Shut yourself away in a quiet place, as I am doing right now, and calm your mind and simply seek His face for His face is where His mouth is. Grow quiet and LISTEN, listen for that wonderful whisper that is God's voice communicating with those He claims as His own....He is waiting for you even now, to not just pray to Him but to listen to Him.....you will know His voice when you hear it, for He communes with us in our hearts, heart to heart and when He speaks to you it will fill you with such a peace and joy such as you've never known. His words truly are Spirit and Life, resurrection life, to all who have ears to hear, to all who are seeking His voice, for he promises us "seek and you will find". Time for my voice to be quiet.....shush now.....