1. God-centered Prayer Life: The Key to Hearing God’s Voice
“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
John 8:47

2. John 10:1-5
Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.

3. Revelation There are two types: 1. General (creation, the Scriptures)
2. Specific (prophetic, dreams, visions)

4. Active Listening “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
– 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Ways to Active Listening:
1. Sit still
2. Maintain focus
3. Don’t interrupt
4. Acknowledge what he said
5. Ask clarifying questions

5. Active Listening Barriers to Active Listening: 1. Bias or prejudice
2. Distractions
3. Worry, fear, or anger
4. Lack of attention span
5. Lack of understanding the Bible

6. How God Speaks Biblical Examples:
Angels (Mary’s calling to bear Jesus in her womb)
Audible Voice (Jesus’ baptism)
Inner Voice/In Your Heart (Samuel’s calling as a prophet)
Small Still Voice (Elijah hiding in the cave)
Dreams (Joseph to take Mary & Jesus and escape to Egypt; Magi)
Visions/Trance (Peter at the rooftop urged to go to Cornelias’ home)
Epiphany (Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus)
Theophany (Abraham’s intercession of Sodom & Gohmorrah)
Practical Examples:
Bible, circumstances, the Church, people, nature, prayer

7. Why doesn’t God speak to me like that?
1. God is unique in the ways that he chooses to speak to each individual.
Example: God spoke to Moses through a burning bush once and only once.
2. Unbelief

8. How to Recognize God’s Voice
1. Always agrees with the Scriptures 2. May contradict popular opinion 3. Has consistent character (encourage not condemn) 4. Bears good fruit 5. Easy to reject (Disobedience)

9. Our Response to God’s Voice
1. Try to interpret/understand through prayer “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation) 2. Obedience to that spoken word “So as the holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did.” - Hebrews 3:7-9

10. How to position yourself to hear God’s voice
1. Available 2. Obedient 3. Humble

11. Are You God-centered?
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength. (Then) love others as yourself.”

12. How Do You Become God-centered?
1. Give 100% glory to God. (Fear of the Lord) 2. Discern and follow the will of God. (Obedience) 3. Walk in the presence of God. (Spirit-filled Life) 4. Cultivate a heart of love for God. (Intimacy w/ God) 5. Develop a spirit of excellence. (Daily Disciplines)