Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Often in Christendom we hear statements like "If I'm hearing God right", Thus saith the Lord, or God told me to do it, or God said or God says. Many of Gods people were hearing from the Lord when they said this but Many well intentioned  believers have Got themselves into all kinds of trouble saying God said when he did not say.

Scripture says....

Pro 30:5  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Pro 30:6  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

SO HOW DO WE KNOW IF GOD IS SPEAKING TO US OR NOT?

1Co 14:10  There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

1. GOD SPEAKS AND HAS SPOKEN TO MAN THROUGH HIS WORD

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

2. GOD SPEAKS TO THE BORN AGAIN CHILD OF GOD THROUGH THEIR  CONSCIENCE

2Ti 1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

3. GOD SPEAKS BY THE INWARD WITNESS

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

4 . GOD SPEAKS  BY THE PEACE OF GOD

Col 3:15  And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].

5. GOD SPEAKS BY THE STILL SMALL VOICE

1Ki 19:12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

1Ki 19:13  And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

6.. GOD SPEAKS BY  THE HOLY SPIRIT

Act 13:2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

 7. GOD SPEAKS BY PROPHECY –includes preaching, word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

8. GOD SPEAKS BY THE  VISIONS-Spiritual Vision, Open Vision, Trance

Act 11:5  I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:

9. DREAMS-Night Visions

Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

1) THE FIRST AND FOREMOST WAY GOD SPEAKS TO US IS THROUGH HIS WORD

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

GOD CREATED EVERYTHING THROUGH HIS MIGHTY WORD

  Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

In Genesis we read…..   And God said,    And God said,    And God said,    And God said,   And God said,  

THE LORD SPOKE EVERYTHING INTO EXSISTANCE 

Psa 33:8  Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Psa 33:9  For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.  

THE IMPRINT OF HIS WORD IS ON ALL OF HIS CREATION

Rom 1:20  For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]

JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH

Joh 1:14  (Amp) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Heb 1:1  IN MANY separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets,

Heb 1:2  [But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].

God recorded his creative word in the 66 books of the Bible  in written form so we could know him and obey him.

Hab 2:2  And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

God will never contradict himself. So if any thought, word ,deed, teaching, doctrine, impression, experience, voice, vision, dream, prophecy, miracle does not line up with the written word of God (Logos) as revealed to us in the 66 books of the Bible is not of God!

Psa 89:34  My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

To understand How God Speaks to us we must first understand that God is a Spirit

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Word of God is truth

2Ti 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

There are 3 types of Spirits in the World God's Spirit, The Human Spirit, Evil Spirits

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

The Bible tells us to test the Spirits

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Gal 1:8 (NIV) But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Man is a speaking spirit that is connected to one of two realms. The realm or Kingdom of God and light or the realm or kingdom of satan and darkness.

Eph 5:8 (AMP) For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].

1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Man is also a  tri-part being

1Th 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole

 1) spirit and  2) soul and  3) body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most people quote this as Body soul and Spirit but "God works from the inside out not outside in"

The word of God is the only force that can make this distinction

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The unregenerate man or natural man is spiritually dead and spiritually deaf

1Co 2:14 (AMP) But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.

Psa 58:3 (AMP)  The ungodly are perverse and estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.

Psa 58:4  Their poison is like the venom of a serpent; they are like the deaf adder or asp that stops its ear,

Psa 58:5  Which listens not to the voice of charmers or of the enchanter never casting spells so cunningly.

He is spiritually  connected to the realm or kingdom of satan

Eph 2:2 (AMP)  In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].

The first step to hearing God's voice is to get on the right frequency. You must be Born again

Tit 3:5  He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

We must be Born again or Born from Above to become Spiritually alive unto God

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, (an'-o-then-anew, from above the beginning (very first), the top) he cannot see (i'-do

know, be acquainted with, and experience,  perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand) the kingdom (bas-il-i'-ah- rule and relm of God) of God.

Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

(you don't see the wind you just see the effects of the wind)

Joh 3:9  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Joh 3:10  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Joh 3:11  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Joh 3:12  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

When we are Born again our Spirit is brand new

2Co 5:17  (AMP) Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

With the new birth will come a change of Kingdoms

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power (out of the control and the dominion ) of darkness, and hath translated (carry away, move) us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

With a change of Kingdoms or  translation there will begin a transformation. Our bodies are the same but our minds must be renewed, You can have a Chicken mentality in an Eagle body

Rom 12:1  I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], (don't let the world squeeze you into it's mold) but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

As a New creation in Christ The Holy Spirit is now dwelling with us

1Co 3:16 (AMP)  Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God's temple (His sanctuary), and that God's Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?

As a Believer when God speaks to us he is going to speak to us by his indwelling Holy Spirit  through our spirits

Pro 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

 Act 27:10  And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Act 27:11  Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.