The Still Small Voice
Your Spirit or God?
One of the most common questions I hear from believers is this: how do I know if it is God speaking to me or if it is just me? We all want to hear the Lord. We all want to be led by His voice. And somewhere along the way many of us were taught that when you hear that still small voice inside, that is God. But I want to walk with you through this carefully because so many get tripped up here. The truth is what most call the still small voice is not God talking at all. It is your own born again spirit speaking.
This might sound strange at first but hang with me. If you can see this clearly it will free you from years of confusion. It will also help you stop chasing feelings and impressions, and it will anchor you in truth so you can walk with God boldly and confidently.
What Happened When You Got Born Again
The Bible says that if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Old things pass away and all things become new. That new creation reality is not talking about your body because your body still looks the same the day after you pray that prayer. It is not talking about your mind either because you still remember what you did yesterday and you still think in the same patterns you always did. It is talking about your spirit.
When you were born again your dead spirit came alive. You received the nature of God. You became righteous on the inside. God did not just patch up your old nature. He gave you a brand new one. That means inside of you right now if you are in Christ is holiness and righteousness and truth. That is why the Bible says you were created in true righteousness and holiness.
Now why is this important? Because that new creation spirit has a voice. And that voice is what most people call the still small voice.
The Still Small Voice Is Your Spirit
Think about this. God is Spirit. He is not small. He is not faint. He is not weak. When God speaks He speaks with authority and clarity. He does not mumble. He does not give vague whispers that leave you guessing. If He wanted to stop you in your tracks He could thunder over your life right now. He spoke and the universe was formed. That is not a still small thing.
But your own spirit does not shout. Your spirit does not overwhelm you. Your spirit has a quiet way of nudging you. It has impressions. It has convictions. It gives you that sense of right and wrong that you cannot quite put into words but you know it. That is why it feels like a whisper. Not because God is whispering but because your spirit is bearing witness to what is true.
Romans says the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Notice that. God is not talking directly to your mind. He is not sending heavenly words into your brain. His Spirit is bearing witness with your spirit. And then your spirit communicates that to you in what we call the still small voice.
Why This Matters
If you think every little whisper is God Himself then you are going to live in constant insecurity. Because what happens when you thought you heard God and it did not work out? You start doubting. You start wondering if you missed it. You might even get mad at God. But if you realize that what you are hearing is the voice of your new creation spirit then it makes sense. Sometimes it will be clearer. Sometimes it will be harder to discern. And that is okay because it is part of learning to live from the inside out.
This is not about getting everything right. It is about growing up in Him. When a baby learns to walk he stumbles and falls. The parents do not get mad. They cheer him on. In the same way as you learn to walk by the Spirit you will miss it sometimes. That does not mean God failed. That does not mean He tricked you. It just means you are learning to tune in to who you really are.
God Speaks Through His Word
Here is another key. God has already spoken. His Word is alive and it reveals His heart. You never have to sit around waiting for a mystical whisper to find out God’s will for your life. If you want to know His voice start with Scripture. He will never say something to you in your spirit that contradicts what He already said in His Word.
When you are full of the Word your spirit has something to agree with. That is why the more you renew your mind the clearer the still small voice becomes. Because your mind and your spirit are lining up with what God already revealed.
Learning to Trust the Witness Inside
So how do you grow in this? You start by trusting the witness of your spirit in small things. You sense a check about saying something harsh. You feel a nudge to encourage someone. You get a quiet conviction that you should not step into a certain environment. That is your spirit leading you. And as you obey those impressions you get sharper.
Do not sit around waiting for a booming word from heaven. God has already given you His Spirit and He has already made you brand new. What He is doing is teaching you to live out of that new place. That is why Paul says to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. That does not mean walk in goosebumps and feelings. It means live from the truth of who you now are.
The Danger of Misunderstanding
If we keep calling every faint voice God we run the risk of making God look inconsistent. One person says God told them to take the job. Another says God told them not to. Both cannot be right. And the world watches and says Christians are confused. But if we understand that these are impressions of our spirit then we can treat them with humility. We can say I sense this or I feel led in this direction instead of stamping it with Thus saith the Lord.
That takes the pressure off. It keeps the name of God holy. And it keeps us free to grow without pretending we are hearing the audible voice of heaven every five minutes.
God Is Not Playing Hide and Seek
I want you to know something. God is not holding out on you. He is not trying to make it hard for you to know His will. He gave you His Word. He gave you His Spirit. He gave you a new nature. You are equipped. Stop waiting for a special sign in the sky. Stop doubting every step. Begin to walk in faith knowing that He is with you and that He is well able to lead you.
The more you walk in love and the more you keep your eyes on Jesus the less complicated this gets. Because love is the fulfillment of the law. If your spirit is nudging you to love then you can be sure you are right in step with the Father.
Wrapping It Up
So remember this. The still small voice you hear is not God whispering faintly in your head. It is your own spirit speaking. And that spirit was made alive in Christ. It was created in righteousness and holiness. It bears witness to truth. And as you grow you will learn to hear it more clearly.
Stop waiting for God to shout. Stop worrying that you might miss Him. Learn to live from the inside out. Get full of His Word. Keep your eyes on love. And let your new creation spirit have a voice in your daily life.
You are not trying to get God to speak. He already has. You are learning to believe what He has already done and to live in that reality. That is the Christian life.
If you feel led to partner with what God is doing through this ministry, we invite you to sow into this work as the Spirit leads. Your generosity helps us continue to share His love and truth with others. There is no obligation, only an opportunity to join in what God is building. Thank you for considering being a part of this journey.
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