It's awesome to hear God's voice, it is so soft and gentle. But you must remain still and focused to recognize it is HIM.
Do you hear God speak to you? If he talked, would you be listening? One way God speaks to you is through his written word. Get your Bible out, ask God to speak to you. If you want to ask for something specific, such as, God I need some encouragement, or God I feel scared, or God give me some guidance. Then open your Bible, and then LOOK for a scripture that comes alive to you. Read the verse your eyes fall on first, then go back and read the entire 2 pages. If you do not feel that God spoke to you through those 2 pages, ask him again, and then flip over in the Bible. I receive 90% of my encouragement from God in this manner. On my way out the door I can grab my Bible and say, God give me a verse of encouragement for the day, then open my Bible and the first verse I see I take it as my word from God for the day. The more often you seek God in this manner, the easier it will become for you to recognize these bits of "Rhema" (or personal revelations).
Another way God can speak to you is through Dreams or Visions. This is a little more uncommon, but it has happened to me several times. Ask God to give you dreams, but don't be discouraged if you don't receive this immediately. It was several months after I began asking God to give me dreams that I had my first one. Be sure and write it down as soon as you wake up, and if God does not reveal it to you, then seek out someone you trust who can interpret dreams.
God can also speak to you through inspiration. He speaks to me in this way very often. I did not seek it out, I remember very vividly the first thing God spoke to me "Be still and know that I AM GOD!" Speaking by inspiration is something that you will not be able to hear unless you are waiting quietly before God, listening for his voice. His voice sounds a lot like your "conscience" as it is spoken in your spirit. But when God speaks to you, you will KNOW it is him. Grab some paper and write down what you feel he is speaking to you. Sometimes he speaks word by word, sometimes in sentences, or thoughts. In my experience, he only continues most thoughts after I repeat it in my mind, or write it down. Always test what was spoken to you by lining it up against the word. Remember God will NEVER tell you anything that contradicts his written word. The first few times God speaks to you, it may be just a line or even only a word. But once you learn to recognize God's voice, he will speak to you on a daily basis, and you can sense his presence with you at all times, guiding you, and speaking encouragement to your heart.
These are just a few of the ways God can speak to you, others can be through other people (once again, be sure it lines up with the word of God), church signs (amazing how God has used church signs to speak encouragement to me!), christian magazines, christian books, etc. When something you read just literally "jumps off the page" or "comes alive to you" and you say "Wow! Thats just what I needed!" That is GOD speaking to you! Ask to hear Gods voice, listen for it, learn to recognize it, and you will begin to see a dramatic change in your personal relationship with him. You will begin to focus on circumstances less, and GOD'S voice more!
Father, I ask that you would birth a newfound hunger to hear your voice in my friend reading this right now. Speak to them words of life, and encouragement. Guide their eyes as they read your written word, and give them deeper understanding and personal revelations throughout your scriptures. Surround them with your anointing and inspire them to develope an intense personal relationship with you! Prove to my friend that you DO SPEAK and you are only waiting for them to open their ears to listen! AMEN!
