The Hearing God Course at Gateway South Austin is a journey that will help you grow and deepen your relationship with God and discover His voice.
Hearing God begins not with technique, but surrender.
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” —John 10:27
God is not silent.
The primary obstacle to hearing Him is not His unwillingness to speak, but our unwillingness to listen – due to distractions or not liking what we hear.
How do we discern His voice?
Remove Distractions, Listen, and Look for the Clues God Gives:
Supernatural Clues:
Seeking God (Prayer)
Seeking God (The Bible)
Spirit of God
Signs
External Clues:
Sage counsel
Circumstances
Internal Clues:
Significance
Who is the Holy Spirit?
God speaks through His Spirit that lives within all who have surrendered to a life with Jesus as Lord.
According to Jesus in John 14-17, the Holy Spirit shows up in the following ways:
- God with us and God within us
- The Advocate who defends and comforts
- The Teacher who leads into truth and brings conviction
- The Witness who empowers courage
- The Presence who makes Jesus real
- The Love who draws us into God’s own life
Jesus does not leave His disciples with a manual—but with a Person, and that changes everything.
The Spirit convicts without crushing.
The Spirit is why stillness is a spiritual discipline. Create the space to hear His still small voice.
How Does the Holy Spirit Work Within Us?
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death…. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose….
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:1-2,14-17, 36-39
The Still Small Voice of God
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. – 1 Kings 19: 9b-13
How do we distinguish God’s voice from our own?
God calls us to be selfless.
God calls us to be courageous.
God’s voice will be consistent with His character as found in the Bible.
Core Truth: God often speaks quietly so we must learn to listen attentively.
The Spirit’s voice is not forceful, frantic, or condemning.
The Spirit doesn’t shout over our noise—He waits for our attention.
Next Steps
Read Fruitful: Becoming Who God Created You To Be
Daily prayer in stillness:
“Holy Spirit, what are You impressing on my heart today?”
Discussion Questions
Are you more comfortable with structure or spontaneity? How does that affect how you approach your faith?
The Spirit’s voice is often described as a “still small voice.” Why do you think God chooses to speak that way?
How can you tell the difference between God’s prompting and your own thoughts or emotions?
Are there areas of your life that feel too noisy, busy, or crowded to hear God clearly right now?
What might it look like for you to intentionally slow down this week and invite the Holy Spirit to speak?
