Listening to our Guide
‘I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep’ (John.10:11). ‘and they shall hear my voice’ (John.10:16)
When we read these verses we often wonder why the Lord wants to guide us and talk to us. The Bible says that all we have gone astray like lost sheep. So he wants to lead us and show us the way (Isa.30:21) When we travel along life’s narrow way, when the temptations of this world are trying to turn us away from God, he shows us the way. On the way he talks to us. He reminds us of his great mercy (Neh.9:19). He showed Israel the way out of slavery to the Promised Land.  In spite of their rebellious nature, his presence never left them. As long as they looked to the Lord for guidance, they went through places where there was plenty of food and water for their cattle, and safety for themselves. But when they forsook the Lord, they had troubles. They were surrounded by enemies and false prophets. As long as we trust in the Lord, he will guide us continually (Isa.58:11).

In the Old Testament days, he spoke through the patriarchs and matriarchs, but rarely did he speak directly to individuals. Many people think that He speaks only to Pastors or Evangelists or Super Christians. But now all can hear his voice because of his promise in John.16:13. He said that he will send when the Holy Spirit comes, he will guide you into all truth, and as many as are led by the Spirit are the sons of God (Rom.8:14). The primary goal of Yahweh in leading his people from Egypt to the Promised Land was to ultimately lead them to himself.

How does he talk to us?
In Gen.3:8, God spoke to Adam. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." God desires to walk among us and talk among us. It's more a question - not of how to hear God's voice, but will we hear Him? Will we say, "Yes, Lord!" and obey His command? Adam and Eve disobeyed the voice of God who told them not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the rest of verse 8 says, "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."
God can speak to us in various ways. It is important to know that not all of God's communication is vocal.

A still, small voice. In 1 Kings.19, we read how Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. After this mighty miracle, he ran from Jezebel and hid himself in a cave. He waited for the voice of the Lord, he looked at the mighty wind, the fierce earthquake and a raging fire. But the voice of the lord was not heard. And then a small, still voice spoke to Elijah.

A voice in your ear. Isaiah 30:21 says, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Conviction by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin (John.16:8). When you are about to do or say something which you know is wrong, you feel someone stopping you. We must be humble and accept God’s reproof.

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you are in a continuous relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit will lead you wherever you go.
While reading the word of God (Yahweh), a verse or word seems to jump out at you. The Holy Spirit has a way of opening your eyes to understand the Word.
There are many ways the Lord will speak to you. Be ready to keep all avenues ready. 

John.10: 3 says, the sheep hear his voice. Heb.3:7, ‘today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts’. When the Lord speaks to us, we should be ready and willing to listen to his voice. We cannot hear his voice because our sins come between us and God (Yahweh). When we are preoccupied with the world, we tend to forget God (Yahweh). In the parable of the sower (Lk.8:5-8), some seed fell among thorns. The seed shoots up but the cares and the riches of the world choke them up and they die. Similarly, we spend our lives trying to build up our career, earn riches, building houses, etc, that we forget the Maker who makes all this possible. We shut God (Yahweh) away from us and there is no place in our lives for God (Yahweh). Ps.51:10 says, ‘create in me a clean heart O Lord’. Jer.17:9 says, ‘the heart is deceitful above all things’. Yes, only when our hearts are clean, we can hear the voice of the Lord.
Some people are of the opinion that God (Yahweh) no longer speaks to us today and that the Bible has everything he wants to say. This is due to a faulty or even lack of understanding of the scriptures. Some say that the Bible is the final authority, so they place the Bible above God (Yahweh).
How do we know that it is the Lord who is speaking to us?
We know it is the Lord by his faithfulness (Deut.4:33-36).
His voice brings peace (Ps.85:8)
His voice makes us tremble (Job.37:1)
He keeps his word, he will not contradict himself (Ps.138:8)
His voice is not only for us. It is for everyone (Acts.22:14) All should hear his word and repent. After Israel entered the Promised Land, the next generation forgot the Lord, they hardened their hearts and turned to other gods. Their lives were then full of troubles. As long as the Lord leads us, as long as we listen to the voice of the Lord, he leads us beside the still waters. No weapon formed against us will prosper (Isa.54:17). The Lord wants to do great things through us (Dan.11:32)
Are we listening to the voice of the Lord? We spend time with God (Yahweh) in prayer. We make long prayers, always asking for favours from the Lord, making complaints, etc. We are continuously talking to him, but are we giving him time to talk to us? ‘My sheep hear my voice’ said Messiah (John.10:27) Are we listening to his voice? In Matt.17:5, we see Moses and Elijah with Jesus(Yahshua), on the mount, and a voice from heaven told the disciples,’ Hear him’.
When we hear his voice and obey him, then the scripture in John.10:16, which reads, ’they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd’, will be fulfilled.
The primary goal of Yahweh in guiding Israel was to lead them to himself.(Ex.15:13).Jesus, as the good shepherd, wants to lead us to his eternal kingdom. On the way he speaks to us. Are we listening?