There is something that has the capacity to change any life – the voice of God. So the psalmist called them happy who can discern it. God’s word is the greatest change agent anywhere. As a general principle, God’s voice will emanate from His Word. The written Word of God was assembled by His Spirit (Isaiah 34:16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). When you read it with an open mind and the Spirit blows upon it; the voice behind the Word booms. You may also encounter God’s voice through dreams and other forms of revelation or by the preacher. All these must line up with the outlined principles in the written Word of God.

I have been asked on several occasions how one can hear the voice of God. It is good to remember how Jesus described His followers. We are sheep, while He is the Shepherd. According to the Master, the sheep have the privilege to know the voice of the Shepherd. All that is required is to know the correct password to the voice of God; and for this, we turn again to our text only in another translation. “Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.” Psalm 89:15 (MSG). That’s beautiful, isn’t it? Learn to enter the password of praise; and it will be up to God to speak to you through whatever means, even if it has to be by the counsel of a friend or the unsolicited comment of a stranger. The Apostles used this password in Acts 13. They were not preaching to any crowd; they just put in the password of praise. The outcome of this was the voice of the Holy Spirit: “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” Acts 13:2. Praise does not only give us access into His court but also connects us to what the Spirit is saying for the moment.