The Living God in You: How to Know Him and Hear His Voice

In the Old Covenant, the relationship between God and man was mediated. God’s presence dwelt among His people, but not within them. He manifested Himself through the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and later the Temple, where only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and even then, only once a year, and with blood. The Spirit of God came upon certain individuals, prophets, priests, kings, and judges for specific assignments, but He did not yet dwell within them permanently.

That arrangement revealed two things. First, God’s holiness and the distance sin creates. Second, humanity’s inability to approach Him without atonement and mediation.

But in the New Covenant, everything changed through Jesus Christ.

When Christ died, the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. That veil symbolized the barrier between God and man. Its tearing signified that direct access to God was now open through the blood of Jesus. Hebrews chapter ten verses nineteen to twenty two declares, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart.”

Then, after His resurrection and ascension, Jesus fulfilled His promise. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came not to dwell in a temple made by hands, but in the hearts of believers.

From that moment, every true follower of Christ became the Temple of the Holy Spirit. That means God now lives in you, speaks to you, and works through you in a way that was never possible before the cross.

This is why Jesus told His disciples that it was actually better for Him to go away. “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.” The Spirit’s indwelling makes the relationship intensely personal, moment by moment, Spirit to spirit.

Under the Old Covenant, people came to the temple to meet with God. Under the New Covenant, we are the temple, and He abides in us.

Who God Is and How to Hear Him Speak

This is one of the most vital and personal questions any person can ask, especially a believer who longs to walk in true fellowship with the Lord.

God is not an idea, a force, or a distant being. He is the living, eternal, all powerful Creator who has personality, purpose, and love. He is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In Scripture, God reveals Himself through several key attributes. He is holy, completely pure and separate from sin. He is love, and everything He does flows from perfect love. He is truth, and His word is absolute and unchanging. He is sovereign, ruling over all creation. He is personal, desiring fellowship with those He created.

He revealed Himself most clearly in Jesus Christ, who said, “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” To know God, you must look at Jesus, who shows the Father’s heart in every word, every act of compassion, and every sacrifice of obedience.

God still speaks today, but His voice is always consistent with His Word and His nature.

He speaks through His Word, the Bible, which is living and active. Every time you open Scripture with a humble heart, the Holy Spirit brings light and direction.

He speaks through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. When you receive Christ, His Spirit takes residence within you. Romans chapter eight verse sixteen says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” You may sense His voice through conviction, peace, or an inward knowing that aligns with truth.

He speaks through prayer and stillness. God’s voice is gentle and often heard when you quiet your mind before Him. Elijah discovered that the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in a still small voice.

He speaks through circumstances, confirmation, and wise counsel. Proverbs chapter three verse six says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

And He speaks through His peace. Colossians chapter three verse fifteen says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” When you lose peace, pause and listen. When His peace remains, it is a sign that you are walking in His will.

To recognize His voice more clearly, fill your heart with His Word, obey the last thing He told you, and remove anything that clouds your sensitivity to His Spirit. Test every thought and leading by Scripture, and ask, “Does this reflect the nature of Christ?”

Jesus promised, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Hearing God is not a privilege for a select few. It is the normal, intimate life of every believer who walks in the Spirit and abides in His Word.