Psalm 86:7 (NKJV), “In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.”
 

There are some who believe that God does not personally speak to us today. They teach that all we need is His written Word to know His will. Now, Scripture is God’s ultimate will for us, and we use it as a solid foundation and safeguard by which to judge everything we hear from His Spirit within us. If God has ceased to personally speak to His church, whether to each individual believer, or corporately through the gifts of the Holy Spirit - we would have to ignore most of the New Testament teachings. Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and they listen to Him. In the Old Testament, Isaiah 58:9 and Jeremiah 33:3 is God’s promise to hear and speak to those who were under the Old Covenant. So how much more can we, who are under a better covenant, with better promises, experience the joy of communing with Him? The question isn't whether God personally speaks to us, it’s how do we discern whether it’s His voice we are hearing or not. As we have already established, we test every Word we hear from the Lord by the Spirit of His written Word. We also learn to discern through the familiarity of our relationship with the Holy Spirit, and the peace that flows up from our spirits when we hear His voice within us (Colossians 3:15). Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path.”.  God’s Word, illuminated by His Holy Spirit gives us clarity on the immediate choices we are to make, as well as direction for the future. In Psalm 32:8 the Lord says, “…I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” In Joshua 1:8, God explained to Joshua that meditating on and obeying His Word would result in his prosperity and good success. There are times where the Word will give you a direct answer to a question you have, such as paying your taxes, refusing to become offended, or not taking fellow believers to court. At other times, through principles taught in the Word, the Holy Spirit enlightens things to us, such as always being led by His peace, and aligning ourselves with His kingdom interests. Either way - without being completely familiar with His Word - discerning whether we are hearing from the Lord or not - will be difficult. As you determine to read, meditate on, and familiarize yourself with God’s written Word - you will find discerning His voice will become easy and extremely fruitful! Remember He is always speaking, you just need to discern who you are hearing from.