How to know Gods voice

In John 10:4, while describing the Good Shepherd, an interesting detail is mentioned, "When He has brought out all his own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice." You cannot follow the Lord, or be led by His Spirit, without first knowing His voice! The choice of word in the Greek is very significant. There are two primary Greek words translated “know” and the one used here is “oida” which signifies “to have seen or perceived.” Hence, “to know perfectly or have full knowledge of.” In the context of this scripture, the differences between these two Greek words demand consideration. (a) “Ginosko” suggests progress in knowledge [as in a relationship], while “oida” suggests fullness of knowledge. Therefore, to “know His voice” is to know His voice completely!

Chris Demetriou, 10/09/2009