Do you know the sound of God's voice?

During "devotions" this morning with my jr. high son, an interesting topic came up.  In discussing the prophet Elijah's flight to the mountains, the author of his devotion book says "Elijah didn't question whether it was God's voice , Satan's voice or his own thinking that was telling him to flee to the mountains."  My son said "...but mom, how did he know it was God's voice?" Great question.  How DO we know when God's speaking to us?  I tried to explain it to him using a relevant example.  I said "let's say you got a voice mail from a woman telling you to wait for a ride out front of your school rather than taking your school bus home.  The woman identified herself as 'your mother' and said she'd pick you up in a blue SUV.  This message caused you to pause and think 'wait a minute...not only do we NOT own a blue SUV, but my mom told me never to take a ride from someone she didn't preapprove.  And, most importantly, that wasn't even my mom's voice on the phone.'  I paused in the story at that point and asked my son "how would you have known that wasn't your mom on the voice mail?"  He answered 'duh...I know the sound of your voice mom.'"  

Precisely...he knows the sound of my voice.  And in addition to the sound of my voice, he knows me:  My character, my temperament, my standards and my requirements.  And so if a woman calls who doesn't sound like me and tells him to do things I've told him not to do, he can rest assured that the instruction was not from me.

In the same way, God speaks to his children and directs them in ways that are consistent with His Word, His character, His standards and His requirements.  In other words...

• God won't tell you to write a snippy, self-righteous email to a co-worker who truly deserves it - that would go against his character (he wants you to handle yourself with humility and self-control).
• God won't tell you that the government shouldn't be taking so many tax dollars so it's ok to cheat on your IRS tax return - that would go against his standards (he wants you to obey the authorities over you and submit to their God-allowed leadership).
• God won't tell you that you deserve to be happy and free from your marriage - that would go against the principles of marriage clearly outlined in His Word (he wants to grow your character, develop your resolve and teach you to find His joy via suffering).

Most importantly though, you have to know the sound of his voice.  And how do you do that?  You gotta live with him.