Often when people ask
this question, they are talking about an audible voice. And God can do that. He
can do anything He wants. He’s God. Why then, can’t I hear God speak to me
audibly, someone might ask?
I can’t answer
questions that the Bible does not make clear. And the
way God works is one of those questions. I do think “hearing God speak” may
mean different things to different people. To some, it may suggest, “I need
answers for my life, or this particular crisis.” Another may say, “I’ve asked
God for _________, but He never answers me."
God treats each of us
as unique children. None of us are cookie-cutter Christians. Because of that,
God doesn’t “speak” the same way to all of us. However, here are eight ways God
often uses to communicate with us.
1. Through His Word in
general.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all
Scripture is “God-breathed.” His Word sometimes gives us a warning, a word of
encouragement, or a lesson for life. It’s ”His-story”–written with love as
God’s guide for life, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.”
That means God is
whispering, and sometimes shouting, all through His Word, giving us
instructions and principles for life. As we interpret Scripture by other
Scripture, we avoid the false logic and misinterpretations that sneak into our
world. If someone claims, “God told me to go kill my neighbor!” would you
believe him? Of course not! God never violates His own Word or principles. That
“voice” does not belong to God.
I needed help for
raising my children. God “told” me about that in His Word, especially in proverbs. Marriage difficulties? God spoke
about that as well. Times when I was afraid? I “heard” Jesus’ words to His
disciples as they feared for their lives one stormy night: “Peace, be still!”
and it was as if God was speaking to me, too (Luke 8:23-25).
2. Through His
Son, Jesus Christ
The New Testament was
the fulfillment of God’s special plan. It’s the gospel: the good news of Jesus
Christ. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many
times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His
Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the
universe” Hebrews 1:1-2, NIV).
Through the words of
Jesus in Scripture, we can “hear” God’s heart and God’s voice–and know what God
is truly like. These words were not written for a few, select individuals who
could jump through the right spiritual hoops (“For God so loved the world…”).
Someone in Africa, in Germany, in China, and in Alabama can “hear” Jesus’ voice
by reading the same Bible.
Comparing us to sheep
and He as the Shepherd, Jesus says inJohn 10:27, NKJV: “My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me.” Why? Because the sheep know who He is.
They belong to Him, and they recognize Him by the sound of His voice. And He’s
the one who will always lovingly lead them on the right path–again and again.
3. Through Nature and
God’s Creation
“For since the
creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine
nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so
that men are without excuse ” Romans 1:20, NIV). Through the intricate
details and magnificent beauty of all that God has made, we can “hear” His
voice. How? By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long,
we learn about wisdom and industriousness. By studying the heavens, we
understand more of God’s greatness. And through planting and growing a garden,
we “hear” about miracles of death and rebirth. God designed–and spoke them all
into existence.
4. Through Other
Believers
God may use a friend,
a teacher, a parent, or a preacher to convey His message of truth to us. Their
words may come as a warning, a blessing, or as a prophetic truth about our
lives.Whether we choose to hear it or ignore it, depends on us. Do their words
line up with Scripture? Will God confirm or affirm that truth in us? “The
wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then
peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial,
and sincere” (James 3:17, NIV).
I’ve “heard” God speak
to me numerous times through other people. A good friend once cautioned me
about flirting with danger. Words from a speaker or Christian author have both
challenged me and convicted me at times. And I’ve “heard” God talking to me through
my own children as their pure and honest words cut clear to my heart and
spirit, reminding me of God’s true priorities.
All these things may
not sound to you like ways of ”hearing God’s voice,” but it’s possible to
reduce God to our own image if we insist on Him acting or reacting a certain
way. God is bigger than that. He once spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22:28). Why then, can’t He
speak through anyone at anytime or in any way He wants to?
Bottom line is that if
we are His children, God loves us unconditionally and will spare no expense to
show us. Our part? Believe Him!
Hearing His “audible”
voice would no doubt cinch His reality in an awesome way. But I’ve never heard
God through an angel’s message. I have no taped recordings to tell you what God
sounds like. But I have heard God “speak” through the above ways–and in a few
more. Read on.
5. Through Music
Perhaps one of the
ways I can sense God’s presence the most and “hear” His voice the best is when
I am praising Him through music. Maybe it’s because in times of depression and
difficult trials in the past, I would pour over David’s songs in Psalms, often
singing them back to God with my own tunes. Praise brings me instantly to
attention, like a sergeant’s command to his soldiers. The words and the notes
bring a soothing comfort, excitement, and passion that open my ears and heart
and lift my spirits immediately.
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a
huge army of enemies who could have easily destroyed His people, but he did a
strange thing. With a declaration that his eyes were on God, he sent in a choir
of praise singers: “Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to
praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the
army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 20:21, NIV).
God “spoke” clearly.
He released His power, and Jehoshaphat’s army defeated their enemies!
6. Through Circumstances
When others claim to
hear God through circumstances, I try to caution them to test their conclusions
with other evidence. God is a Holy God, and often uses circumstances to get our
attention. But He will usually confirm it in other ways.
This happened to us
before my husband and I married. We were dating in high school and were both
involved in what could have been a deadly accident, when a speeding pick-up hit
our car broadside. Through that accident, my husband felt God had a special
purpose for his life. Did he “hear” God’s literal “Yes?” No, but through much
prayer, seeking God’s Word, and talking to others, he felt God’s confirmation.
Several months later, he committed his life to full-time Christian service.
Someone once told me
they just knew God was telling them it was okay to buy a brand-new pickup.
They’d prayed about it, and circumstances confirmed it: the local car
dealership had just the color and model they wanted. But there was one small
problem they were neglecting. They couldn’t afford it on their income. And they
ignored other red flags as well.
Through Moses, God
used circumstances (plagues) to convince Egypt’s leader to release God’s people
from slavery. But Pharaoh wouldn’t listen.
Sometimes God uses our
circumstances to test our faith. We don’t always know how to interpret the
things that happen to us. I recently took my first trip in an ambulance to the
local ER–unfortunately as a patient. My pulse, along with my blood pressure,
dropped dangerously low. For several minutes my world looked like a spinning
photo negative. Scary, to say the least. Four hours of testing later found no
cause as to why it happened. The doctor pronounced me healthy and sent me home,
after encouraging me to get a follow-up–which I did. Nothing showed up.
I don’t know if God
was speaking to me about something special, but the first thing I did was tell
Him I was listening! If nothing else, life–and loved ones–suddenly became much
more precious to me. One of the first things I usually ask God when
circumstances change is: “God, is there something you want to teach me through
this?” Yes, I know everything is “fodder” for writers. But I want to make it
personal and learn the lesson first.
7. Through His Spirit
I once heard someone
teach about “minding the checks” in your spirit. Some may call it “God’s
whispers,” while others say, “God’s still, small voice.” We are made in the
image of God, and when we confess Jesus and follow Him as our Lord and Savior,
His Spirit comes to live in us (John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 3:16). God’s Spirit speaks
to us through our conscience, helping to make the right decision. When we’re
tempted, that same Spirit warns and nudges us to do the right thing.
As a writer, I depend
on God’s Spirit to give me direction. There are times when ideas pop into my
mind totally unexpectedly–and sometimes directly after a plea for help from
God. The good ideas I credit to God, because after all, He is the source of
every good and perfect gift. The others? They’re in file 13. Even the good ones
need developing and rewriting, but that’s a different subject.
Why do you suppose ten
people can “hear” a sermon, but each person will walk away with a different
truth that applies to him? In some cases, the speaker never spoke what the
people say they “heard.” Many times, that may be the result of God’s Spirit
speaking a personal “Rhema,” a living, breathing word of truth to our spirits.
It’s when Scripture comes alive to us–because it is truly “God-breathed.”
8. Through Prayer
Each way I’ve shared
that God may speak to us today meshes into the other. God often speaks to us
through His Spirit, through prayer. We may not know how to pray, but God’s Word
tells us His spirit makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26-27).
Often through a
combination of fasting and prayer, our minds become clearer and our hearts are
more sensitive to God. Again, we may not hear God’s literal voice, but His
Spirit confirms a certain direction or answer for us. As the distractions fade,
we can sense His leading in a new way. Sometimes while praying, God’s Spirit
will remind us of a Scripture or a truth in His Word that we can directly apply
to the situation.
Does that happen
immediately? Not always. There have been occasions where I still had no clue
what to do, but in faith I thanked God whenever and however He would answer. A
day, a week, maybe even months pass. Then one day in the shower or on a walk, a
thought comes–that gentle “whisper” that could only come from Him, accompanied
by His peace.
You Are Unique
Does God speak to all
of us the same way? No, we are all unique. Are these the only ways God speaks
today? No. He’s a creative God. He speaks so many ways, including through
miracles. In other countries where Christianity is taboo, God is also revealing
Himself repeatedly through dreams. Report after report confirms that an
unbeliever who has never heard of Jesus dreams of Him–but doesn’t know who the
“man” is–or what the dream means. Then a messenger comes, shows a film about
Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the one who has dreamed recognizes the man
in his dream: It’s Jesus, the Son of God!
Remember One Truth
Regardless of the way
God chooses to reveal Himself or “speak” to us today, remember one truth. He
will never contradict His Word, and the message He gives will always bring
glory to God. The Bible warns about adding anything to the already written,
God-breathed Word of God, or accepting any other messenger who claims to be
superior to Jesus (Revelation 22:18-19;2 Corinthians 11:4).
Often when people ask
this question, they are talking about an audible voice. And God can do that. He
can do anything He wants. He’s God. Why then, can’t I hear God speak to me
audibly, someone might ask?
I can’t answer
questions that the Bible does not make clear. And the
way God works is one of those questions. I do think “hearing God speak” may
mean different things to different people. To some, it may suggest, “I need
answers for my life, or this particular crisis.” Another may say, “I’ve asked
God for _________, but He never answers me."
God treats each of us
as unique children. None of us are cookie-cutter Christians. Because of that,
God doesn’t “speak” the same way to all of us. However, here are eight ways God
often uses to communicate with us.
1. Through His Word in
general.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all
Scripture is “God-breathed.” His Word sometimes gives us a warning, a word of
encouragement, or a lesson for life. It’s ”His-story”–written with love as
God’s guide for life, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.”
That means God is
whispering, and sometimes shouting, all through His Word, giving us
instructions and principles for life. As we interpret Scripture by other
Scripture, we avoid the false logic and misinterpretations that sneak into our
world. If someone claims, “God told me to go kill my neighbor!” would you
believe him? Of course not! God never violates His own Word or principles. That
“voice” does not belong to God.
I needed help for
raising my children. God “told” me about that in His Word, especially in proverbs. Marriage difficulties? God spoke
about that as well. Times when I was afraid? I “heard” Jesus’ words to His
disciples as they feared for their lives one stormy night: “Peace, be still!”
and it was as if God was speaking to me, too (Luke 8:23-25).
2. Through His
Son, Jesus Christ
The New Testament was
the fulfillment of God’s special plan. It’s the gospel: the good news of Jesus
Christ. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many
times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His
Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the
universe” Hebrews 1:1-2, NIV).
Through the words of
Jesus in Scripture, we can “hear” God’s heart and God’s voice–and know what God
is truly like. These words were not written for a few, select individuals who
could jump through the right spiritual hoops (“For God so loved the world…”).
Someone in Africa, in Germany, in China, and in Alabama can “hear” Jesus’ voice
by reading the same Bible.
Comparing us to sheep
and He as the Shepherd, Jesus says inJohn 10:27, NKJV: “My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me.” Why? Because the sheep know who He is.
They belong to Him, and they recognize Him by the sound of His voice. And He’s
the one who will always lovingly lead them on the right path–again and again.
3. Through Nature and
God’s Creation
“For since the
creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine
nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so
that men are without excuse ” Romans 1:20, NIV). Through the intricate
details and magnificent beauty of all that God has made, we can “hear” His
voice. How? By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long,
we learn about wisdom and industriousness. By studying the heavens, we
understand more of God’s greatness. And through planting and growing a garden,
we “hear” about miracles of death and rebirth. God designed–and spoke them all
into existence.
4. Through Other
Believers
God may use a friend,
a teacher, a parent, or a preacher to convey His message of truth to us. Their
words may come as a warning, a blessing, or as a prophetic truth about our
lives.Whether we choose to hear it or ignore it, depends on us. Do their words
line up with Scripture? Will God confirm or affirm that truth in us? “The
wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then
peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial,
and sincere” (James 3:17, NIV).
I’ve “heard” God speak
to me numerous times through other people. A good friend once cautioned me
about flirting with danger. Words from a speaker or Christian author have both
challenged me and convicted me at times. And I’ve “heard” God talking to me through
my own children as their pure and honest words cut clear to my heart and
spirit, reminding me of God’s true priorities.
All these things may
not sound to you like ways of ”hearing God’s voice,” but it’s possible to
reduce God to our own image if we insist on Him acting or reacting a certain
way. God is bigger than that. He once spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22:28). Why then, can’t He
speak through anyone at anytime or in any way He wants to?
Bottom line is that if
we are His children, God loves us unconditionally and will spare no expense to
show us. Our part? Believe Him!
Hearing His “audible”
voice would no doubt cinch His reality in an awesome way. But I’ve never heard
God through an angel’s message. I have no taped recordings to tell you what God
sounds like. But I have heard God “speak” through the above ways–and in a few
more. Read on.
5. Through Music
Perhaps one of the
ways I can sense God’s presence the most and “hear” His voice the best is when
I am praising Him through music. Maybe it’s because in times of depression and
difficult trials in the past, I would pour over David’s songs in Psalms, often
singing them back to God with my own tunes. Praise brings me instantly to
attention, like a sergeant’s command to his soldiers. The words and the notes
bring a soothing comfort, excitement, and passion that open my ears and heart
and lift my spirits immediately.
In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a
huge army of enemies who could have easily destroyed His people, but he did a
strange thing. With a declaration that his eyes were on God, he sent in a choir
of praise singers: “Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to
praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the
army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 20:21, NIV).
God “spoke” clearly.
He released His power, and Jehoshaphat’s army defeated their enemies!
6. Through Circumstances
When others claim to
hear God through circumstances, I try to caution them to test their conclusions
with other evidence. God is a Holy God, and often uses circumstances to get our
attention. But He will usually confirm it in other ways.
This happened to us
before my husband and I married. We were dating in high school and were both
involved in what could have been a deadly accident, when a speeding pick-up hit
our car broadside. Through that accident, my husband felt God had a special
purpose for his life. Did he “hear” God’s literal “Yes?” No, but through much
prayer, seeking God’s Word, and talking to others, he felt God’s confirmation.
Several months later, he committed his life to full-time Christian service.
Someone once told me
they just knew God was telling them it was okay to buy a brand-new pickup.
They’d prayed about it, and circumstances confirmed it: the local car
dealership had just the color and model they wanted. But there was one small
problem they were neglecting. They couldn’t afford it on their income. And they
ignored other red flags as well.
Through Moses, God
used circumstances (plagues) to convince Egypt’s leader to release God’s people
from slavery. But Pharaoh wouldn’t listen.
Sometimes God uses our
circumstances to test our faith. We don’t always know how to interpret the
things that happen to us. I recently took my first trip in an ambulance to the
local ER–unfortunately as a patient. My pulse, along with my blood pressure,
dropped dangerously low. For several minutes my world looked like a spinning
photo negative. Scary, to say the least. Four hours of testing later found no
cause as to why it happened. The doctor pronounced me healthy and sent me home,
after encouraging me to get a follow-up–which I did. Nothing showed up.
I don’t know if God
was speaking to me about something special, but the first thing I did was tell
Him I was listening! If nothing else, life–and loved ones–suddenly became much
more precious to me. One of the first things I usually ask God when
circumstances change is: “God, is there something you want to teach me through
this?” Yes, I know everything is “fodder” for writers. But I want to make it
personal and learn the lesson first.
7. Through His Spirit
I once heard someone
teach about “minding the checks” in your spirit. Some may call it “God’s
whispers,” while others say, “God’s still, small voice.” We are made in the
image of God, and when we confess Jesus and follow Him as our Lord and Savior,
His Spirit comes to live in us (John 14:17, 1 Corinthians 3:16). God’s Spirit speaks
to us through our conscience, helping to make the right decision. When we’re
tempted, that same Spirit warns and nudges us to do the right thing.
As a writer, I depend
on God’s Spirit to give me direction. There are times when ideas pop into my
mind totally unexpectedly–and sometimes directly after a plea for help from
God. The good ideas I credit to God, because after all, He is the source of
every good and perfect gift. The others? They’re in file 13. Even the good ones
need developing and rewriting, but that’s a different subject.
Why do you suppose ten
people can “hear” a sermon, but each person will walk away with a different
truth that applies to him? In some cases, the speaker never spoke what the
people say they “heard.” Many times, that may be the result of God’s Spirit
speaking a personal “Rhema,” a living, breathing word of truth to our spirits.
It’s when Scripture comes alive to us–because it is truly “God-breathed.”
8. Through Prayer
Each way I’ve shared
that God may speak to us today meshes into the other. God often speaks to us
through His Spirit, through prayer. We may not know how to pray, but God’s Word
tells us His spirit makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26-27).
Often through a
combination of fasting and prayer, our minds become clearer and our hearts are
more sensitive to God. Again, we may not hear God’s literal voice, but His
Spirit confirms a certain direction or answer for us. As the distractions fade,
we can sense His leading in a new way. Sometimes while praying, God’s Spirit
will remind us of a Scripture or a truth in His Word that we can directly apply
to the situation.
Does that happen
immediately? Not always. There have been occasions where I still had no clue
what to do, but in faith I thanked God whenever and however He would answer. A
day, a week, maybe even months pass. Then one day in the shower or on a walk, a
thought comes–that gentle “whisper” that could only come from Him, accompanied
by His peace.
You Are Unique
Does God speak to all
of us the same way? No, we are all unique. Are these the only ways God speaks
today? No. He’s a creative God. He speaks so many ways, including through
miracles. In other countries where Christianity is taboo, God is also revealing
Himself repeatedly through dreams. Report after report confirms that an
unbeliever who has never heard of Jesus dreams of Him–but doesn’t know who the
“man” is–or what the dream means. Then a messenger comes, shows a film about
Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the one who has dreamed recognizes the man
in his dream: It’s Jesus, the Son of God!
Remember One Truth
Regardless of the way
God chooses to reveal Himself or “speak” to us today, remember one truth. He
will never contradict His Word, and the message He gives will always bring
glory to God. The Bible warns about adding anything to the already written,
God-breathed Word of God, or accepting any other messenger who claims to be
superior to Jesus (Revelation 22:18-19;2 Corinthians 11:4).
