How can I hear God's voice?
QUESTION: I know a lot of Christians who always talk about “hearing from God” and hearing His audible voice. I never hear God’s voice I don’t think. How can I hear God’s voice? Is there something wrong with me?
ANSWER:
Like always, let’s take a look at what the Bible says about this.
God is cable of speaking to man in dramatic, supernatural ways. In scripture we see the Audible verbal for sure.
First he can speak audibly verbal
- Abraham by voice and by angels
- Joseph in dreams
- Israelites in thunder
- Balaam through a donkey
- Moses through a burning bush and a cloudThrough His “WORD” already given to us - non-verbal
The Bible teaches us that the Lord can communicate through a variety of means, including through an audible voice at times, but more often the Lord speaks through nonverbal means. The Bible teaches us that since Jesus has appeared, God no longer speaks to us apart from communicating through Jesus Christ:
Heb. 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,
Heb. 1:2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
So how does the Father speak to us through His Son?
First and foremost, God speaks to us through the Bible, which is the Word, the written revelation of Himself in Christ:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Lord uses His word to communicate timeless spiritual truths to us. As we submit ourselves to all that scripture teaches, we inevitably grow closer in our walk with the Lord. Though the Bible doesn’t speak in specific terms about every issue we face in our daily lives, the word of God transcends daily life. And speaks of things such as godliness, holiness, obedience, and love that regulate our thinking and actions. As Paul says:
Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
Eph. 5:26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Eph. 5:27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.
If anyone is trying to hear from God without regular and consistently studying in His word. God will rarely give you a “personal word” much less a burning bush when the answers we seek have already been provided through Christ’s word. Paul reminds us in 2 Tim:
2Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
2Tim. 3:17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Secondly God can speak to us through the example of Jesus’ life.
Man heard God in the form of Jesus and actually saw his hear and understood more of who He was. John says:
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.God speaks through creation. We can “hear” God’s voice through the details of His creation.
Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.God speaks to us through other people. We can “hear” God’s voice through the counsel and teaching and prayers of other believers. In the NT the Lord uses His disciples to share His message of Truth. Through this community of workers, we can gain a clearer understanding of Christs’s will for our lives.
Eph. 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
Eph. 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
Eph. 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.In a personal way, we can sense the Lords leading in our prayer life. the Bible talks about the importance of prayer and fasting to clear our minds and prepare our hearts for God’s voice. Often, the Lords’ direction can come in the form of prayer requests we never expected to make but they came to mind as we prayed:
Rom. 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
Rom. 8:27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
These moments are made possible by the Holy Spirit. God’s spirit who was with God at the beginning of creation waiting to breath life into His creation. Now the Spirit serves as an advocate for believers and give them direction.
John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
1Cor. 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?God can speak to us through our circumstances.
The Lord is sovereign over all that transpires in our life. Every event comes to pass because of God and his hand of control. When you have something happen to you in life, do you ever stop and consider what God might be telling you?
Look at the Prodigal Son in Luke 16. God “spoke” to the son during his circumstances and it spoke in a powerful way.
Usually our inability to hear God isn’t because he’s silent. Instead, it’s a problem of overlooking the many ways and times God does speak to us because we are searching for something that is more dramatic and supernatural. He will guide you into righteousness as you pursue the Christian discipleship you will hear the Lord more and more. This is the full senses of living by faith and not by sight.
Check out these stats. These seem to correlate with the uptick in christians falling pray to false prophets and extra Biblical “words of knowledge” who seek to use their self professed direct connection to God to be the voice of God for you. As mature, followers of Christ, we need to keep our hearts endeared towards scripture and the Holy Spirit will help you truly hear God speak! I marvel at the compassion of God and him giving us, His creation to truly hear Him speak!
Survey given by the American Bible Society: Daily Bible Reading
2019 = 13.7%
2020 = 8.5%