Link for an updated blog post here (copy and paste in URL): https://possibilityplusliving.com/am-i-hearing-from-god
Are
you going through a difficult time in your life, and you desperately want to
hear from God...you want a solution, you want help, or you just need a word of
reassurance from Him? It could be an illness, the death of a loved
one, a divorce, unemployment, financial or other hardships. You feel hopeless,
lonely, or abandoned. You are wondering if God cares about you, or if He even
exists. You cry out to God for help, guidance, or comfort, but feel like you
have gotten no answer. You want to know that He is with you, that He
understands and cares about your situation, and that He has a plan for you.
You
may wonder why it seems that some people hear from God more easily than you do.
You may even wonder if there is a secret formula or a special technique to
communicate with Him. Is it possible that He is speaking to you, but are you
listening? It is possible that you are not able to discern His voice from the
many other voices clamoring for your attention. Many times, God is speaking to
you and trying to grab your attention, but you are so overwhelmed with your
situation that you don’t hear Him. You may also wonder if you are hearing from
God or if you are just having your own thoughts about the issue. You may be
fearful of being deceived or misled by mistaking another voice for His voice.
Hearing from God is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life.
But how do you know when God is speaking to you?
In
this blog post, I will share some biblical principles and practical tips on how
to hear God and be sure of his guidance. I will also address some common
questions and challenges that many believers face when they seek to hear from
God.
First,
let me say that God speaks to us. He is not a distant or silent God who only
communicates through His written word. He does not only speak to a select few
and not to others. He doesn’t only speak to your pastor, the prophet, or the
preacher you listen to We can all hear and experience the voice of God. He is a
personal and living God who also speaks through His Spirit, His creation, His
people, and His circumstances. He lives in us and is always speaking, but we
need to tune in to His frequency and listen with an open heart. We need to
allow Him to reach us rather than allow our situation to overwhelm us to the
point where nothing else matters.
The
truth is, that God is always speaking because His word is already written in
the Bible. God speaks to us through His creation. The heavens declare the glory
of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands (Psalm 19:1). The natural
world reveals God's power, wisdom, beauty, and creativity. As we observe and
enjoy God's creation, we can hear His voice speaking to us through it.
The
Bible is God's inspired and authoritative revelation of Himself, His will, and
His ways. It is the primary source of truth and wisdom in our lives. It is also
the standard by which we test and evaluate any other voice that claims to be
from God. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is
useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so
that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Have you ever gone to church and the word that was preached seemed to be
directed to you. It perfectly fits your situation, and it touches you to the
core? You may even wonder if someone told the preacher about your situation.
God will send the right word at the right time because His timing is perfect.
Therefore,
if you want to hear from God, you need to read, study, meditate on, and obey
His word daily. You need to ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate your mind and
heart as you read the Scriptures and apply them to your specific situations and
needs. You need to compare any other voice or impression that you receive with
what the Bible says and reject anything that contradicts or adds to it.
Another
way that God speaks to you is through His Spirit, who lives in us as believers.
The Holy Spirit is our counselor, comforter, teacher, guide, and witness. He
speaks to us in various ways, such as through conviction, peace, joy, love,
promptings, impressions, dreams, visions, prophecies, words of knowledge, words
of wisdom, etc. He also helps us to understand and apply the Scriptures to our
lives. Have you ever disobeyed a strong prompting not to do something only to
regret it later? God can and does speak to us in an audible voice as he did to
Samuel, but not always.
You
need to be cautious, however, as not every voice or impression that you hear,
or feel is from the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it can be from your own flesh, your
emotions, your desires, your fears, your prejudices, your expectations, etc.
Sometimes it can be from the enemy, who can disguise himself as an angel of
light and deceive you with lies or half-truths. Therefore, you need to test the
spirits and discern whether they are from God or not. As 1 John 4:1 says,
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God." How do we test the spirit? By using the Bible
as our plumbline. As I mentioned earlier, the Bible is the ultimate authority
and standard for truth. Anything that contradicts or goes beyond what the Bible
says is not from God.
Have
you ever had someone come to you with a word that you know to be one hundred
percent from God? I have had that experience; I remember years ago I was going
through a difficult time, and I felt abandoned by God. I was coming out of a
supermarket when I saw a lady standing near my car I walked past her and as I
entered my car she came and knocked on my car window, I rolled it down
slightly, she said to me she was walking by earlier and as she approached my
car the Lord told her to wait until the driver of the car returned and tell the
driver that He has heard their cry. She told me the scripture that the Lord had
given her to tell me and then she just turned and walked away. I was so shocked
I could not respond. I was stunned because I knew that that message was sent by
God. I should not have been stunned but I was. Many times, we pray and expect
an answer from God, but when it comes, we are taken aback. This should tell us
that we were harboring doubts or that we were not sure that we would get an answer.
He is not a figment of our imaginations He is real.
Whatever
your situation, be assured that God loves you unconditionally, cares for you
intimately, and works for you sovereignly. He is always with you and for you,
even when you don't feel or see Him. He is always speaking to us through His
Word, His Spirit, His creation, His people, and His providence. He is always
listening to us when we call on Him in prayer. He is always faithful to His
promises and plans. We should not only cry out to Him when we are in trouble or
when we need a solution to a problem. We need to continually seek His presence
and worship Him in all we do.
