God Speaks

God speaks. However, a claim to hear His voice brings mixed reactions. Some regard anyone making such a claim as schizophrenic or delusional. Others may long for such communication, but don’t know how to find it. Still others just wonder if it is even possible.

God does communicate with His creation. The problem is not with His speaking, but with our hearing. Those who expect God to speak in an audible voice will most likely be disappointed. We may want Him to shout from the clouds or write in neon across the sky, but He usually expresses Himself in far more subtle ways. He whispers.

John 10 teaches us that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows His sheep and His sheep know His voice. The chapter also teaches us that the Pharisees, who didn’t understand Jesus, were not His sheep. They didn’t believe Him because they didn’t know Him.

God created us for relationship. He wants us to know Him and to know His will. The first key to hearing His voice is to be one of His sheep.

Adam and Eve clearly heard God’s voice, but chose to disobey it. Consequently, everyone on the planet is born under sin. We are all guilty of failing to honor Him (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God. We deserve His wrath.

Jesus graciously took on Himself the penalty for our sin when He died on the cross. When we understand our need for a Savior, and put our faith in Jesus, our relationship to God the Father is restored. We become righteous before God because of Jesus and His righteousness. We are then saved from His wrath.

When we are saved, we become His sheep. We learn to hear His whispers. He guides us in how to live. We grow and learn more of Him and His ways.

God speaks to us in many ways. He is infinitely creative. He spoke directly to Moses, Daniel, Jeremiah, Paul and others, who recorded what they heard for our benefit. The Bible is the complete record of the timeless principles God wanted preserved. He no longer needs to speak to us in the same way He spoke to the Prophets.

The primary way He speaks to us now is through His word, the Bible.All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT. We read His word to gain perspective on His thoughts.

But hearing His voice requires more than just reading the Bible for information. His Spirit gives us understanding, and brings to our memory later the things we have read. His Spirit impresses on us what He wants us to discern from our circumstances. He can also speak to us through something we read elsewhere, or hear on the radio. He can even get our attention with words in a song or on a bumper sticker. Any guidance He gives us will always line up with the principles of Scripture. Knowing Scripture protects us against false teachers who claim to speak for God, but don’t.

Jesus warned us the worries of this life keep us from hearing (Matthew 13). Instead of distracting ourselves with worry, we can pray (Philippians 4:6-7). We are most likely to hear Him when we are paying attention.

If we take our questions and concerns to God, in prayer, He will reveal His thoughts. He may illumine a particular question by bringing a verse to our attention in our next reading of Scripture. He may bring answers through challenges, or through the wise counsel of others. The point is, when we take our questions to God, He gives answers. God speaks. We just need to listen.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalms 5:3 NIV

 

How have you heard God’s voice? Please leave a comment below.

Blessings,
Phyllis

Copyright 2024 Phyllis L. Farringer

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