What does Scripture have to say about hearing God’s voice?
Have you ever been in church and heard a preacher talk about hearing the voice of the Lord? Or have you spoken to a Christian friend who has said they heard God tell them to do something? What about yourself? Do you feel like the Lord might be telling you something but aren’t certain?
The truth is, there is no recipe or formula for hearing the voice of the Lord. As much as we might want a recipe, something like that would ultimately become nothing more than an empty ritual. Instead, the Lord chooses to speak to us in many different ways, and if you’re not listening carefully or paying attention, you might miss it.
Scripture has a lot to say about hearing
“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”
Revelation 3:22 (MSG)
Scriptures like this and many others emphasize the imagery of hearing when it comes to recognizing God. While hearing God might be literal in some cases, Scriptures often refer to hearing as simply a form of recognizing His presence and the movement of the Holy Spirit.
How do we hear God’s voice?
If hearing is not literal hearing in many cases, then how do we figuratively hear? How do we recognize God’s presence and the tugging of the Holy Spirit? Again, there is no formula for this, but here are a few things that many Chrisitans have practiced for years when it comes to hearing God’s voice:
Consider your motives and desires — If you’re trying to bend your ear toward the Lord and His direction, ask yourself why you want this. Are you trying to grow closer to the Lord and to grow and do His will? Or are you trying to feel righteous or want to use His guidance for selfish reasons like power or manipulation? Many of us don’t like to think ourselves capable of such things, but if you feel any temptation in your heart for abusing the words of God, then you should spend some time working on those issues so you can be more open to faithfully hear God’s voice.
Be open — Speaking of being open, when you’re searching for the voice of God, you need to be open to the different ways He speaks. God speaks to different people in different ways. Some hear a literal voice. Some have visions. Some have a strong internal sense of something. Some hear God’s voice through what He shares through other people.
These are only a few examples of how God can speak to us. If you’re looking for His voice, look everywhere and listen carefully.
Be patient — We cannot force God to speak to us or force how He does it. Some churches make the mistake of teaching people that they have to do this or that to hear God and that if you don’t, then you’re not really His follower. Assumptions like this drive people away from the church and away from God.
Instead, we need to be patient when seeking to hear God’s voice. Look at the Scriptures. The Israelites often went hundreds of years before hearing from a prophet of the Lord. When God wants to share something with you, He will, so it’s important to always be ready and listening but not to try to force Him or misattribute fanciful thinking to Him.
Be obedient — God’s voice often begets a response and action. While the Holy Spirit is a comforter who may use His voice to comfort, God usually is calling us toward something when He speaks to us. If you feel like the Lord is telling you something, then obey and see how He changes your life and the lives of others.
At Centerpoint Church, we strive to hear the voice of God and obey. We don’t presume to have a formula or all of the answers but to seek Him earnestly and help others do the same. Are you seeking to form a deeper connection with God or just want to learn more about this God stuff in general? We’d love to connect with you and join you on your faith journey!