As I am preparing to write "How to Hear from God,"
I feel led today to add some things about myself, first,
before I begin. As I wonder why I should pour out my
soul - which I had not planned, I see the Lord's purpose
behind it - He wants people to not think that someone
who hears from Him must only be called, must only be
special, must only be important, must only be
well-known, must only be "perfect," or have a high
position in Church that would qualify him/her. No;
this is far from being true. We are all equal in God's
eyes; all having this in common - we're all made in the
image of God, we all have His Spirit (as Christians),
we're all flesh and blood, and we all have a "disease"
we struggle with, called sin. No matter what color skin
we have, no matter what we've done, what we haven't
done, or what we do in life, we are all "one." God can
use anyone if He used someone like me; it's just up to us
to surrender, obey, and to make ourselves available. (see
the QUOTES page, "Stepping Into Muddy Water," for
Inspiring True Stories) as I shared some ways the Lord
used/uses me. When we become Christians, the Lord goes
to work in our hearts, heals our wounds, nurtures us,
teaches us, and helps us to grow; and over time, if we're faithful
in His Word, He will use us, and give us opportunities to help
others, as we have been helped. He's looking for bodies
"vessels" here on earth, that He can work through to bring
the backslidden back to Him, and to those who are lost, into
the Kingdom. Furthermore, He wants us to help those who are
weak, give to the poor, pray for others, and to encourage our
brothers and sisters in Christ. Whenever we are given the
opportunity, we should be able to show people what Jesus
looks like - what love looks like - it's more than just words
- it's action. We are His voice here. We are His hands here.
He'll use anyone; all that's required is a heart "sold out" to Him.
We are skillfully-crafted and purposed to
be here by our Designer, Maker, and Creator.
Each one of us are here for His good pleasure, and
if one desires to know his/her purpose in life, one
must first know Who made them. And that person will soon
discover, that Christ is their purpose. No matter who you
are, no matter what you've done, no matter the sins you're
entangled with today, God wants you. You are reading
this for a reason, orchestrated by God, to invite you to come
closer to Him, to learn how to hear His voice, and to embark
on a journey with Him, living with a purpose and passion for
life that you've never dreamed. Yes, if you're here reading
this...God wants you to give Him your whole heart, and to
lift up your arms, and say, "I surrender." Time is short;
and what we do with the little time we have left, depends
on our position, authority, and assignment given to us into
eternity. I, as I have noted here before on this website, was
brought into this world, without love or being told I was loved,
ever held, or to have an adult in my life to guide me, spend
time with me or teach me anything. I know what it's like to
have an "orphan" heart. I know what it's like to battle one
health problem after another - close to death. I know what
it's like to be yelled at constantly. I know what it's like to be
whipped on my back. I know what it's like for someone
to try to drown me. I know what it's like to not
have a home, and to not have a loving parent-
or any parent around at all. I know what it's like to
be hungry that even dog food sounded good.
I know what it's like to be treated even less than an
animal. I know what it's like to know much about
sin, especially by the time I was 5 years old. It's no
wonder, that when I became a Christian later on,
that God wasted no time in "cleaning" me up. I am
still a work in progress today, and that will continue
until I go home - as goes for all of us. It's also, no
wonder, He pursued me to pursue Him, and led me on
a path to learn how to hear His voice - I had now been
adopted into God's family! I finally had a Father! A
heavenly, perfect Father, in fact! Praise God! Thank
you, Jesus! For Jesus made a way for us all to be
reconciled to the Father, by His precious blood. So,
the Father - now my Father, began to heal my hurts,
helped me to get to know Him, and taught me His ways.
He welcomed me with loving arms, as I was now
a part of His family. He desires to have a relationship
with each one of us, even before we were born!
Thus, this is the foundation I want to lay first, that the
Lord would like me to start with before I explain - to the
best of my ability - how we can hear from Him...which
is the same as walking with Him, having a relationship
with Him, and being led by His Spirit - it is a constant,
continual life with Him, as He is actively involved and
interested in every aspect of our lives. Many times, He
communicates to us, and we are unaware. My hope is
to help people experience God in their lives in a real way,
for He is very much real! And I have prayed for everyone
who reads this page, and who visit this website, asking
God to touch them right where they are, and to draw
them in closer to Him.
Jennifer
*And after the earthquake, came fire: but the Lord was not in
the fire: and after the fire, there came a still soft voice.
(quiet, gentle voice/gentle whisper/calm/soft, gentle voice)
(1 Kings 19:12)
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*"Reverence/Respect/Fear Him ~ God will speak to whom He chooses, when He chooses, and how He chooses."
*"Stay connected to Heaven (God the Father and Jesus Christ), by keeping our "end" clear to receive from God, through the Direct Line ~ the Holy Spirit."
*"If there's a problem with the line - it's always on our "end." His end is always working.
*"Communicating with the LORD can be like unto a telephone, and the Holy Spirit is the power/the electricity/the line that God has given us to receive."
*"Whenever we receive from God/hear from Him/are given revelation/inspiration from the Word of God, it is always coming by/through the Holy Spirit."
*God the Father's way of communicating to us is through faith in Christ, and through His Holy Spirit."
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)
*"Clear the noise in our minds for a clear connection and a clear reception."
God does not always speak verbally. God's ways to speak to us are many - limitless! And He is always available...Are we? As Christians, we're always connected to Him through the Holy Spirit; it's our line/end (our racing minds or quiet minds and hearts, that determine if we receive or not.) Remember, God is not far from any one of us; as Christians, we are united with Him in our spirit - the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in us!
Acknowledge/be aware of His presence throughout the day, and listen continually, making sure our line/end (heart/mind is clear/clean), expecting to receive. The more we're "filled" with God's Word in us, the more diligent we are in seeking Him, and our constant awareness of His presence with us, the more we'll receive. And as with any relationship takes time to grow, so He reveals more to each one of us as we walk with Him in life.
Journaling/Writing:
Quiet your mind, open your heart, and be still before the Lord. Ask the Lord a question by writing it down, and imagine the Lord with you in a place/setting of your desire, in your mind. (worship instrumental music, playing in the background, may be helpful) Patience and childlike faith is needed here, along with being grounded in God's Word.
*"Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors."
(Proverbs 8:34)
His words will always be spoken in love and on love as it will always agree with His Word, and will speak directly to our heart. If we hear a word(s), then we take a step of faith, and write it down. We must make sure it lines up with Scripture.
How do we know if the words that we receive are not just our own thoughts or demons?
God is Spirit, and He is speaking to us from His Spirit to our spirit; if we hear a word/words that comes to our mind spontaneously, and if it's a word(s) that benefits/blesses us or someone else in our life, and it is confirmed in our heart, it may well, indeed, be from God. We receive with childlike faith, testing it with Scripture, as it touches our heart (spirit).
Writing is Biblical:
Then the Lord answered me and said:
“Write the vision (write My answer NLT)
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it."
(Habakkuk 2:2)
The book of Psalms is also a communion
(journaling/writing) with the Lord, and when
David writes, "Selah," he is pausing
so that he might hear from the Lord.
The Lord must wait for you to come to Him
so He can show you His love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
Blessed are those who wait for His help.
(Isaiah 30:18 NLT)
He will be gracious if you ask for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
(Isaiah 30:19 NLT)
He will still be with you to teach you.
You will see your Teacher with your own eyes.
(Isaiah 30:20 NLT)
Your own ears will hear Him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left.
(Isaiah 30:21 NLT)
Now go and write down these words.
(Isaiah 30:8 NLT)
When God speaks, it doesn't always have to be in words; He loves to communicate to us in other ways...heart to heart; Spirit to spirit. Seeing with the "eyes of our heart" (inspired thoughts, guided by the Holy Spirit) during prayer/worship, visions, dreams, and mysterious/spiritual/unexplainable moments of heavenly encounters. He also speaks in the gifts of the Spirit, such as interpretation of tongues, word of knowledge, and prophecy. As Christians, we should be walking with Him throughout our day, being led by His Spirit/directing our steps - walking in the Holy Spirit is walking with Him - moment by moment; listening to Him - moment by moment. He guides us, enables us, and equips us in life, making us more like Jesus, and helping us to let our Lord live His life in and through us; therefore, we must be sensitive to what He's saying...the initial, inner promptings of the Spirit/He prompts us by strong inclinations/feelings, and we are to surrender/yield/obey). The more we surrender and obey, the more He'll speak to us, and reveal to us. Additionally, God will fill us, and anoint us, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill His purpose and calling in our life; and that anointing also brings benefits of blessings, such as favor and protection. We rely on and depend on Him in everything, and so we must have the mind-set on the things of God; then we'll be willing to surrender to Him. ("Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace." (Romans 8:6). He'll speak to our spirit; our conscience, and we'll have a feeling of peace (a "yes" to move forward in that direction, a "yes" in going to that movie, speaking to that person, doing this or that, etc.; or on an opposite end, we'll feel no peace in our spirit - a sense of uneasiness, a bad feeling, or a hesitancy, when the Lord does not want us to do this or that; this is God's way of saying, "no" regarding that situation.) Another way we hear from God is by receiving His word(s) in our minds, spontaneously (a still, small voice - 1 Kings 19:12). Also, by "coincidences/signs"...for example, we may have been thinking about something in particular, and we "just so happened" to come across an article, a video, a book, a song, etc. that related in some way to that same topic. A lot of times, "coincidences" are what I call, "God winks." Sometimes, He may orchestrate events in your life, bring a person across your path, or a video might catch your attention, and it really blesses your heart...any time something or someone draws you in closer to Jesus, you can know for sure that was God. Other ways He speaks, and primarily, is through His Word; we open the Bible to receive from Him with childlike faith and with an open heart through revelation/inspiration from the Holy Spirit. God also speaks when we have an idea (this happens when we are spiritually minded...we will receive a sudden thought that causes us to get excited/have joy/peace). We must continue to acknowledge the Lord's presence with us - as He is omnipresent, Immanuel - God with us, and has promised He would never leave us. Indeed, the Lord is so close to us, that, remember, He also lives in us; this is how much He's very interested in us, and being a part of our lives. Let's keep an alert mind, always expecting to hear from Him, and keeping our hearts and life clean the best we can - by His grace and strength, for apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) When we fall into sin/temptation/in the flesh, then let's run to Him, retreat, talk to Him about it, and ask Him for His forgiveness and help. God knows we're not perfect; a relationship is what He desires...He knows we can't make it on our own; there is no sin His blood cannot wash away. Other ways that God speaks is through nature, a word/text/email/letter, etc. from someone, a hug, a gift/money from someone that you had been desiring or needing, a phone call, a visit, an audible voice, and even through our pets/animals! Sometimes, a song will come to mind that blesses us or a Bible verse, that is just what we need at the time. There are no limitations to God in how He chooses to communicate to us, to assure us of His love and/or comfort. As His children, we all have different personalities, and are uniquely made from His hand, and our Father will bond with each one of us, in our own personal way. And when we receive any communication from the Lord, "we will know that we know," in our hearts, that it was from God. Remember, He also knows our thoughts, and speaks to us in response to our thoughts - if He chooses. There are Christians who have disciplined their thoughts to some measure in trying to please Him with meditations of the heart. (Psalm 19:14) Some more ways that God speaks to us is...we may feel the Holy Spirit's presence...we may feel His love, we may feel grieved if we've broken his heart from sin or we are "tapping" into How the Lord feels from something else in the world - yes, at times, we can feel what He feels, for He is one/connected with us; we may be overwhelmed with joy, and cry tears - a human response when His presence is strong, we may feel heat on a certain area of our body, we may feel air blowing on us, we may feel an "electric" power, we may see flashes and/or flickering of light (many times, this is from Angels or spiritual warfare in the atmosphere)...Again, God's ways are limitless in communicating to us. Being led by His Spirit, daily, and letting Him speak to us through His Word are two primary ways for Christians. All other ways are according to the person believing, receiving, their daily obedience with Him, their personality, and how they "hear" best. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, with one Father, and He knows each of us very well, and knows exactly how to get our attention and how we learn and receive from Him best. In prayer, and worship is another way He'll speak...When we pray (talk to Him), we pause, and listen for a response; if we're patient, and our hearts are tender...we might hear Him. Then, we continue praying (talking to Him), and pause again. (Prayer is a two-way dialogue) If we have not received a word/response from God, no worries...when we ask God to help us to hear Him, and to open our "ears" to hear, He will make sure that we hear the right word(s) that we need to hear, at the right time. It's important that we're continually, listening, expecting, and receiving. And when we're reading God's Word, we must remember that Jesus is the Word and the Word is Jesus, therefore, it's the same as spending time with Him (God), and hearing from Him (God).
Jesus was the Word made flesh.
"And the Word was made flesh."
(John 1:14)
WHAT IS IMPORTANT:
1. REPENTANCE (This breaks down that barrier of condemnation, (see below #4) and helps us to receive from God; knowing that our sins are under the blood, frees us from a guilty conscience.
2. WORD OF GOD (READING IT, DAILY) This helps us to grow in the Spirit as we feed on His Word, and renews our minds; thus, we become spiritually-minded. (If our minds are carnal, we cannot hear/receive from God) But continuing in the Word of God (being faithful), helps us to stay familiar with His voice, helps us to hear/receive from Him, and strips off the carnal mind (flesh).
3. PRACTICING GOD'S WORD (WALKING IN LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM/HIS WORD)
We must put God's Word into practice. Many times, we read God's Word, and forget (James 1:25), neglect to do what He says, or we only read our Bibles every now and then, and the fruit of the Spirit is not produced in our life (love). Please also remember, that God is a Holy God. We must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Someone who has the Fear of the Lord, receives many benefits in life, according to Scripture; and enjoys a close fellowship with Him.
4. Be aware of BARRIERS: Be free from condemnation and feelings of unworthiness, distractions, racing thoughts of a "To Do List," doubt, impatience, a carnal mind, putting filthy language/anger/slander/self-curses/lust, and the like, far from us, as well as worldly/ungodly interests/personalities that/whom consume our time and feed our "flesh." Receiving God's Amazing Grace by faith, tears down barriers (strongholds) that hinder us from hearing; And even just one Word from the Lord can carry a person throughout the whole day, knowing it came from the Almighty.
*"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down the imaginations (arguments) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
(2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
*"Keep oneself unstained (unspotted) from the world."
(James 1:27)
5. Keep our (end/line) open and clear for connection with God. We hear from God through the Holy Spirit. His end is always open and clear; if we quiet our minds, our line will be clear to hear. Therefore, any disturbance, or of not receiving, is always on our end/line; we'll have a bad connection.
6. Remember, everything takes time and practice to be well-trained in a certain area. And over time, we will become very familiar with His voice, as we have disciplined ourselves to listening. If a person has a desire to hear, then know that God planted that seed in them to pursue Him. God wants us to seek Him!
7. Be aware of our enemy, the devil - Two things Satan steals
in the life of a believer:
1. Our prayer life.
2. Time in His Word.
*Many Believers either do one, and not the other, or rarely or none of the two, at all. We need to:
1. Come back to praying (talking with God)
2. Come back to God's Word.
"And when you draw near to Him, God will draw near to you."
(James 4:8)
One Final Word: I know of a Christian who once told me, "The Lord used to speak to me all the time, but doesn't anymore." As years went by, somewhere along the way, they stopped reading God's Word, and stumbled from sin. I felt sorrow in my heart to see their brokenness, discouragement, and self-condemnation. God didn't require them to be "perfect" first before He would speak; it was their own sense of unworthiness, and awareness of sins that kept their line from receiving. What pleases God is faith (Heb. 11:6), and He desires that we get into His Word, and stay in His Word, because He is always speaking; His line/end/Holy Spirit is always connected to our spirits, and is always connected to His Word. As stated before, when there's a bad connection, it's always on our "end."
A person should not focus too hard on trying to hear from God if they're tempted to give up or get discouraged. He will reward us as we diligently seek Him. (Heb.11:6) Obedience, and staying in His Word is most important; I remember a time in my personal life, many years ago, when I kept calling on God to speak to me, over and over again. He responded to me in my dream that night...there was lovely music playing in the background, and He said to me, "It doesn't matter if I speak to you; what matters is that I AM Master and Lord."
In other words, during that time in my life, I needed to get back in reading God's Word again (the devil had stolen that), and I needed to practice living it (obedience). He is saying to us today, "My Word is My words."
This was what He said to me today, as I prayed for His help in writing this. His words to you and I are..."Read My Word."
Jennifer
On this page, I have shared from my personal experience, how you, too, can hear from God - we hear primarily through His Word.
"For the Word of God is living (alive)..." (Heb. 4:12)
"My child, pay attention to My words (My Word).
Listen closely (carefully) to what I say.
Don’t ever forget (don't lose sight of) My words (My Word).
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body."
(Proverbs 4:20-22)
When I became a Christian 25 years ago, the Lord led me to take a course in Christian Counseling at the University on how to hear from God. It is my pleasure to share a part of my heart with you, and some things I have learned and experienced with my walk with the Lord. Today, so many people (Christians) are frustrated and depressed - even suicidal, because they can't hear from God. Having a relationship with the Lord (continuing in His Word) will help relieve so many struggles and challenges we face in life.
...have a rich relationship with God.
(Luke 12:21)
You were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(1 Cor. 1:9)
(2 Cor. 13:14)
Our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
(1 John 1:3; 1 John 2:24)
Remain in fellowship with Christ.
(1 John 2:28)
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