HOW GOD SPEAKS TO MAN
KEY VERSES: Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
A. INTRODUCTION
As we mentioned in the introduction of this series (knowing the voice of God), we learnt that the Bible is a history of methods by which God communicated to man and the response of mankind to the voice of God.
This teaching examines the Biblical record to discover the methods by which God communicates to man and how we can hear Gods voice.
1. how does god speak?
People everywhere yearn to hear God’s voice.
• Is God speaking to us?
• Is it possible to hear His voice?
• Does God want us to hear His voice?
• How does God speak?
• How are we to listen?
2. God is speaking, and we can hear His voice.
Christianity is a relationship; every relationship is established and maintained through communication. It is vital that we learn to hear God’s voice, so that we may deepen our relationship with our heavenly Father.
Jesus said to His Father, “This is life eternal, that they [believers] might know thee [God] the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). It is God’s plan for us to know Him intimately; therefore, we must learn to hear His voice.
3. God Speaks to Us in Many Ways
Our creative God is not limited to one form of communication. He is all-powerful; He is omnipresent; He is sovereign. The Bible is filled with accounts of God speaking to individuals, to families, and to nations. In the past He spoke in many different ways, and that is true today as well.
On numerous occasions, the Bible records that God’s voice was heard, Following are a few examples of such descriptions:
• “God spake unto Noah, saying” (Genesis 8:15).
• “The Lord had said unto Abram …” (Genesis 12:1).
• “The Lord said unto Moses …” (Exodus 24:12).
• “Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah …” (Isaiah 38:4).
B. BUT HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?
1. GOD SPOKE TO US THROUGH HIS SON
When Jesus was on the earth, God spoke to us through Him, and when Jesus returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all truth—to be our “communicator” from God. (See Matthew 10:18–20; John 14:26, 16:7–8, 13; Romans 8:26; I Corinthians 2:9–16; and Acts 8:29, 13:2.)
If you are a believer, the Holy Spirit dwells within you, but it is still necessary to nurture your relationship with your heavenly Father in order to learn how to be attentive to His voice. As you grow in faith and mature as a believer, you will learn to hear God speak. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
2. GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD
The Bible is our blueprint. It is the primary way that God speaks to us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Bible is one of God’s provisions to equip us to do His will. God’s Word is alive; it is active in our lives. The Bible is an absolutely essential part of your walk with God. You must not neglect His Word. It is one way that He speaks to you personally, powerfully—today.
Read the Word, memorize the Word, and meditate on the Word of God. By His Holy Spirit, Who dwells in each believer, God will focus your attention on particular verses or passages. (See John 14:26.) They will have special application to your life because of decisions you are facing, character goals you are working on, questions you have, or pressures you are experiencing.
As you meditate on those verses to which the Spirit of God leads you, and obey them, God will guide you in “paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).
Not only are we to have a growing relationship with the Lord through His Word, but we also should be ready to give an answer to others whenever necessary. (See I Peter 3:15–16.)
When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus responded to the devil’s temptations by quoting truth from God’s Word. (See Matthew 4:1–11.)We must learn the truth, which is found in the Word of God and also is identified as the “sword of the Spirit.” With the sword of the Spirit, we can defeat the enemy of our souls, and as we “put on the whole armor of God,” we can “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
Honoring and obeying God’s Word is a key to hearing God’s voice. Through obedience, we demonstrate our love for God, and failure to obey is a reflection of a rebellious heart. If we resist His Word, our fellowship with God will be limited.
Jesus said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. … If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:21, 23–24).
We Must Believe What the Bible Says
The Bible says that God guides us. (See Isaiah 30:21; Psalm 32:8, 48:14, 73:24; John 16:13, and Deuteronomy 4:9–11.) Are you willing to believe God’s Word? If so, then your heart is prepared to hear God speak. If you reject what the Bible says, then it is likely that you will be unable to hear God speak, because of your unbelief. (See Matthew 13:57–58; Mark 6:5–7, 16:9–20; Hebrews 3:7–19; and I Timothy 1:12–16.)
If you are not hearing God’s voice, examine your heart. The Bible says, “Examine [scrutinize, discipline] yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove [test, approve] your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates [unapproved, rejected, worthless]?” (II Corinthians 13:5). Ask the Lord to reveal to you anything that is hindering your relationship with Him, and then obey Him. Ask God to give you ears to hear, and a pure heart. (See Matthew 13:43, Mark 4:9, Matthew 5:8, II Timothy 2:22, and Psalm 24:3–5.)
God’s Children Can Hear His Voice
Are you born again? Have you asked God to forgive you for your rebellion against Him and His Word? Have you in repentance made a change of mind, heart, and direction in your life? If so, then you can hear God’s voice, because you are His child. If you are not a child of God, then cry out to Him for salvation, and He will hear your cry. He will forgive you of your rebellion, and He will accept you into His kingdom, as His child. (See John 3:1–21 and Romans 10:9–17.)
3. GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH OUR PRAYERS
God also speaks to us when we pray. Unfortunately, many of us have the mistaken idea that the purpose of prayer is to change God’s mind. We think, “If I can just plead with God long enough and hard enough, He’ll give me what I’m asking for.”
Prayer is not a way to twist God’s arm.
Prayer is God’s means of getting through to us, so that we can do things for Him! As we pray, God takes our focus off of our needs and puts our focus on His love and His power.
Through prayer, God changes our perspective to conform to His purposes; He establishes His priorities for our lives; He leads us into all truth.
There are many Biblical examples of God speaking as a result of prayer. Prayer is our lifeline, it is the means in which we connect and communicate with God. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Prayer and fasting (doing without food for spiritual reasons) resulted in God speaking to Paul and Barnabas:
And as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. (Acts 13:2-3)
Prayer is to include the request for the fulfillment of God's will on earth. Jesus taught His followers to pray:
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
Jesus prayed for direction from God prior to the selection of His disciples:
And it came to pass in those days that He went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples; and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)
Jesus prayed for God's will prior to His death:
. . . Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. (Luke 22:42)
4. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH OTHERS
The Bible records many instances in which God used one individual to deliver His message to another individual. (See I Samuel 13:13–14, 15:23; II Samuel 12:7–15; and Acts 9:10–18, 10:1–33.) God may speak to you through another individual—a friend, a parent, a pastor, even a stranger. You would be wise to confirm what you hear God saying by seeking affirmation of that direction through wise, Godly people.
One of the best places to find individuals who can give you Godly counsel is your local church. Even if your fellow church members do not directly give you counsel, God can use their words to reveal or confirm His will, as the Holy Spirit works in your lives. Also, as a member of a local church, you can observe what God is saying to the entire church. God often will direct you personally through the input of others who are regularly in Christian fellowship with you.
God communicates His will through Christian counselors. In the Bible, we see that God loved using people to give instruction, warning, and direction to others. Jonah warned the people of Nineveh, to turn from their wicked ways. Likewise, God uses individuals in our lives to address certain issues that we may or may not be aware of. Proverbs 19:20 says “Listen to counsel and receive instruction,That you may be wise in your latter days.”
There are many Biblical examples of people seeking guidance from men of God. The Bible states:
Where no counsel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14)
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. (Proverbs 12:15)
5. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES
God communicates His plan through circumstances. You must be diligent to seek God and to be attentive to His work in every facet of your life, because another way that God speaks to us is through our circumstances.
As you focus on the Lord, especially during difficult or painful circumstances, God can show you His perspective about your circumstances. Rather than trying to figure out everything, equipped only with our limited knowledge and understanding, we can acknowledge the Lord in all of our ways and rely on His love for us, His sovereignty, and His plan for our good. (See Proverbs 3:3–13 and Romans 8:26–32.) He is totally trustworthy.
One excellent Old Testament example of this is the life of Joseph recorded in Genesis 37-50.
Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt but he viewed this as the direction of God:
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. . . And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. (Genesis 45:5-8)
Through circumstances over which Joseph had no personal control, he was used of God to save the lives of thousands of people in a time of severe famine.
Paul wrote some interesting words in I Thessalonians 2:18. He told believers at Thessalonica he was prevented from visiting them because Satan hindered. Since he could not go to them, he wrote to the church at Thessalonica. Satan’s hindering resulted in the book of I Thessalonians and the important message Paul shared had greater impact than would have resulted from a visit. It has been passed down through the centuries for the benefit of all believers.
Nothing occurs apart from God's knowledge. Even when circumstances block what you might perceive to be God's will, God is still in control. God can take any deed, whether of Satan or man, and use it for His own purposes.
We have a wonderful promise from God regarding circumstances:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
(One word of warning: Caution must be used in considering circumstances alone to determine God's will. For example, God told a prophet named Jonah to go to Ninevah to preach. When he came to the waterfront, there was a boat leaving for Tarsus. He took this boat instead of going to Ninevah. He might have said,"There is a cabin open on this boat going the opposite direction, so it must be God's will that I go.")
Circumstances of life must be viewed in relation to what God reveals through other methods. God had already communicated His will to Jonah. Jonah manipulated circumstances to fulfill his own wishes.
God also uses circumstances as teachable moments. Although these experiences may be trying; God uses them for our good, to edify and lead us in the right direction. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose”. Romans 8:28.
6. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH OPEN AND CLOSED DOORS
Circumstances of life result in what has come to be called "open and closed doors." Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. (I Corinthians 16:8-9)
Paul decided to stay at Ephesus because through circumstances arranged by God, there was a great opportunity for Christian service open to him. He called this an open door.
On another occasion Paul records his desire to minister in certain areas, but the doors there were closed:
Now when they had gone throughout Phrgia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. (Acts 16:6-7)
A closed door does not mean you have missed God's will. It does not mean it is not His will to do something. Paul later evangelized Asia. God is directing you by closing a door. He leads through closed as well as open doors. Sometimes a door is closed because it is not the right timing in the plan of God. Later, that same door may open to you.
7. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH ANGELS
Lot was given direction by angels who appeared at his home in Sodom. He was told to leave Sodom because the judgment of God was going to fall on the city (Genesis 19). An angel spoke to Philip and told him to go to Samaria (Acts 8:26). The births of John the Baptist and Jesus were announced by angels (Luke l).
There are numerous Biblical records of angels appearing to communicate the will of God to man. You can find other examples in your own study of Scriptures.
8. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH MIRACLES
A miracle is a supernatural event which is beyond the power of man to perform.
God spoke through a miracle in the event recorded in I Kings chapter 18. The prophet Elijah was told to prepare an altar before the Lord. Elijah prepared the altar and cried:
. . . Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. . .
Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, He is God; the Lord He is God. (I Kings 18:36,38,39)
God used this miracle to speak to men who worshiped idols and reveal Himself as the true and living God.
God has also revealed His will through miracles in nature. A pillar of fire and a cloud in the sky gave direction to the nation of Israel by night and day as they traveled through the desert:
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. (Exodus 13:21-22)
You can find many other Biblical examples of God communicating to men through miracles. Watch for these in your own personal Bible study.
9. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH DREAMS
God desires so much to communicate with us that He even speaks while we sleep! God speaks in dreams. These are not the normal dreams experienced by everyone. They are supernatural dreams given by God. They are detailed, specific, and reveal His will.
The following are a few of many Biblical examples:
• -God warned Abimelech in a dream about his sin of taking Abraham's wife, Sarah. Genesis 20:3
• -An angel spoke to Jacob in a dream to remind him of his vow to God. Genesis 31:11-13
• -God used dreams to reveal His will to Joseph. Genesis 37.
• -God appeared to Solomon in a dream and gave him the opportunity to ask for whatever he desired. I Kings 3:5
• -A dream was used to direct wisemen to return to their country by a different route because of an evil king. Matthew 2:12-13
These are just a few of the many examples of how God communicates through dreams. You can find other examples as you continue to study this method of guidance in God's Word.
10. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH VISIONS
A vision is similar to a dream but differs because you are awake. It is like having a dream without being asleep. Visions may be seen with spiritual eyes as well as the physical eyes. This means you might not actually see it with your natural eye, but God gives you a picture of something in your spirit.
The following are a few of many Biblical examples where visions were used by God to communicate with man:
• -God appeared to Abraham in a vision and made him a great promise. Genesis 15
• -The book of Daniel is filled with visions (as well as dreams). God used these to reveal many things about the future of the world. He spoke to many other Old Testament prophets through visions.
• -God gave Peter a vision concerning the need to take the Gospel to the Gentile nations. Acts 10
• -God called Paul to Macedonia through a vision. Acts 16:9
• -God spoke to Paul in the night through a vision. Acts 18:9-10
• -The final book in the Bible, Revelation, is based on a vision seen by the Apostle John.
11. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH AN AUDIBLE VOICE
God spoke to Paul in an audible voice during a journey along the Damascus road. You can read the story in Acts chapter 9:
And he fell to the earth and head a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And he said, Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5)
God also spoke to Samuel in an audible voice:
And the Lord came, and stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak: for thy servant heareth.
(I Samuel 3:10)
The Bible is full of the declaration "and God said" or references to the fact that God "spoke" or "commanded." Often this was an audible voice. But there is another voice through which God speaks. . .
12. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH THE INNER VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
More often than an audible voice, God uses the inner voice of the Holy Spirit to speak to man. This is called being "led by the Spirit":
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
To be "led by the Spirit" assumes a spiritual life in those being led. A soul dead in sin, with no spiritual life, cannot be led by the Holy Spirit. Being led of the Spirit also assumes an inability to lead yourself. You have learned in previous chapters that this is true.
When you experience the new birth of salvation, God gives you a new spirit which is receptive to His communications:
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you. . . (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
When you are led by the Spirit, the will of God is revealed to your spirit by the Holy Spirit. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is guidance:
Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. (John 16:13)
The spirit of man is that "hidden man of the heart" mentioned by Peter (I Peter 3:4). When God speaks to the inner man He is speaking to your spirit. The writer of Proverbs said the spirit of man is the candle, or lamp, of the Lord:
The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. . . (Proverbs 20:27)
In the natural world, a candle enables you to see in darkness. In the spiritual world, God uses the candle of your spirit to direct your steps to His will. He enlightens and guides through your spirit.
Once during a journey by ship the Apostle Paul warned the captain of the vessel:
Sir, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. (Acts 27:10)
Paul did not say "I had a vision." He did not claim to have a dream or that God had audibly spoken to him. His spirit had a witness from God and that witness proved to be correct.
You must train your spirit to be sensitive to God. Much time is spent on intellectual development through education. Much time is spent on physical development through exercise and athletics. But often, little time is spent on spiritual development. Your spirit can be educated just as your mind. Your spirit can develop in spiritual strength just as your body can be built and trained. You train your spirit by meditating on the Word of God:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)
God also uses the inward voice of the Holy Spirit to convict your conscience. The conscience is an inward awareness of right and wrong given by God.
Feeling is the voice of the body. God does not use how you feel to direct you. The flesh is an enemy of the spirit, so feelings can deceive you.
Reason is the voice of the mind. God's ways are often beyond human reason. His thought processes are much higher than yours.
Conscience is the voice of the spirit of man, convicting and directing you to the perfect will of God. The Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit. The spirit convicts the conscience.
Through this you are brought into conformity to the will of God. When the Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit, the conscience is convicted, but if you continue to ignore it, your conscience can become "seared.” This means it becomes hardened to the conviction of the Holy Spirit:
. . . having their conscience seared with a hot iron. . . (I Timothy 4:2)
The book of Proverbs contains many verses that indicate God controls inner thoughts and the conscience of man to guide him into His will:
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:1)
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will. (Proverbs 21:1)
13. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Spiritual gifts are also used by God to speak to man. Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Holy Spirit. Several of these gifts enable you to receive communication from God.
There is a gift of tongues through which God speaks to man in a language he does not know. Interpretation from God follows to translate the message. The prayer language of the Holy Spirit (other tongues) is also used by the Spirit to guide you to the will of God. When you do not know how to pray regarding God's will, pray in other tongues and. . .
. . . He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27)
There is also the gift of prophecy which brings an immediate message from God to His people. There is a gift called discernment through which God communicates regarding the spirits operating in others. God also communicates through the gifts of wisdom and knowledge. These gifts provide divine insight about people and circumstances beyond what is known by the natural mind.
C. GOD IS NOT LIMITED
God does not always speak in the same way. We try to limit God to a set pattern. Because God has spoken in a certain way one time, we believe He will always direct in the same way. But as we have learned in this message, God has many methods of communicating with man. God is not limited by a set pattern.
Consider these examples:
1. MOSES:
When Moses was leading the nation of Israel across the dessert to the land God promised them, providing water for two million people was a major challenge. On one occasion God told Moses to strike a rock with his rod. When he did, water poured out of the rock. On another occasion when the Israelites were thirsty God wanted Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, Moses struck the rock as he had done previously. This was displeasing to God, and Moses was punished. This story illustrates the importance of waiting for guidance from God even when facing a familiar situation. God is not limited to any previous pattern which you have experienced.
(Note: You might think God was unjust to punish Moses for such a little thing as striking the rock instead of speaking to it. The rock held symbolic meaning. It represented the Lord Jesus Christ and the living water of redemption which would burst forth through His death. Jesus was stricken once and for all. There was no need for another striking. It was the importance of this symbolism that made the offense of Moses so great.)
2. ELIJAH:
God used many supernatural methods to communicate to the Prophet Elijah. Once Elijah had a unique experience which illustrated the importance of knowing God's voice. Elijah was told to go and stand on a certain mountain and wait for God to speak to him. This is what happened:
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
And after the earthquake a fire: but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (I Kings 19:11-12)
There were several supernatural events in this account. There was a wind, an earthquake, and fire. These were methods by which God had previously communicated with Elijah. But this time, God did not speak in all the glorious events that occurred. He spoke in a still small voice. This could have been either an audible voice or a silent voice in Elijah's spirit.
3. PAUL:
God used many ways to direct the Apostle Paul during his missionary ministry:
• -On the Damascus road Paul was directed by a bright light and a voice from Heaven. Acts 9:1-8
• -When a plot was formed to murder Paul, he was warned by believers who were used of God to help him escape. Acts 9:20-2
• -Barnabas was used by God to establish relationships between Paul and the other disciples. Acts 9:20-28
• -Believers were used of God to help Paul escape the angry Grecians. Acts 73 9:29-30
• -When Paul met an occultist, God gave him discernment to bring deliverance. Acts 13:6-12
• -Prayer and the Holy Spirit guided Paul into a special missionary ministry. Acts 13:2-4
• -Personal prophecy by Agabus confirmed the experience that awaited Paul in Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-14
• -God spoke to Paul through dreams and visions. Acts 22:18; 26:19; 27:23-24
• -An effectual door of service for the Lord caused Paul to change his personal plans. I Corinthians 16:8-10
4. PHILIP:
And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
And he arose and went; and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an unich of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Essaias the prophet. Then the spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. (Acts 8:26-29)
God spoke to Philip the first time through an angel. The second time He spoke through the Holy Spirit and Philip responded immediately. He did not wait for confirmation from an angel the second time God spoke just because that method had been used previously.
5. DAVID:
When David was a young man, he battled an enemy of God's people named Goliath. Although Goliath was a giant and well armed, God told David not to use traditional weapons of warfare. Instead, David used a sling shot. In a glorious victory, David brought down the enemy with one well-directed shot which struck him in the forehead. In later years David could have been slain by a giant named Isbibenob if his nephew Abishai had not come to his aid. Are we to conclude that God was with David when he met Goliath, but not when he confronted the second giant? No. God simply used a different method. The first time God used David's skill with a sling. The second time He used Abishai’s military skill.
When God does not choose to speak to you as He has in the past, do not become frustrated. If His will for you in a similar situation is not identical to what it was previously, do not become confused. God is not restricted to certain communication patterns. The great Creator is also a great Communicator. His methods are unlimited.
D. WITH GOD, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
God is not limited in any way. He is not restricted to certain methods of communication with His children. Just as He creatively and dramatically used a donkey to rebuke Balaam, God can just as creatively and dramatically communicate His message to your heart as you hear someone else pray, as you read a testimony included in your church newsletter, or as you suddenly understand the full meaning of a song you hear. With God, nothing is impossible! (See Luke 1:37.)
E. YOU CAN AVOID DECEPTION FROM SATAN
Many believers fear that they will be deceived by Satan’s voice. However, God’s children can confidently identify His voice when He speaks. The way to avoid deception is to learn to recognize God’s voice well. Then, if Satan tries to counterfeit God’s voice, you will immediately recognize it as a deception.
In John 10:14, 27–28, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. … My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. ” Stay as close as possible to the Shepherd, and you will always know if He is the One whose voice you hear.
F. HEAR GOD’S VOICE
Read your Bible; study it to learn God’s ways. Meditate on Scripture. Make yourself available to God through prayer. Worship the Lord. Be still in His presence. Invest in your relationship with your heavenly Father. (See Psalm 119:105, 77:12; I Thessalonians 5:17; II Timothy 1:3; Psalm 29:2; John 4:23–24; and Psalm 46:10.) Be attentive to the ways God is leading you as a member of a local church. Heed the Godly counsel of trustworthy fellow believers. As you do, you will learn to recognize God’s voice.
There is no shortcut to learning to recognize God’s voice, just as there is no shortcut to mature from infancy to adulthood—it takes time. Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then spend time with Him. The more you are with Him, the better you will know His voice. “Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear” (Matthew 13:16).
G. MATURITY REQUIRES DISCIPLINE AND OBEDIENCE
The depth of your walk with God is directly proportional to the zeal with which you seek him. If you seek after God in a half-hearted, inconsistent manner, you cannot expect to hear him speaking at the deepest levels. But if you will discipline yourself to concentrate on the Lord and if you diligently obey everything he says, then you will be prepared to experience God at an increasingly profound and personal level. God has invited you to go deeper in your relationship with him. The depth of that relationship ultimately rests with you.
H. GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES!
God made this promise to His people: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart”(Jeremiah 29:13).
• God keeps His promises.
• Seek Him with all of your heart, and you will hear His voice.
Dr. Tg Badia
