For some Christians, it is hard to fathom that some of us can actually hear God. Before my husband came to know and accept Christ as his Personal Lord and Savior he had a hard time conceiving the idea of how I could hear the voice of God. I prayed for his conversion for so long… Then, he started to come to church and ask God to reveal Himself to him. One day, it happened, my husband, like Samuel, heard the voice of God. (You can watch the video of his testimony in the Media section of this site). It changed his life (and mine) forever.
Extraordinary revelations like the ones I just referenced are supernatural gifts our Lord gives us, for His glory. With those gifts, comes great responsibility. We are to enter discipleship and witnessing, attesting to the supernatural event.
It would be very convenient if everyone could actually hear God speak, but there are other ways to listen to The Lord of Hosts. You can listen to God by reading The Scriptures, by praying and through his ministers (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers).
To listen to God you first need seek Him actively, consistently. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV) In order to seek Him you must to turn down your own inner volume. Turning down your own inner volume means to stop and make a conscious effort to not think about yourself (your job, your illness, your chores, your routine, etc.).To listen to God you also need to turn down the volume of the world. Don’t let noises from TV, radio, cellphones interrupt your one on one time with the Lord. To listen to God you need to learn to eliminate all distractions and give Him your undivided attention. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20 ESV, emphasis added).
To hear God’s voice you need to be willing to be led, to be shepherded. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”(John 10:27 ESV) You have to be receptive, willing to listen. “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” (John 8:47).
To hear the voice of God you have to surrender your will to Him. If God calls, are you ready to answer: “Speak, for your servant is listening.”? (1 Samuel 3:10 NIV)
To listen to God’s voice you have to revere Him, love Him, adore Him, not take Him for granted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3:8 NIV)
Embrace The Bible as the daily nurturing for your spirit “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV). God has already spoken through The Scriptures and his Word is life!
So, if you think you have heard the voice of God, be careful not to confuse your own thought with God’s message. Always pray for discernment and confirmation. Also, remember that God will never tell you something that is against The Bible.
“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7 NIV)
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