I Need to Hear from the Lord

We go through so many things in life and we’re taught to pray and give it to God. But, do we have confidence in our ability to hear His response?

Team, God is ready and willing to speak to us if we allow Him to. I think that prayer has become habitual. We do it second nature, in passing, and we don’t always give Him a chance to answer us. We have the tendency to want to vent to friends and family (myself included), we read articles, we meditate – but we need to remember we have a Counselor and a Friend in God (John 14:26, John 15:15).

Sometimes when trying to hear from God, you can question whether or not you are actually hearing from the Lord, the flesh, or from a demonic source. If you’ve wondered this, good! The Bible says, “test every spirit whether it is from God” in I John 4:1. I believe God wants us to be sure we are hearing from Him.

But, don’t let the enemy tell you that you’re weak or doubtful. There is a story in Judges chapter six about Gideon who asked God to confirm what He had said, and the Lord complied with his request. I wholeheartedly believe if you earnestly seek truth and wisdom from God, He will reveal it to you.

God Speaks to Us

Let’s talk about four ways we hear from God, then we’ll get into testing the spirits:

1. The Holy Spirit. Some may call Him the still small voice inside but nevertheless – the Spirit of God speaks to us. John 16:13 says, “but when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will lead you into all truth and speak what He hears”. The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 3-4, Genesis 1:2). Sometimes the Spirit communicates through a thought (Nehemiah 2:12), sometimes good judgment or wisdom (1 Samuel 25:17-33), and even audibly (1 Samuel 3:4-10).
2. Through the Bible. This is perhaps the simplest way to hear from God. There is a scripture concerning all matters of life in the Word – we just need to study. Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is living and active dividing soul and spirit and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart”. The Word of God is transformative, Team! Also read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Psalm 119:105.
3. People. God uses people around us to speak to us. God’s heart can be shared directly or indirectly. For example, someone might give you a direct word of knowledge at church. Or, you might hear a pastor preach a message that’s an indirect confirmation of something you’re currently going through.
4. Dreams. In the Bible, we see many examples of God speaking through dreams (Genesis 20:3, Genesis 37:5-7, Daniel 2:19, Acts 18:9 to name a few). All dreams aren’t good so if the Lord shows you something unpleasant, it may be a warning for you to come against and cancel with prayer.

These are just a few examples of how God speaks to us. But again, when hearing we need to use discernment to know where the information is coming from.

Whose Word is it?

Yes, if we aren’t careful, we can be deceived. Praying for clarity in confirmation is always a great idea. Here are a few practical tips:

• God will not advise you to do anything that is not in alignment with His Word (Psalm 89:34). Cross-reference what you hear and see if it coincides with what He has already said. If it doesn’t –  issa lie!
• You will have peace about what you hear. Whether you’re looking forward to it or not, the Spirit will confirm it and you’ll know. He is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).
• The things God tells you should (generally) be a logical progression in the path He has you on. Knowing yourself and your purpose is imperative. If you’re a musician, it’s very unlikely that God would tell you to go be a doctor. He created you with certain natural gifts and there’s a reason for that. Remember that you can and should seek wise counsel from trusted leaders (Job 12:12, Psalm 37:30)

The more time you spend with God the easier discernment will be. All strong relationships require time. It’s a good thing to go to God when you’re hurting or need help, but make it your business to pursue Him daily because it makes the challenges of life less stressful. It builds up your faith and patience.

He said He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) – so seek Him! God wants to commune with us more. He desires intimacy with us and that’s why He compares our relationship with Him to marriage.

So, What’s The Play Call?

• “Call out to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things.” Jeremiah 3:33
• Ask, Seek, Knock (Matthew 7:7). I heard Benny Hinn say that God hides Himself because our seeking Him kills the flesh, so it’s for our good.
• Read Psalm 23 – it’s all about God’s guidance, provision, and protection.
• Remember that relationships take time and effort. Get to know God and you will get to know His voice.

Be blessed!