God Speaks
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“My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.”-John 10:27
My intention with this series is to alleviate some of the pressure or shame we feel as we relate to God. I don’t want you to feel defeated or less than because you struggle to hear God’s voice.
Some of us have a hard time quieting ourselves to hear God speak. Others don’t want to hear what God has to say out of fear. Many struggle with discerning their thoughts versus God’s voice. Still, others wrestle with the lies of the enemy rumbling around their heads.
Hearing God speak is a learned skill and can only happen as a result of your loving union with Him.
It’s why I started this series with your understanding that we connect with God from a position of love. You love Him and He loves you, and everything we do will build off of this foundation.
God Speaks
I was hours away from the church service that changed the trajectory of my life. I surrendered my heart to God and was made new in an instant, and I wanted to live my life for God. I could not contain the joy I felt with my decision to follow Christ. The world was bright and filled with hope, and I was wrapped in a blanket of God’s love and acceptance. I was a sophomore in college home for Christmas break. It was January 5, 1986, and I was to return to the school that evening.
I thought of the relationship I had been in the past two years. My boyfriend’s name was Paul; he was selfish, arrogant, and cold. Why did I even think I loved him when he treated me so poorly? What was wrong with me, that I stuck with him?
I whispered a quiet prayer to my Savior and I said, “God what do I do?” I didn’t hear an audible voice, but I heard a thought. “You don’t need him. I have better things ahead for you. Let him go.”
Wow! Did I just hear from God? I’m enveloped in this deep sense of peace coupled with wonder. I return to my dorm to call Paul and tell him of my experience with God, and my desire to break-up. It wasn’t dramatic. I was simply honest, and I never hear from him again.
As the months continue, I pray for a Godly man. Don’t think I didn’t throw in a “and God, can you make him tall, too?” request. I’m introduced by my cousin to a tall, handsome banker. He’s a little older and has a nice car and takes me to nice restaurants, but when I tell him of my love for God, we have no connection. I’m crushed, but once again, in prayer, the Holy Spirit whispers, “Trust me, I have something better.” So, I wait and see.
Two months later, I reconnected with an old friend of my brother, Bob. He’s tall; he’s funny, and he has just found a relationship with Christ, too. We fell in love with God and each other at the same time. It was blissfully sweet. We got engaged six months later and have been married thirty-two years, all because God spoke.
How God Speaks
To hear God, we must first recognize how He speaks. In the old testament, God spoke through the prophets; in the new testament, God spoke through Jesus, and today God speaks through the Holy Spirit.
“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.” Hebrews 1:1
Jesus words: “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative-that is, the Holy Spirit-he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” John:14:26
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” John 16:13-14
Settling in our minds that God speaks cues us to long to listen. I’ll spend the next few weeks discussing in-depth the ways God speaks. He speaks through the Bible, through prayer, through circumstances, and through others. It’s our job to train our hearts and minds to expect God to speak. We need to understand God longs for connection and union with us. When we know He speaks, then actually listen, it will increase our desire for intimacy with Him.
Sometimes, we’re frustrated with our relationship with God because we don’t understand how it’s supposed to work. Our flesh, our selfishness, our laziness, and the cares of the world often derail our desire to meet with God.
This week I want you to focus on and thank God that He longs to commune with you. He wants to speak to you and fellowship with you. He’ll speak many different ways but one of the beginning steps is to understand He wants to speak to you. Ask God to increase your desire and hunger to be with Him and to hear Him. He will always answer the cries of hungry hearts.
Let’s pray;
Dear Papa, I thank You for Your love and Your desire to commune with Me. Open my eyes to sense Your love and to hear You speak. Increase my awareness of Your voice. Help me not to be afraid of doing this relationship wrong. Thank You for Your endless patience with me as I learn to discern Your voice. Speak to me Lord, I am listening. Amen.
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