How To Hear From God

The one thing that many Christians long for is a clear word from the Lord. They often ask
"How do I hear from God?" This is a legitimate question if we are to be the people of God for
His glory.

Take this comment from a Christian in a writer's forum that I'm a member of:

Just wondering if y'all have read a book that has helped you (besides Scripture!) learn to hear
the voice of God. This has always been challenging for me to discern, especially in the area of
the practical and what HE wants me to do. The area of writing is no different. My sincere
desire is to do what HE wants me to do and NOT what I want or what I think is the best. I just
want to know deep down that I'm following HIS will not mine. Reading Holy Spirit inspired
books has helped me discern what HE's trying to show me to do.

Francis Schaeffer, a Christian theologian and philosopher, has a book titled He Is There and
He Is Not Silent suggesting that the God of the universe speaks to us today and has spoken to
us. Hearing from God is not some mystical thing where we're trying to grab a hold of
something He's hiding. If we're not hearing from God, it normally is because we're not paying
attention.

Before we move on to how God speaks to us, we need to point out several reasons why we
don't hear from God.

1. We're spiritually deaf.

Those who are outside the church, or unbelievers still in sin, are unable to hear God because
of being spiritually deaf. Not only were we blind and could not see but we were deaf and could
not hear (Isaiah 6:10, Matthew 13:13).

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see
with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be
healed. (Isaiah 6:10)

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand. (Matthew 13:13)

God has to change us and give us the senses to be able to spiritually hear and see. Until this
happens, they may hear the words but they won't truly understand. If they do understand
their meaning, they will suppress it and be unable to obey it and will not have a desire to do so
either (Romans 1:18, 1 Corinthians 2:14)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto
him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
2. Living in sin.

This is directly tied to the first reason. The reason why we're deaf is because sin has tainted
our communication with God. Sin has so utterly corrupted us that God sent His Son to take
care of it and therefore gives us access to Him where we now can have communion when there
formerly was no communion (Ephesians 2:12-13).

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the
commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and
without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:12-13)

The scriptures make it clear that if we continue in sin, the Lord will not hear us (Psalm 66:18).

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: (Psalms 66:18)

This is blatant disobedience to God and brings many things into question, the most serious
being whether and individual is saved or not.

3. Rejection of God's word.

Sometimes we don't hear from God because we really don't want to listen. Or put another way,
when we hear from God, we don't like what He's saying. This can lead to a self-imposed
deafness to His word or selective hearing, choosing what we will and won't obey which is
disobedience. Partial obedience is disobedience. When God has communicated to us time and
time again and we reject His ways and His truth in our lives, we run the risk of having God
turn a deaf ear to our pleas (1 Samuel 28:6, Jeremiah 11:14).

And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor
by Urim, nor by prophets. (1 Samuel 28:6)

Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not
hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. (Jeremiah 11:14)

Not only this, but we also run the risk of desensitizing ourselves to hearing from God. This
happen to the Pharisees because they would not believe so they could not believe. They were
given over to their spiritual pride, insisting they were hearing from God when their father was
the devil (John 8:44).

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from
the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh
a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

This is not just for the non-Christian but the Christian also. A disobedient Jonah heard from
God but didn't want to go to Nineveh to preach. The majority of the ten tribes of Israel were
disobedient to go in and take the land of Canaan which God had said before time was theirs,
yet they didn't go in and take it. Joshua, in conquering the land of Canaan, was not victorious
against the city of Ai because there was sin in the camp. Presuming that we know better than
God and ignoring what He has clearly said is a way for God to shut up voice from us. This is
dangerous because it is rejecting God's word that destroys people ultimately (2 Thessalonians
2:11-12).

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2
Thessalonians 2:11-12)

It is a rebellion against God (1 Samuel 15:23a).

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. (1 Samuel
15:23a)

4. Weak Faith

Those who are weak in the faith are not like those who are stronger. They often have been in
the faith for prolonged periods of time and yet know little to nothing about it. The faith is still
there but it is weak (Matthew 6:30).

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into
the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

A great example of someone starting with a weak faith is Gideon.

5. Ignorance

Those brand new to the faith don't have a clue at all. They need training and are unskillful in
discerning how to hear from God. This crosses over with weak faith but is also different. Those
weak in the faith could have been in the faith for a long time but have never progressed
beyond a certain point in their walk with God. Ignorant Christians simply don't know. This is
the same as Apollos in Acts 18:24-26.

6. False Teachers and Teaching

The proliferation of false teaching masquerading as Christian teaching because it uses verses
out of the Bible has done more damage to damage the spiritual lives of people than we can
possibly imagine. False teaching began in the Garden of Eden. It has destroyed mankind
(Genesis 3:4-5).

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not
surely die: (Genesis 3:3-4)

The Lord Jesus warned that we should beware of them (Matthew 16:5-12).

When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.

Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."

But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among
yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember
the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven
loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to
understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees."

Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the
teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:5-12)

This is why the judgment against false teachers is severe because false teaching damns mens'
souls and masquerades as religiosity (Matthew 23:15).

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one
proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
(Matthew 23:15)

This is why it is so important to know the word of God, to be under the teaching of someone
whose doctrine is sound and whose life exemplifies growing in the grace and virtues outlined
in Scripture (Galatians 5:22-23).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Just because a person has a book that is popular lining the religious section or the shelves of
so-called Christian bookstores doesn't mean we let our guard down and automatically accept
what is being taught. Spiritual discernment should be active 24/7.

On top of that, we really need to stop listening to Christian conspiracy theorists that put forth
doctrines that have nothing to do with nothing and are simply tools of satan to get us of the
main thing. Evil nonsense such as the flat earth theory, black Hebrews, the color of Jesus, the
name of Jesus, and the biggest one of all, the prosperity heresy. Christians need to get off
YouTube and get into the word of God. You understand how to recognize the counterfeit by
studying and becoming intimately acquainted with the original.

Hearing from God

In order to hear from God, we have to have a humble heart before Him (Psalm 51:16-17).

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not
despise. (Psalms 51:16-17)

We do not come into this as if we know everything but we come knowing that the little that we
know is a gift from God.
We also have to come to Him in faith (Hebrews 11:6).

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he
is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

We have to believe that God is not hiding Himself from us but that He has and wants to
continue to commune and communicate with His people (James 1:5-6).

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (James 1:5-6)

This is all predicated on the reality that we have His Spirit within us. If we have His Spirit, we
are His and He will speak to us.

Having defined the reasons why we don't hear from God and the condition that our hearts
need to be before Him before we do, we now turn our attention to the specific ways that we
hear from the Lord, some that have been hinted at in what's been said previously. These are
put in order of most common and most important.

1. The Word of God.

Bar none, God communicates to us from His word. He has given everything that we need to
commune daily with the Lord. We must believe that His word is His word. That it is God
speaking to us from eternity into the finite reaches of time and saying everything that He
wants to say with us. A.W. Tozer says it like this:

The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual
perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others.
Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.

God wants to give all of Himself to us in what He has revealed. The problem is that many
Christians are too wrapped up in the latest things or their own lives to sit and listen. We make
time for the things that are important in our lives. Hearing from God starts with spending
time in His word.

God directly equates the commandments with listening to Him (Leviticus 26:14,
Deuteronomy 13:18).

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; (Leviticus 26:14)

The Lord commands us to search the scriptures (John 5:39).

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify
of me.

In this, we understand that they are talking about Him in truth and so being that they are the
Truth.
The Scriptures are clear that life is tied up in the word of God. It is by it which we live
(Matthew 4:4, John 6:63).

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)

2. Meditating on God's Word

When I say meditating, I'm not speaking of Eastern forms of transcendental or mystic
meditation where we're waiting for some kind of amorphous impression from God. I
specifically mean to meditate on the word of God. This is best done in our devotional time.
Journaling helps here as well as memorization.

In the book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney lays out the benefits
of memorizing the Scriptures:

 It supplies spiritual power.

 Strengthens your faith.
 Assists in Witnessing and Counseling
 Is a means of God's guidance.
 Stimulates meditation.

To take the time to memorize Scripture implants the Word of God in our hearts so when we
are in circumstances, the Holy Spirit will bring to remembrance what's in the storehouse of
our hearts and minds (John 14:26).

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall
teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you. (John 14:26)

Prayer is right up there with the Word of God. Prayer can be used as the funnel by which we
hear God more clearly in everything in life, including His Word as we ask and inquire about
His word. This is because we are leaning on the Holy Spirit to teach what we need to know
from our meditating on the word of God (Psalm 1:1-2, Psalm 119:48).

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of
sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in
his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalms 1:1-2)

My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate
in thy statutes. (Psalms 119:48)

Meditating on the word of God is a combination of thinking about His word and praying
through His word. Therefore, if we meditate on His word, He may reveal to us what He means
in His word which may make us grow into more mature Christians. Whatever we think we
hear in prayer, if it is truly from God, it NEVER contradicts His word which is why we don't
trust feelings or impressions. We trust the word of God.

3. Godly Teaching and Counsel

What kind of teaching we are under as the people of God is crucial. It is the difference in many
cases between life and death. The Bible is clear that there is false teaching that will proliferate
in the church (2 Peter 2:1).

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought
them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)

The only way to combat this is through sound doctrine (Titus 1:9, Titus 2:1).

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine
both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (Titus 1:9)

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: (Titus 2:1)

This is critical and crucial in the Christian life. Sound teaching is teaching that makes us more
of who Jesus the Christ is and (Ephesians 5:1).

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Ephesians 5:1)

Who we get our advice and counsel from is crucial to hearing from God (Proverbs 15:22).
Getting counsel from just one source is not the wisest course of action. That is why I always
suggest other people to listen to besides myself. I myself have a long list of people who I read
and learn from. I also have several others who hold me accountable as a pastor. Godly advice
and wisdom is a blessing and we should cherish it. I strongly caution against getting counsel
from worldly people for they are of the world and we don't need that kind of counsel.

4. Circumstances

Through the things happening in our lives, the Lord speaks to us. However, we have to have
our eyes and ears open and paying attention to receive whatever it is that the Lord is trying to
say to us. This is the reason most people miss it (Matthew 16:2-3).

He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky
is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye
hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
(Matthew 16:2-3)

He can use a variety of different ways (example of purchasing our house). He can also use the
mouth of an unbeliever to disseminate the truth to us (Abraham and Abimelech). It is NOT
His primary method but an additional one that involves His sovereignty. They are being used
and don't know it.

5. Dreams
Though some would discount this, it's clear from the scriptures that the Lord uses dreams to
communicate specific things to an individual. This is all throughout the scriptures, from
Joseph to Daniel to Joseph, the stepfather of the Lord. However, we must be cautious here to
think that everything that we dream has some kind of hidden meaning. It doesn't. But on
occasion, and those occasions are rare, God uses dreams to speak to us.

6. Visions

I saved this one for last because this is one that has been abused and one that tends to lead
people astray. However, there is one thing that I cannot stress enough when it comes to
dreams and visions: if they do not line up with the word of God in their instruction, they
should be ignored. Satan is quite capable of planting things in our minds also so we must base
everything on the unchanging and unfaltering word of God. A great example of this is Peter's
vision is Acts 10.

7. Still Small Voice

Out of all of the ways we hear from God, this is one this is arguably the most maligned and
abused next to God’s word. People’s impressions or “feelings” of things. I’ve put it last on the
list because we can be more easily deceived by this one than any other. Many times we think
we’re hearing from God when it’s nothing but the flesh trying to masquerade as God. Only
seasoned and matured Christians can discern the difference and they always weigh and
validate it against what Scripture says. Always. I must stress that this is not the primary way
God speaks to His people and if whatever feeling you have contradicts the word of God, it’s
not from the Lord. That’s you.

This is import for us to understand, because like the title of one of Francis Schaeffer’s books,
God is there, and He is not silent. We have to seek to hear His voice and when we do with all
our hearts, we will hear Him.