How Do I Hear from God?

I sat at brunch with a friend discussing achievements, plans, goals, and dreams. We talked about some potentially big changes in her family and she looked me square in the eyes and said, “I want to be sure I obey God, but how do you know when you hear from God?”

It’s a hard question to ask and even harder to answer. Cause if I’m honest, sometimes I don’t want to hear from God. Sometimes what He says isn’t what I want to hear. So I make these walls around my mind and heart and tune things out. Then when I get over myself, and seek Him, I find the walls have to come down. {Well, at least that’s my story!}

So How Do I hear From God?

1: I hear from God when I’m honest about where I am with Him. (Psalms 139:23;Isaiah 65:1)

God doesn’t need my honesty, He already knows everything about me. Even the things I pretend I can hide. But when I come to Him with my heart, honest and sincere, I become open to hearing His voice. When my heart is deceitful what makes me think I’ll hear the voice of Truth?

2: I hear from God when I’m searching His word. (Psalms 26:3)

We don’t see arks being built or seas parted the way Noah and Moses did, but the principles, teachings and standards of God don’t change. When I have questions about how to mend relationships, which course of action to take, etc. I can come to Scripture and base my decisions off of His Truth.

3: I hear from God when I allow the Holy Spirit to work in my life. (Hebrews 3:7-19)

I’m not a touchy, feely kinda Christian. If people started casting out demons and chanting in front of me, I’d likely run the opposite direction. For years I wanted God to show Himself to me as a pillar of fire or a great shout from the sky. You know, something clear and definitive. No way to misunderstand Him.

I’ve learned more often than not, the Holy Spirit whispers to my heart rather than shouts.

It’s tough, and the part I hate. Searching my heart and finding greed, lust, envy, anger, bitterness, resentment, all these things go against the heart of God. When my heart is filled with sin, it makes it hard to hear the whispers of the Spirit. When I remove sin from my heart and the fruit of the Spirit blossoms, it makes it easier for me to hear His whispers.

OK, so let’s say you’ve walked through these steps and feel like you’ve heard from God but want to be sure, and need a “double check” like this girl???? Here’s some keys I use as a guide:

1: God brings a spirit of peace. (Psalms 29:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Decision making can be hard for many. Throw into the mix a touch of anxiety, or perfectionism, or people pleasing, etc. and it’s a recipe for stress. Satan loves to fill our lives with stress and confusion and wrap us up into a frenzy of indecision. But our God is not a God of confusion. He is God of peace. God of unity. God of order.

2: God requests we live out faith. (Hebrews 10:38, Hebrews 11)

I love to live in the realm of comfortable. I like to know what is expected and what is ahead of me. However, God calls me to live in faith. Many times the answers I hear from Him take me outside of my comfort zone and require me to live in a constant state of dependence and trust in Him.

3: God brings glory to His name, not ours. (Isaiah 42:8; Philippians 4:20)

When I come searching for answers and find I am seeking self promotion or self satisfaction, chances are I’m listening to my voice and not the voice of God. His goal through every situation I face is glory to His name and godliness in my character. When answers I find revolve around promoting the Gospel, serving others, denying myself and following after Him, I know I am listening to the right voice. The end game of every decision I face is glory to His name.

I can’t claim I listen every time He speaks to me. I wish I could claim I obey him every time I hear Him. The truth is I’m learning this process every day. What I can tell you, is when I listen, and obey what He says, I am always blessed by the end result. That’s my hope for you today. I pray you would seek to listen and strive to obey what He shares with you. It’s always, always worth it!

Be Blessed Friends!