When we believe God has spoken to us, it is essential that we turn to the Bible. Though God doesn’t speak to us directly through thunderclouds or prophets as He did in the Old Testament, He addresses us through His Word.
So, you just heard God–loud and clear–now what? When we believe God has spoken to us, it is essential that we turn to the Bible. Though God doesn’t speak to us directly through thunderclouds or prophets as He did in the Old Testament, He addresses us through His Word.
Discerning God’s Voice
As nice as it would be if God spoke to us audibly, we don't have the same interactions with God as Moses and other prophets did. However, since we do not have prophets of God in our modern-day society, we can only trust the Bible to confirm if a voice is from God.
You can discern God’s voice by reading the Bible. Many individuals feel the Bible is an intimidating book because it is so large, assuming it's impossible to hear God while bogged in all its pages. The truth is that the Bible is large, but you don’t have to read it all in one sitting, and you can read it in small amounts. Focus on a passage or chapter of the Bible and listen to what God is speaking to you. You don’t have to read the entire Bible in one sitting in order to hear from God.
We speak to God in prayer, and He speaks back to us through His Word. The Bible is God’s written Word for us today and it never changes. If you’re wondering if what you heard is from God, weigh it against the Scriptures. Many voices are screaming for our attention, but God speaks to us softly through His Word.
Listening through the Bible
When God speaks to us through the Bible, we need to listen. When I read the Bible, God speaks to me. Sometimes it may be comforting and other times convicting, but in either situation, God is still speaking to me through His Word. Maybe you have found the same to be true in your life. This is because God is always speaking to us through His Word, but we have to listen.
God can comfort us through His Word in passages of the Psalms or the Gospels. Conviction can be spoken by the voice of God in the Bible through the discussion of sins, such as in the book of Proverbs or the book of James. No matter which book of the Bible we are reading, God will speak to us loud and clear. If we do not hear from God through our Bible reading, it might be time to refresh our Bible study routine.
When God speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Spirit directs us on the right way to go. If we are feeling sorrowful, God will give us comfort through His Word. In the same way, if we are feeling upset, downcast, anxious, or stressed, God will speak to us through His Word. When you know God has spoken to you loud and clear through His Word, you need to immediately listen and obey.
Oftentimes, when God is speaking to us through His Word loud and clear, He is trying to teach us something or to correct sin in our life. Jesus speaks to us in His Word, and as His children, we will hear His voice (John 10:27). When we are convicted of sin, we need to confess to God and repent (1 John 1:9). Similarly, if God is trying to teach us something, we need to pay attention and practice the application.
Putting God’s Instructions into Practice
Whenever you believe God has spoken to you, if you have not read the Bible recently, you must take time to dive into the Word before making any decisions.
Nevertheless, if you have heard God speak to you loud and clear from His Word, then you need to apply what He has spoken to you. Everything in the Bible is God’s living Word. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Bible will direct us to follow God and obey His voice.
By reading any passage of Scripture, you will be reading the literal words of God (2 Peter 1:21). Since this is true, God does speak to you each time you pick up His Word. While you won’t hear Him audibly speak the Bible's wisdom to you, His words are recorded in the Bible, and they are there to guide, instruct, and help you. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 speaks this truth: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Discerning Other Voices
Filter out the other voices in your life–family, friends, social media, and even church leaders–and listen to God's direction. Of course, our fellow believers want what's best for our hearts, yet they aren't our omnipotent Savior. Christ is always speaking to us through His Word, but we must listen to Him, giving Him the final say in each decision, big or small. As nice as it would be for God to speak to us face to face, He doesn’t work like that in the modern-day.
Sure, we don't get a burning bush or parted sea, yet He has not left us with complete silence. God is our Father and ultimate Friend, which means He desires that communication lines remain open and clear. All believers can hear His voice through the Bible, and it is up to us to listen to Him, meditate on His Word, and apply His teachings to our daily lives. When we listen and obey God’s voice, we will be able to have more joyful lives in service to our Lord and Savior.
Other Ways God Speaks to Us
The main way God speaks to us is through His Word, but He can also speak to us through worship songs, sermons, and other believers in our lives. Of course, we have discussed how crucial it is to discern even the voices of trustworthy believers to ensure it's God speaking to us. However, how many times have you played a worship song and it was exactly what you needed? The lyrics seemed identical to your pleading prayers. God can use worship songs to speak to us and heal our souls.
The Lord can also speak to us through sermons at our church. Pastors are placed in churches to guide and shepherd the flock under their care. After all, this is God's calling on their life–to share the truth behind the pulpit. During sermons, God can speak to us and give us comfort, direct us, or convict us of sin in our lives. God can also speak through other believers in our lives, like small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, and trusted Christian mentors. These leaders, advisors, friends, spouses, and family can all be used by God to speak to us in the present day.
The Lord is constantly speaking to us, but we must be willing to listen to His voice and take each thought captive, holding it to the light of God's Word. .
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