God wants to be known to us, and communicate with us. That’s two-way communication. Why? Because you can’t really have a relationship unless there is speaking and listening. How do we get to know a person? By communicating with them. By talking and listening.
The Bible, makes it clear that we were created to have two-way communication with God. Jesussaid, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27).
The most difficult part of hearing God is the fact that it takes time to learn to discern God’s voice amongst all the other voices. Just as when we first meet someone we may not instantly recognise their voice the next time we meet them, so it is with God. It takes time to instantly recognise His voice, but the more time we spend talking and listening the easier it is.
Here is one way I have learnt to hear God speaking to me:
1.Quiet yourself to hear. In quietness and solitude we find power, strength and intimacy.
2.Acknowledge God – Recognise who God is. He is God, creator of the universe. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your won understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Prov 3:5-6)
3.Position yourself to hear. Our heart attitude matters when it comes to hearing Him. Deal with anything that is getting between us and God, whether it be where we may have messed up, are worrying, or hold unforgiveness in our heart. Unclutter and humble yourself before God. “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 33:3). God reveals Himself to us, and through us as we humbly seek Him.
4.Prepare to receive: Do you plan to listen and/or do anything about what God says to you. Will you receive His words to you, or brush them aside as unimportant?
5.Spend time reading the Bible. It’s one of the main way God speaks to us. “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
6.Be still and ask God to speak to you. Be ready to listen and write down what you are hearing and seeing if possible. “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”(Luke 11:28)
God speaks in our thoughts, inner promptings or a feeling of restraining (a restraint can feel like a scratchiness or unsettled feeling on the inside of us). Sometimes we may have a vision or picture in our minds, a word, or dream. Other times God speaks through other people confirming something to us.
We can train our ear to recognize clearly the voice of God above all the noise. Isaiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden thing that you have not known” .
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26)
God is speaking; if we listen up we will hear Him loud and clear.
Prayer: Lord thank you that you have not left us alone, but in fact you are with us. Help me to cultivate a heart that is quick to listen and receive your words of life, direction and love. In Jesus Name Amen.
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