How do you hear the "still, small, voice"?

[Soverign Grace]

I've been searching on Amazon for a book to help my adult children hear from God. I've experienced uncanny times when I've woken up in the middle of the night and knew God wanted me to pray, and another time bumped into a Christian neighbor who recommended a book that was exactly what I needed. But other times I feel I'm looking to God and get no clear leading when I have an important decision to make.

Can others share how they hear from God? Do you fast? Keep a prayer journal? Meditate? I usually like the old-time writers because they seemed to have a better grasp of Scripture but I haven't found one yet about hearing from God. I was reading some of the comments below some current books on hearing from God on Amazon and was concerned because some people remarked about the unscriptural practices recommended in the books even written by pastors. Has anyone here read any good books on discernment and how to hear from God that are Scriptural? I think we're living in an unprecedented era of evil and even many churches have turned worldly. It's hard finding quality teaching that holds fast to Scripture but God does give some people the gift of teaching. It's just really hard to sort through all the books to find those that are scripturally accurate.

 

[Willie T]

I think we do that by expecting it will happen.

Celebration of Discipline is a good book for preparation of that sort of attitude.
www.stbarnabasmcminnville.com/PDFs/Celebration_of_Discipline.pdf

 

[Soverign Grace]

I think we do that by expecting it will happen.

You hear from God by expecting to hear?

I've had uncanny times of sensing God very close, but I'm trying to hear and it doesn't always happen and my way isn't always clear about what direction to go in. I started out looking for a book on using your instincts in business for one of my children who owns a business. It's hard because of the myriad of decisions that must be made so I recalled reading a book on intuition years ago - and I think intuition is really being in tune with God's voice. I forget the name of the book because I read it so many years ago. I was searching on Amazon and a lot of the books were into that new age stuff that I avoid so I then started looking for a book on hearing from God. It's a very tricky topic.

 

[Willie T]

We were at the church building sitting in a Bible Study one night when some other church members came through the room, looking for a homeless guy who had been there earlier. They went on, and we kind of forgot it. About ten minutes later, I heard "that still small voice", saying "Look in the nursery." (Just a silly thought, I supposed.)

I certainly was not expecting to "hear from God" that way, so I dismissed it, and said nothing. About a half hour later someone found him sleeping on the floor of the dark nursery room. (I felt kind of stupid for not REALLY thinking something like that could happen.)

That was then. This is now. And now, I pay attention, expecting that I just may hear from God.

 

[mjrhealth]

Hear from Him everyday, because I talk to Him every day, cant stand a day without Him, Them...

 

[DanielGarneau]

I took part in a two-day training seminar given by our senior pastor. It was based on 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice, by Mark and Patti Virkler, from Communion With God Ministries. These training seminars were not strictly speaking a presentation of the book and accompanying handouts, but was also based on real-life experiences shared by the pastor and by the members of our congregation or other churches who took part in this seminar. One key aspect of it all was that God's leading through a subjective manner will never conflict God's written Word.

 

[Nancy]

You hear from God by expecting to hear?

I've had uncanny times of sensing God very close, but I'm trying to hear and it doesn't always happen and my way isn't always clear about what direction to go in. I started out looking for a book on using your instincts in business for one of my children who owns a business. It's hard because of the myriad of decisions that must be made so I recalled reading a book on intuition years ago - and I think intuition is really being in tune with God's voice. I forget the name of the book because I read it so many years ago. I was searching on Amazon and a lot of the books were into that new age stuff that I avoid so I then started looking for a book on hearing from God. It's a very tricky topic.

Speaking of wondering what direction to go in, I truly understand this. All I do is continue to pray to Him and thank Him that He hears me, and that when His time comes for me to take action, make a choice, so to speak, that I would have the wisdom to recognize it. I am dealing with a pretty weighty personal matter right now and, am not yet seeing how things will ever work out but...it is in His hands, and who's else's hands would we want these things to be in? ♥

 

[Frank Lee]

Many times you don't hear but you did.

About the only place to pass a car on hwy 5 that is near our place is a place called the whiteway stretch. Poking along behind a classic Chevy one day I decided to pass. Nothing was coming so I pulled into the other lane. After a few seconds I pulled back behind the slow car. A few miles on a pickup truck bearing three men tore through a stop sign and T-boned the old car carrying a man his wife and baby. If I'd have passed that car it would have been us. Yet I never heard a thing. Some times we "just do" a thing and don't know why...until later.

Once while praying late at night I was at our couch on my prayer bones. The Lord spoke so loudly in my spirit I jumped up like I'd been shocked. I called my sister whom is a faith filled woman and we had a good visit. His voice that was like a yell!

An answer of peace about a thing is just as good as a voice, his, of direction. Genesis chapter 41 explains. After resigning from a good job at God's direction, and an answer of massive peace, to go into business for myself the first thing that happened? There was no work. Second guessing and doubts began to assault me. One day going out the door the Holy Spirit spoke. "pray for work". My thought was but I thought I had been.

Going back into the house and getting on my knees I began to rehearse my prayer for work before the Lord. As I prayed the phone rang. It was an offer for me to do some sawmill design work in Tennessee! God had me go pray again to get the call I would otherwise have missed.

Roaming around the yard one day I was looking for my rake. It was not to be found. In prayer I asked Jesus and instantly I saw a, picture of the rake leaning against a trash can at my sawmill two hundred yards from the house. Walking down there was the rake just as God had shown me in the little vision. For me he often uses a picture guidance. I see myself doing a certain thing.

Remember that his voice isn't always a voice.

 

[Soverign Grace]

We were at the church building sitting in a Bible Study one night when some other church members came through the room, looking for a homeless guy who had been there earlier. They went on, and we kind of forgot it. About ten minutes later, I heard "that still small voice", saying "Look in the nursery." (Just a silly thought, I supposed.)

I certainly was not expecting to "hear from God" that way, so I dismissed it, and said nothing. About a half hour later someone found him sleeping on the floor of the dark nursery room. (I felt kind of stupid for not REALLY thinking something like that could happen.)

That was then. This is now. And now, I pay attention, expecting that I just may hear from God.

That's what I'm looking to develop. I had that same thing happen twice and I wish it happened more. I was outside talking to a neighbor when one of my children was asleep. I had something lightly cross my mind that I'd better go check on her. When I went inside, she had gotten into a box of medication. I knew that God had spoken. I had another time where I was speaking with a pastor and he asked a question. Same thing - across the back of my mind an answer floated and I said it. He looked at me astonished and said that not many people he's spoken to knew the answer. But it wasn't me -it was God.

They were times I can pinpoint but I'd like it to happen more often and I'd like to help my children learn to hear that voice.

 

[Soverign Grace]

Hear from Him everyday, because I talk to Him every day, cant stand a day without Him, Them...

Can you say how you hear from Him? Do you listen for a quiet voice?

 

[Soverign Grace]

I took part in a two-day training seminar given by our senior pastor. It was based on 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice, by Mark and Patti Virkler, from Communion With God Ministries. These training seminars were not strictly speaking a presentation of the book and accompanying handouts, but was also based on real-life experiences shared by the pastor and by the members of our congregation or other churches who took part in this seminar. One key aspect of it all was that God's leading through a subjective manner will never conflict God's written Word.

I saw that book on Amazon. Did it help you? There are so many books to choose from. I was leaning towards one book when a pastor put his review of the book written by another pastor. He said that the book "Draw circles around your prayers" (or something like that) was unscriptural. When I read reviews of other Christian books on guidance, a few reviewers warned that the books were getting into new age stuff. I've been in church a number of years and have never been in a bible study on it.

 

[Soverign Grace]

I took part in a two-day training seminar given by our senior pastor. It was based on 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice, by Mark and Patti Virkler, from Communion With God Ministries. These training seminars were not strictly speaking a presentation of the book and accompanying handouts, but was also based on real-life experiences shared by the pastor and by the members of our congregation or other churches who took part in this seminar. One key aspect of it all was that God's leading through a subjective manner will never conflict God's written Word.

I saw that book on Amazon. Did it help you? There are so many books to choose from. I was leaning towards one book when a pastor put his review of the book written by another pastor. He said that the book "Draw circles around your prayers" (or something like that) was unscriptural. When I read reviews of other Christian books on guidance, a few reviewers warned that the books were getting into new age stuff. I've been in church a number of years and have never been in a bible study on it.

 

[Soverign Grace]

Speaking of wondering what direction to go in, I truly understand this. All I do is continue to pray to Him and thank Him that He hears me, and that when His time comes for me to take action, make a choice, so to speak, that I would have the wisdom to recognize it. I am dealing with a pretty weighty personal matter right now and, am not yet seeing how things will ever work out but...it is in His hands, and who's else's hands would we want these things to be in? ♥

It's good to learn how other believers handle this. I'm looking for a resource for my children but also for myself. I'm dealing with a weighty decision of my own right now and nothing has come clear yet. I hope you hear from God

 

[Soverign Grace]

Many times you don't hear but you did.

About the only place to pass a car on hwy 5 that is near our place is a place called the whiteway stretch. Poking along behind a classic Chevy one day I decided to pass. Nothing was coming so I pulled into the other lane. After a few seconds I pulled back behind the slow car. A few miles on a pickup truck bearing three men tore through a stop sign and T-boned the old car carrying a man his wife and baby. If I'd have passed that car it would have been us. Yet I never heard a thing. Some times we "just do" a thing and don't know why...until later.

Once while praying late at night I was at our couch on my prayer bones. The Lord spoke so loudly in my spirit I jumped up like I'd been shocked. I called my sister whom is a faith filled woman and we had a good visit. His voice that was like a yell!

An answer of peace about a thing is just as good as a voice, his, of direction. Genesis chapter 41 explains. After resigning from a good job at God's direction, and an answer of massive peace, to go into business for myself the first thing that happened? There was no work. Second guessing and doubts began to assault me. One day going out the door the Holy Spirit spoke. "pray for work". My thought was but I thought I had been.

Going back into the house and getting on my knees I began to rehearse my prayer for work before the Lord. As I prayed the phone rang. It was an offer for me to do some sawmill design work in Tennessee! God had me go pray again to get the call I would otherwise have missed.

Roaming around the yard one day I was looking for my rake. It was not to be found. In prayer I asked Jesus and instantly I saw a, picture of the rake leaning against a trash can at my sawmill two hundred yards from the house. Walking down there was the rake just as God had shown me in the little vision. For me he often uses a picture guidance. I see myself doing a certain thing.

Remember that his voice isn't always a voice.

That's powerful! I love hearing things that happen that way. I wonder if there is some way to develop that so that one has those events happen more often.

 

[DanielGarneau]

As reported by @Frank Lee, there are situations when a strong inner conviction is the basis for my own actions, and then, the results are often astonishing. Also, as reported by @Willie T, sometimes these are also accompanied by a thought in my mind about something to do right now. One example of such experience is summarized in my blog article Overcoming Doubt published on Savoir et croire .ca.

 

[Soverign Grace]

As reported by @Frank Lee, there are situations when a strong inner conviction is the basis for my own actions, and then the results are often astonishing, and as reported by @Willie T, sometimes these are also accompanied by a thought in my mind about something to do right now. One example of such experience is summarized in my blog article Overcoming Doubt published on Savoir et croire .ca.

Thanks - I'll look at the blog. I want to find a way to develop hearing that leading.

 

[DanielGarneau]

I saw that book on Amazon. Did it help you? There are so many books to choose from. I was leaning towards one book when a pastor put his review of the book written by another pastor. He said that the book "Draw circles around your prayers" (or something like that) was unscriptural. When I read reviews of other Christian books on guidance, a few reviewers warned that the books were getting into new age stuff. I've been in church a number of years and have never been in a bible study on it.

The book 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice, by Mark and Patti Virkler, from Communion With God Ministries, was helpful to me indeed, and so did, and so did A Guide for Listening and Healing Prayer, by Rusty Rustenbach. You don't have to agree with everything in these books to learn a little from each. Another book that I really enjoyed was Dallas Willard's Hearing God. Developing a Conversational Relationship with God. The first two books are easier to read than the third one is, but the latter makes the case that if God is a personal God, we should expect Him to communicate personally with us.

Any book that deals with a theme so intimate as God talking to us personally through subjective means rather than through the Bible as read and interpreted in its context will raise the eyebrows of some contemporary pastors and church leaders. But Christians through the centuries have been reporting that God communicates with them in a subjective manner at times. There would be much more to say, but I must go now. God bless!

 

[Dave L]

I've been searching on Amazon for a book to help my adult children hear from God. I've experienced uncanny times when I've woken up in the middle of the night and knew God wanted me to pray, and another time bumped into a Christian neighbor who recommended a book that was exactly what I needed. But other times I feel I'm looking to God and get no clear leading when I have an important decision to make.

Can others share how they hear from God? Do you fast? Keep a prayer journal? Meditate? I usually like the old-time writers because they seemed to have a better grasp of Scripture but I haven't found one yet about hearing from God. I was reading some of the comments below some current books on hearing from God on Amazon and was concerned because some people remarked about the unscriptural practices recommended in the books even written by pastors. Has anyone here read any good books on discernment and how to hear from God that are Scriptural? I think we're living in an unprecedented era of evil and even many churches have turned worldly. It's hard finding quality teaching that holds fast to Scripture but God does give some people the gift of teaching. It's just really hard to sort through all the books to find those that are scripturally accurate.

The idea is not to hear voices in your head, not hear them. Especially for kids.

 

[Willie T]

Often we "hear" or "see" or "feel" things that we really don't understand at all. (All, subjective sensations, BTW.) We just know they are from God. And we need to be just as aware of these times as the others when we feel God has issued a thunderous decree that echoes from the mountaintops.

 

[lforrest]

Once I had the inclination to write an email to a minister online. He later mentioned that he had needed encouragement and God sent him a flood of emails from people to give him encouragement.

I acted unaware that I was doing so by God's direction.