How do you hear from God?

[Soverign Grace]

For me, my inner voice sounds like a jack rabbit on Red Bull-- bouncing all over the place a million miles an hour. His voice sounds... the image that comes to mind is Master quieting the storm. He is quiet. Still. Calm. Peace.

I've learned to listen to that still voice through my life, and it has been a huge boon for me. But my inner jack-rabbit can be much louder a lot of the time, so prayer and meditation on subjects have now become staples of my spiritual life. But man did that mediative prayer take work to learn how to do! When I was younger, I found that other methods tended to work better-- like going on a hike out in the wilderness. Focusing my bouncy energy into climbing mountains calmed my mind to better hear Him.

I tend to me more action-oriented so it's hard for me to slow down too. I got direction clearly once when I was not at home - so I was thinking of a change of venue - as you said you went on a hike. Somewhere different.

That's good to watch for: the quiet, still, calm, peaceful voice.

 

[Soverign Grace]

I didn’t hear from God for the longest time. Then I got angry and begin to tell Him everyday exactly how I felt. I’m a firm believer that God already knows what is in our heart so we might-as we’ll say it out loud. No use hiding anger or frustration or disappointment. No use pretending. I would tell Him I was angry because He promised hearing from him is not based on education or how smart you are. At first He spoke through life. He taught me things I could relate to Him on. It was painful but there is where an intimate connection began. Now He speaks every day. Sometimes it is a verse that completely destroys what I previously thought. Sometimes it is a dream upon waking where He reveals something more clearly. Sometimes it is during the day when I am unthankful and frustrated by life challenges; He speaks and reminds me to be kind to those around me.

I too believe in being honest with God - as you say, no use pretending; He already knows what we're feeling.

I haven't felt that God has spoken to me in awhile. Why do you think you hear from Him every day now - did you do something different? You just read the Word every day?

 

[farouk]

I too believe in being honest with God - as you say, no use pretending; He already knows what we're feeling.

I haven't felt that God has spoken to me in awhile. Why do you think you hear from Him every day now - did you do something different? You just read the Word every day?

We need to saturate ourselves in the Scriptures, prayerfully.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

I too believe in being honest with God - as you say, no use pretending; He already knows what we're feeling.

I haven't felt that God has spoken to me in awhile. Why do you think you hear from Him every day now - did you do something different? You just read the Word every day?

Yes. I read His word every day until He speaks. I can wake up heavy and depressed but once I go to His word and read until He speaks, I’m refreshed for the whole day. It puts things in perspective. How big our God is and then I’m joyful and appreciate the opportunity to know Him. Can’t imagine a day now without His voice. He said seek me and you will find me. It is like the closest person to you that always knows what you need to hear and exactly when you need to hear it. When they are around your whole perspective changes for the better...you would go to them always about everything because you trust them more than anyone else.

 

[Soverign Grace]

Thanks be to God we don't have to hear from him through a preacher.
Consider that it may not be time to hear from him on your question. When it is time remember;

Psalm 50:3 KJVS
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He can speak In a thousand million ways.

Every single one of them will be "AN ANSWER OF PEACE".

The kingdom of God is what?

Righteousness
Peace
Joy in the Holy Spirit

An answer of perfect inner peace will ALWAYS accompany God's guidance, answer, direction, calling. AND ALSO;

Isaiah 30:21 KJVS
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

He may speak to you through a scripture as he did me years ago about changing jobs and working in a different city;

Acts 20:22 KJVS
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

He gave me this scripture and I immediately gave notice to begin a new adventure with Jesus.

You may overhear a word from a stranger that perks your spirit.

It may come in the mail.

Get as quiet in your spirit as possible after praise and prayer in the Holy Spirit and just listen. The greatest fault of Christians is in not listening enough... In peace and silence. This is of course assuming you are prayed and confessed up...

He may have already told you what to do but you resist.

Do not look in the ends of the earth. Look near at hand!

Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 17:24 NASB


Your answer is much nearer than you imagine. Amen

I try to get quiet and listen but I'm a doer and it's hard for me to just sit and listen for long. I don't recall in the bible anywhere where people found a specific way to meditate to get to that place where they could hear what God tried to say.

 

[Soverign Grace]

God is love. And he directs your choices through love. If love isn't present in your decisions, they come from the wrong place.

His word also speaks loud and clear to those who submerge themselves in it. Don't consider imaginary voices to be God. It is your flesh and not the Holy Spirit.

What you said correlates with ByGrace to immerse yourself in the Word.

 

[Soverign Grace]

God loves us so much that He will speak to us in whatever manner that works. IF we cannot hear that "still small voice", He will speak louder. If we cannot hear that, He taps us on the shoulder...if we take no notice of that, He does whatever works, and He will keep trying until we listen. Sometimes we hear Him but don't trust our senses that it really is God who is doing the talking. We are dull of hearing. But we have to trust Him. If we have truly committed ourselves to His will, surrendered our wills to Him, and are hungering after truth and righteousness, we shall be filled. There will be naysayers. Oh, that dude cannot be speaking for God....that church couldn't possibly be the right one for you...but trust that God is answering your prayers. Never mind what man says. Be assured that if you are heading in a wrong direction after sincerely asking for the right way, God will turn you around. He will send someone or magnify His word, or send some form of detour sign to get you back on track. Don't worry that you feel you aren't hearing Him...trust Him...take that step of faith even though you don't know what's behind the hedge...and go for gold. If a door opens, walk through it. If it is shut, don't go climbing in through the window. Find another way...keep praying...keep believing..."I know the thoughts that I think toward you sayeth the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" Jeremiah 29:11. BJV

I think we do get dull of hearing. I have a feeling a breakthrough is about to happen but it's stuck - I don't know how else to describe it.

 

[Soverign Grace]

Addressing the OP only, one word, well two, "be patience". this had happen to me before. I asked God for a revelation/information on a subject, and it appeared to "ME" like the Holy Spirit went radio silence. and I bug the Lord for about six months, and still no answer. well I reason that the Lord didn't want me to know this, (ERROR on my part). well a few days later I was reading up on another topic, and bingo there was my answer. so I thank the Lord for the Revelation, and asked him why so long?. and he said, I accepted your thanks six months ago. I said, "WHAT!". he said, I gave it to you six month ago but you want it to be your way to understand. so I thought about what the Lord said, and thinking back, the Lord was right. he put it right in my face, but "I", "I", couldn't see it. it was so close to my nose till I, I, I, look right passed it. I, had a preconception of what I thought the answer was, and wanted the Lord to confrim what "I" thought. the problem was not God, but me.

but this was good training because I search for six months finding everything else except what "I" wanted. so I learned a good lession, (Wait on God, because of me), he's not keeping nothing back from us, it's us who hender God word coming to us.

so my advice is "be patience" with YOURSELF. I'm not saying this is the case in your situation. but don't give up, you're an overcomer. God grow us in different ways.

be blessed.

hope this help

Yes it does help. What everyone has said has helped. I like learning from other believers and their experiences with God - we have the same Father. I've had something similar: a time when I found the answer to something when I was looking in an entirely different area.

 

[Jane_Doe22]

I try to get quiet and listen but I'm a doer and it's hard for me to just sit and listen for long. I don't recall in the bible anywhere where people found a specific way to meditate to get to that place where they could hear what God tried to say.

Then exercise as you pray: give your physical energy a place to give your mind some space to process things. Plus, working out is just good for each of us

 

[101G]

Yes it does help. What everyone has said has helped. I like learning from other believers and their experiences with God - we have the same Father. I've had something similar: a time when I found the answer to something when I was looking in an entirely different area.

First thanks for the reply,
second, we as God's children, he deals with each of us differently in each stage of our lives. as said, God has given me direction ahead of a situation, and he have given direction at the time of the moment also.

so the bottom line as many has said, "TRUST IN THE LORD".

 

[Jay Ross]

A preacher I knew introduced his congregation to PUSH prayer, i.e. Pray Until Something Happens, but I asked two very profound questions of him.

If God has decided to not answer your prayers, has something Happened? Yes something has happened, God has decided to not answer your prayer.

If God has done according to your badgering prayers, then who is God? Have you not become the puppeteer and God the Puppet who does all that you ask of Him? In other words you have elevated yourself to being God and God to the role of your good and faithful servant.

If as Paul teaches we renew our mind and then put on the renewed personhood that God intended us to be since the beginning of time will we not know God's intention for us.

Now when God had instructed Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge, did he have to keep telling Adam and Eve that they should not ever eat of the tree of knowledge at any time in the future.

Satan planted a question in Eve's mind that they would not died the second death if they did eat of the tree of knowledge and Eve did not believe by faith that what God has commanded Adam was true.

She could have waited and when next she have a conversation with God, then asked Him about the consequences of eating from the tree of knowledge and what the consequences of the second death was about.

Sadly, she thought that she could not wait and rushed into an answer through her own formulated understanding and as such she sinned and Adam rushed head long into sinning as well.

Because we enjoy our instant coffee we tend to also want to have an instant God to tell us what to do, but if we do not let our children learn through failures in life, how will they learn to make good judgements. Mistake are a learning tool that we use to improve our character. The trouble we have is that we often do not understand that we make mistakes in our decision making.

Shalom
Shalom.

 

[Frank Lee]

I try to get quiet and listen but I'm a doer and it's hard for me to just sit and listen for long. I don't recall in the bible anywhere where people found a specific way to meditate to get to that place where they could hear what God tried to say.

While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 13:2 NASB

Consider that you don't have to compel God to speak to you. He wants us to hear but as corrie ten boom referred to our "sin marred ears". Satan sends counterfeits also.

Mainly ever stop pressing into God in every way you can.

 

[quietthinker]

I've been trying to seek God's directions on some things and I have some kind of block there. It's been there awhile and I don't know how to break through. I've had a few times that were uncanny - I felt direction come to me as something gentle alighting - but for the most part I seek and seek and seek and I feel as if I can't get through.

Has anyone else experienced this? I badly want to hear from God and gain direction. Can others share how they do this and if they've ever had clear leading from God and what preceded it? I was looking up how to listen to your intuition but want to avoid the new age type stuff. There must be a way that others use to get to that sense of leading from God.

I hear him in conviction. It's usually that still small voice....never imposing. I also hear him in the world of nature...the elements, the animals and plants. Like that song, 'this is my Fathers world'....I'm sure you know it.

His presence is recognised by a gut level peace. In the past I have had epiphanies but they are not common for me.

I'll tell you one of several stories of God's presence....I was riding my motorcycle on the Dawson Hwy from Prudoe Bay, Alaska heading south. It was night, it was raining. The road was very muddy and there was nowhere to camp in the boggy tundra. The only place to ride with some sort of tentative stability was in the vehicle tracks of previous travellers. These tracks were often six inches deep and the width of a wheel. I am cold and continually having to deal with fogged glasses by looking over the top of them while squinting so as not to get the needle sharp rain in my eyes was to say the least, fatiguing. It was concentration max. All the while i'm praying and wondering how incredible it is that the bike hasn't gone over.....then it happened....the bike left the right hand rut I was riding in and crossed over to the left.....within seconds the bike is going down.....this is it, I see myself sliding down a wet muddy road with a tangle of metal and arms. I had hardly seen this picture in my minds eye when within a second the bike flicked upright and back into the left vehicle track as if nothing was amiss. My heart leapt with thankfulness and tears. I made it to the outskirts of Dawson City in the early hours drenched and cold and muddy but in one piece.

I'm persuaded the angels lifted the bike and am reminded when times appear more 'barren', 'I will never leave you or forsake you'
Yes, just as Paul in his journeys encountered troubles and was encouraged so also I learn that I am not alone irrespective of how it appears.

 

[Frank Lee]

Guidance? These were.

My wife and I wanted to take a mini vacation but had little money. We prayed about going up to eureka springs for a couple of days and seeing the great passion play.

The Lord spoke a scripture to me after our prayer.

Joshua 17:15 KJVS
And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country , and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

We knew it was OK!

Ten minutes later my sister called wanting to know if we wanted to go to eureka springs to camp! On the drive up a stranger came up and suggested a place to camp on Beaver lake. While there we were led to a volunteer worker on the restored rail line. We sat in a little red caboose and told him about Jesus. He became a Christian. This all came because of a prayer.

Another time we were think about trading cars. I put out a fleece asking the Lord to let the dealership say it took an "exceptionally" to short time for the OK. When they called they said it was taking an "exceptionally" long time for approval. We knew we were not to make the deal. A no is as good as a yes when God tells you. Wisdom.

 

[brakelite]

I think we do get dull of hearing. I have a feeling a breakthrough is about to happen but it's stuck - I don't know how else to describe it.

There are times as 101 suggested, that God waits until we have surrendered our own ideas as to what answer we want. We need to be willing to go down any path, to expect the unexpected.

 

[Helen]

Well at least I don't feel alone in my struggle! I'm glad you're being honest.

Thanks for sharing that! So when you're seeking His leading it would be fair to say that reading the Word is the best way to hear. We're seeking God about a move and it's been frustrating since we're not getting clear direction. I'll have to keep my eyes open to look for writing on a truck I think God has a sense of humor too. You said you had a dream too?

I'm thinking of fasting. I do it every once in awhile but it's very hard. I've fasted for 1 day and fasted for 3. The 3 day fasts are hard.

Well , my advice would be, " Don't sweat it" Don't over think it and don't try to hear something.

When you open the word just ask the Lord as a child to speak and give direction ( which I am sure you have done) After that I don't keep asking, but I am in a state of waiting to hear His answer.
It will probably be in your reading. But it still comes from a prompt from His Spirit within.
I can say, and I am sure others would agree...it wont be anything big and 'loud'. Then I say to the Lord.." Was that You Lord, or just me..please confirm." He will ...some gentle confirmation.
As Frank said...I have even had a letter ( before emails ) which had a scripture attached! Right to the point of the issue!

Just relax , and don't try too hard. Just trust that He will answer you.

My two cents.

 

[Frank Lee]

God is the best most fair father there is. Which loving father would turn his back on his child's pleas for guidance?

When I wrongly judge someone he is quick to correct me. He won't allow one child to wrongly judge another. He gets overridden many times because of our horseyness/stubborness.

 

[Helen]

I haven't felt that God has spoken to me in awhile. Why do you think you hear from Him every day now - did you do something different? You just read the Word every day?

Don't forget " times and seasons".
If we think back to the old stories of Abraham etc...it doesn't sound like God was just chatting to him all the time.
The times God visited him was sometimes years between. So , no condemnation for us.

I remember one year when God prompted me to get up every morning at 4am. Never once did I set an alarm. God woke me right on the dot of 4am.
I went to a quiet place and for about 30 mins I just "loved God" and worshipped Him , often without words. Just dwelling in His presence.

Then I would have a time of 'just being'...quietly "listening". I always had a pen and notebook..and wrote down the things He spoke.
( out of His word)
Then later when He stopped speaking I would then prayer as I felt Him lead me go do. But then it was 7am and time for me to get their breakfast.

That experience lasted a full year. One morning I woke at 4am on the dot...went to my quite place...worshipped quietly for a while. But I knew it was over..I did that for a couple of days more...but I knew it was but for a time.
I fellowship with the Lord every day, I chat to the Lord constantly.
But He does not speak specifically to me, daily. But we know Him and His gentle voice ...for me that is 'the walk of faith'.
Even my own husband does to speak to me all the time. Some days he is more chatty than others, often he is pleasant, but quiet.

 

[Frank Lee]

Psalm 10:17 KJVS
Lord , thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

In worship early the other morning he spoke something. I usually blink when he speaks for it's in a way or with words that are different.

In worship he said "I saw you from the cross". And I knew he saw all of us from there. I was dumbfounded as usual and knew I'd never imagine this.

Oh to hear from him! More addictive than anything. I want to hear whatever he has to say to me.

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

Hebrews 1:

I've been trying to seek God's directions on some things and I have some kind of block there. It's been there awhile and I don't know how to break through. I've had a few times that were uncanny - I felt direction come to me as something gentle alighting - but for the most part I seek and seek and seek and I feel as if I can't get through.

Has anyone else experienced this? I badly want to hear from God and gain direction. Can others share how they do this and if they've ever had clear leading from God and what preceded it? I was looking up how to listen to your intuition but want to avoid the new age type stuff. There must be a way that others use to get to that sense of leading from God.

Hebrews 1: 1, 2 tells us that God in the past and many different ways spoke to his people but in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son. Everything Jesus said to us that is necessary has been written down. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 also tells us that all scripture that we have is all we need to get the guidance snd direction we need. We just need to pray to God for help in understanding the scriptures when we study the scriptures. God word will give us the direction and guidance we will need