Answering the question I often get from young women: How do I hear from God?
Mr. Peprah Photography
WHAT I’M WEARING:
Jacket: Blank NYC ; Sweater: Banana Republic ; Leggings: ASOS ; Shoes: Gianvito Rossi ; Scarf: Gucci
It doesn’t come as a surprise to me when babes in the faith (Christians who recently gave their life to Christ) tell me they struggle hearing from God. Not that I believe hearing from God when you first get saved is a struggle; but new believers still struggle with being versed in the Scriptures, and not knowing the Scriptures, and not knowing what you carry will have you not be able to discern the voice of God in your life.
What is surprising to me, however, is when people who have been in the faith for years tell me that they struggle to hear the voice of God. When people who have been in the faith for years tell me that they don’t know the plans God has for them, or they don’t know how God sounds it makes me really disappointed. I get disappointed because it seems in no other relationship is it okay to be ineffective in communication but with our relationship with God.
If you were underperforming at your job- taking holidays and traveling outside the country whenever you wanted to- you would get fired. If you lived with your parents, but didn’t communicate often with them, letting them know your whereabouts and plans, they would probably kick you out or discipline you. If you were in a romantic relationship and seldom listened to your partner speak, chances are the relationship would fail and your partner would leave you.
The expectations for all relationships except the one we have with God are manageable and acceptable. However, when we’re told of what we need to do to foster a better relationship with the One Who created us, and holds our lives in His hands- those requirements become overbearing and overwhelming.
What every believer carries that gives them the ability to hear the voice of God:
I think its important to first lay out a fact that all Christians should know without any reasonable or unreasonable doubt: The moment you give your life to Christ (accept Jesus as Lord and personal Savior), you are given the Spirit of God to reside in you.
The Bible says that the Spirit of God ( also known as the Holy Spirit) came down to us when Jesus died and resurrected. Jesus told His disciples in John 16:7 “I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” The Counselor is another name for the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God enables us to do all things, but for the sake of this post, I will only focus on being able to know the mind of God/and the voice of God.
How can you be sure that you have the Spirit of God? Well, the Bible says that when we heard and accepted the word of truth- which is the Gospel- we were given the Holy Spirit as a seal and a guarantee that we are indeed saved.
You also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:13-14)
In knowing that you have the Holy Spirit residing in you, you should also know that you have the benefits that come with the Holy Spirit. The biggest benefit is being able to hear the voice of God and know the mind of God. Although God is quite a mystery, Almighty, All Powerful, and the Creator of the Universe, He is actually so Gracious enough to let those who have a relationship with Him in on His secrets and mysteries.
The Almighty God that I serve ( because I don’t know who you serve) loves to relate and talk to His children. So He gives them access to His heart, His mind and His thoughts. He isn’t this mystical Being to His children. He is a loving Father Who has so many blessings in store for us. And we can get access to them all by His Spirit.
Now one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible comes from 1 Corinthians 2: 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. In having the mind of Christ (by the Holy Spirit), we are able to know the mind of the Lord. Once you’re able to grasp this truth, you can move forward with being able to hear God’s voice.
I have the Holy Spirit within me, but I still can’t hear God. Now what?
To those who have the above question, let me ask you this. How have you been able to become familiar with anyone’s voice? Hearing it often, right? I think about my daughter, Chloe and how I am able to differentiate her voice and her cries from any other child’s.
When I first gave birth to Chloe and she was in the nursery at the hospital, there were many babies with her that were crying. Now if I couldn’t physically see Chloe, I would not be able to determine which of the cries belonged to her. I mean, she’s my child and I did give birth to her. But I wasn’t familiar with her voice yet.
The same applies to the voice of God. If I receive the Gospel today and receive the Holy Spirit today, I may not be so familiar with His voice as He speaks to me. But as I continue to walk with Him and read the Scriptures, familiarizing myself with the way He speaks and the way He sounds, then I will know His voice.
What am I saying?
God did His part when you received the gift of salvation and His Spirit. Now you have to do your part and actually work on the relationship. If you want the Lord to share His mind with you, the mysteries He holds concerning your future, the outcome of the election (idk) then you have to draw closer to Him.
Tips on Hearing the voice of God more
- Before anything else, give your life to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit. If you’ve never heard the Gospel before, please email me and I’ll lead you to the Lord.
- Dedicate time for not only prayer but also praise and worship. I was sharing with a church sister the other day that God often reveals secret and intimate things with me when I worship Him. When you’re praying to God, very seldom do you spend time to just listen. But when you’re in worship, you shift the focus from your needs to Who God is.
- Be intentional about reading the Word of God. I can suggest bible plans and books in the Bible to start with- but no suggestion in my opinion is better than attending bible studies/bible class in a Holy Ghost filled, Bible believing church. Some people can self-study effectively. I haven’t found myself to be that disciplined yet. I do far better with bible class coupled With my own review and bible study while at home!
- Stop sinning. Sinning separates you from God and from hearing His voice. If you want the voice of God to be amplified in your life, put away all the sins and habits that keep you far away from Him.
