Though God has made known His presence audibly on occasion–most notably through Moses, Elijah, and Samuel–it is not his usual method. Instead He usually speaks through our innermost being.
If God does speak, His words should align with Scripture; otherwise you could be hearing something that is not from Him.
Table of Contents
1. You are not willing
When it comes to God speaking to us, most of us tend to focus on hearing what He wants us to hear rather than listening for it. Just like children with selective hearing who only listen for what pleases them; otherwise their ears close up completely until we tell them something they want to hear instead. Unfortunately this is how most of us act towards Him when He talks – by only paying attention when it fits with what we want to hear instead of listening carefully for what He truly means to say.
If we truly believe that God speaks to us, the first step should be learning how to recognize his voice. Today He does not appear in burning bushes anymore but speaks through Scripture and Holy Spirit – making His message more easily digestible by most. When reading scripture or feeling gentle nudges from within our hearts we may hear His voice; otherwise comparing anything that appears out-of-the-blue with Biblical writings will reveal any discrepancies – this way you’ll know for certain when any revelation doesn’t line up with Biblical words it must be disregarded and disregarded immediately!
People sometimes think that because they cannot clearly hear God speaking to them, that must mean He doesn’t exist at all. However, personal sin often prevents us from hearing his voice clearly. If we continue to run from him and resist his grace to cleanse ourselves then hearing Him again could become increasingly difficult; but by returning back to him and accepting his cleansing sacrifice as part of our lives it may become easier once more to hear him clearly speaking back to us.
God spoke directly with Abraham, Moses and Elijah because their hearts were pure. We can learn from their examples and ask the Lord for the same clarity in our own lives. He wants to speak to us; all it takes is an openness on our part to hear him! Otherwise we’ll always wonder why He doesn’t answer; instead of asking why, instead we should focus on fixing ourselves so we can hear His voice again clearly.
2. You are not still
At times it can be challenging to hear God speak in our busy worlds, much like how conversing can become impossible when two parties keep interrupting each other; similarly hearing from Him requires stilling your heart and mind so He can come through (Psalm 46:10). Personal sin may also interfere with hearing his voice clearly – the farther we get away from our Father the harder it becomes for us to hear his call – so if this is your experience too then try prayerfully going alone with Him asking for His forgiveness and cleansing.
God often speaks through dreams, visions, angelic visitations impressions scripture reflection and other means – most commonly via inspired scriptures – when speaking directly to people like Abraham Moses Elijah and others. We sometimes hear of Him speaking audibly but that’s usually only an isolated incident. Most commonly He spoke through dreams visions angelic visitations impressions scripture reflection or other ways that were revealed to these figures and continues doing so today, though usually via His inspired Scriptures.
God speaks to us through everything in daily life if we’re ready to listen, such as conversations we have or things that come into contact with us. For instance, when seeking grace but being prideful about it, He might send a rebuke or gently remind your heart He’s near those with broken hearts. What matters is hearing His voice clearly rather than being taken off guard when He begins communicating.
3. You are not reading the Bible
Spend most of your time reading God’s Word and He can use it to speak directly to you through it. He’ll use it to convict of sin, reveal his plan for your life, and offer wisdom – but make sure that when choosing your translation you read with an open heart and mind so you fully grasp what He’s telling you.
The Bible was composed by multiple authors across generations communicating a central narrative. This provides us with an external reference point so we can know when something truly from God. Without such an external standard to measure against, discerning what really comes from him would always remain uncertain; you would constantly second guess your private messages and never know whether they were actually coming from him or just random noise in the environment.
God often speaks through an audible voice; however, most times His messages come through more subtly: intuition or feeling. Or it could come as visual images or thoughts which enter your mind; however if you’re unfamiliar with Scripture it may be hard to distinguish which is truly from Him and which are from yourself.
Take your time when reading the Bible; taking your time will reveal deeper meanings of passages that might otherwise go overlooked and gain a better perspective of its overall message.
Once you become acquainted with Scripture, it will be much simpler for you to interpret when God communicates through other means, like when He speaks through others (e.g. a friend’s advice), because you will easily be able to compare it against what He has already revealed through His Word. You’ll make better informed decisions.
4. You are not praying
Prayer is at the center of every Christian’s relationship with God. The more we pray, the stronger our bond becomes with him. However, some individuals have difficulty hearing God speak when praying – often mistakenly thinking they’re speaking directly to themselves or confused why their prayers seem unanswered.
One of the main reasons people fail to hear God in their prayers is due to improper praying habits. Many assume they should read their Bible while praying, or do not understand how to recognize his voice when He speaks back. Furthermore, people often misunderstand what it means to have communion with the Lord; that’s why reading your Bible daily and spending time in prayer daily are vital parts of your spiritual growth journey.
Keep this in mind to hear God’s voice more easily: you need a clean heart in order to do so. Personal sin will make hearing Him harder. In order to hear Him clearly, allow Jesus’ blood to cleanse your life first.
One reason people don’t hear God in their prayers is because they aren’t actively looking for it; they’re hoping He’ll tell them what they want to hear instead of answering any of their questions in-depth. To hear His voice more clearly, one should want His glory more than anything else and pray asking Him to do things that bring His name and fame more widely known around the globe.
God can speak to us through life events or Scripture; however, we must recognize that He is more than an impersonal force or idea – He’s your loving Daddy who wants you to communicate with Him! So next time you pray, listen out for and obey His voice! God created everything in this universe and knows every part of your heart; don’t ignore His wisdom!
