I think many people are searching for this answer whether they follow Jesus or not. If there’s a chance we can hear from God Himself on a question we have or something we are going through, don’t you think we would want to hear from Him? Or at least, know how to?
I struggled with this thought for awhile before following Jesus and after I started to follow Him because I heard many different claims of people “hearing” from God and I had no idea what that meant because I thought I never heard from Him. Something must have been wrong with me, right?
There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to hearing from God and I think that is part of the problem. With so many stories and experiences out there through books, videos, posts, etc. it’s hard to know if there is a way to really know if we are hearing from God.
Here’s the good news.
God is not a God of confusion. He is not a God who would want to confuse people by having them constantly question if they can hear Him or not. The simple fact that He sent His one and only Son to die for us proves the point that He is not a cruel God…and in fact, a loving God. Not only that, He has made it very clear on how we can hear from Him. It’s our choice whether or not we will believe Him with how He says He speaks.
We Hear God by His Word
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
There’s a strong emphasis at the beginning of these verses with the word “All.” Every little bit of Scripture is breathed out by God…as in…God talking to us. God Himself tells us that His Word is breathed out by Him, and is profitable for everything, so that His Children may be made complete and equipped for every good work.
Let’s not miss the point that God tells us Himself how He speaks to us…through His Word. And the fact that we, as followers of Jesus, need His Word to make us complete. That means we are lacking without it and won’t be equipped if we don’t listen to God as He speaks to us from the Bible.
The Bible is living and active and if you want to hear from God and know what He is saying for sure, open up the book and read it. The very words you’ll read are the very words of God and you can confidently know that you are hearing from God as you read it.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
We Hear God by Following Jesus
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27
The other primary way we hear from God is through Jesus Christ. As followers of Him, we’ll know His voice when He is speaking to us. One of the best ways we’ll know this is because we can look to the Bible to see who Jesus is and how He lived.
For example, Jesus was perfect and without sin. He died for us and rose from the dead defeating death and sin in victory. When He died for us on the cross, He took all of our past, present, and future sins upon Himself and paid the price to God that we now do not have to pay. The price we would have had to pay was death because God is perfect, we are sinful, and there’s no way for us (who are not perfect) to have a relationship with God (who is perfect).
So, Jesus paying the penalty for us is not only a big deal, it’s everything.
If we believe in Jesus Christ and choose to follow Him for the rest of our lives, we are forgiven, forever. And then as followers of Jesus with a new identity we now…you can probably guess it…follow Him. That means we do what He did. Live the way He did. Love others the way He did. Pray and know the Bible just like He did.
Read the Bible and study Jesus, who He is and how He lived, and then whatever you think you are hearing, you can know if it’s God talking because it should make you more like Christ. It what you are hearing doesn’t make you more like Jesus, then it’s not from God.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17
How Can I Know For Sure Then?
God reserves the right to tell us how He speaks to us, and we should listen.
So, what that means is whatever you are going through, line it up with what the Bible says and who Jesus is.
Considering a new job? Trying to hear if you should break up with someone? Searching for the meaning of life? Not sure if you are hearing from God or if it’s just yourself?
What does the Bible have to say about your situation? Whatever you are hearing, does the Bible affirm it or go against it? With whatever decision you make, will it make you more like Jesus or is it just something for yourself?
You can trust and know that you are hearing from God when whatever you hear lines up with the Bible and leads you to live more like Jesus. We (as sinful people) would never naturally think to ourselves something that would make us more like Christ and affirm the Bible…but the Holy Spirit (God) within us (as followers of Christ) would speak that way.
Praise God for making it clear to us how He speaks. Trust that you can know that God is talking to you and listen to what He has to say.
Here are other Frequently Asked Questions and how the Bible answers them.
Questions: Does this post help you see how God speaks to you? Do you think God speaks to you in other ways and if you do, how so? How do you know for sure if it’s God speaking or someone else? Please comment and join the discussion below.
GREAT READING…..I’M SAVED .I DON’T STAY IN GOD WORD LIKE I SHOULD BUT I PRAY AND ASK PRAY AND ASK GOD TO HELP ME GET HUNGRY FOR HIS WORD SO THAT I CAN HEAR HIM SPEAK TO ME MORE. IS THAT WRONG.
Thanks for reading and for sharing Alice. I think you keep praying and striving to stay in God’s Word along the way and pray for Him to continue establishing your steps (Proverbs 16:9).
God speaks to us in many ways.He definitely speaks to us through scripture. Also he speaks through nature and he especially speaks to us in our heart. The best way I have found is to talk to my Lord all day about everything. He desires that closeness and it has changed my life.
Amen to that Janet! I think we underestimate how often The Lord is speaking to us and we miss Him in the midst of our “busy” everyday lives. Thanks for reading and for sharing!
This is amazing, glory to God. God speaks to us through His word, dreams, nature, and through other faithful believers including ministers of the gospel.
Absolutely! Praise God for that! Thanks so much for reading and for sharing!
When talking with God throughout our lives of hearing your heart say positive words to make a lonely person be a guest, have extra time to walk with a person whom is needed of help, to pray for people to be healed, to sit with people whom have lost a loved one, these are needs God’s voice says to my heart. Pretty much am lazy, but God’s voice has a excellent way of lately being to busy to sit too long. God’s voice is so powerful to ignore! You ask, I’ll try my best to help through almost any situation.… Read more »
Thanks for reading and for sharing Cecilia!
This is a very good article. According to research about this subject, there are many people who will admit to “hearing” God’s voice. Usually it is inside their own mind, in the form of thoughts. Often people claim that the thoughts seem to be very much coming from outside themselves.Distinctly outside of themselves. The point is that “hearing” the voice of God is more common than most people think. And the counter claim that this means you are CRAZY seems not to add up. But it is obvious to me that if you think you are “hearing” God talk to… Read more »
Hey there, thanks for sharing. I agree with you that we always need to take what we are thinking God is telling us and line it up with Scripture. If it lines up with what the Bible says, then we can be confident that He might be speaking to us. If it doesn’t line up with Scripture, then we know for sure He is NOT speaking to us. I’m not sure what you mean at the end but if you’re talking about Abraham and Issac, it’s true God did call Abraham to sacrifice his own son, but never made Abraham… Read more »
Hello Mike. Yes, I was referencing Abraham. It is a dramatic example about how you can line up what “God” is telling you to do with scripture. I know that in the story of Abraham and the human sacrifice, at the last moment God told Abraham to NOT kill his son. So…here is the thing: IF someone today gets guidance from “God” to kill their son…maybe that isn’t “God” guiding them. I am a big fan of the Old Testament. There is a lot of gore and slaughter depicted in the Old Testament. Plenty of examples of people messing up,… Read more »
Oh ok I see what you mean. Yes agreed at the end of the day we have to be really careful to claim what God is telling us to do and should do the due diligence of checking everything thoroughly with scripture. Thanks for sharing!
I am a believer. I accepted Christ 20 years ago. May I ask you something: I have been praying for a mature faithful servant of God to married with, up to now… he is not coming. What else can I do?
Hey Oty! Thanks for sharing. God is pleased when we come to Him in prayer whether that be for thanksgiving, confession, or requests. As you follow Jesus, it’s not a matter of “when is this or that going to happen to me” but rather a “Lord, what do you want me to do” kind of a mindset. Absolutely keep requesting for a wife that follows The Lord but move forward continuing to make that request and serving Jesus believing that if He has that for you, it will happen. And if He does not have that for you, that He… Read more »
God speaks to us through nature itself ,the birds, the sea, the trees the animals even a new born baby etc , nothing will exist or survive without him ,he provides, he gives new life ,he keeps these things shows that he is speaking to us if he wasn’t everything will fall apart ,and as you rightfully said he speaks to us through his word any situation we are going through we can find it in his word we just have to believe and trust him..
Appreciate you reading and thanks for sharing.
Hi I feel trapped and i dont know what to do I really truely love Jesus/God very much and miss Him everyday when i think of Him i see myself in His arms holding me and comforting me. I am a sinner trying not to be one. I want to serve with Jesus and be His follower, my heart cries out to Him and every time i sin i cant forgive myself and feel unworty to be forgiven cause my sins of the past is very bad. Im a very sensitive person and want to give love to evwryone. I… Read more »
I want to say this with all sincerity. God does not play around when it comes to His Son. Jesus is the reason for life. Read the word. Pray constantly and trust that God can change everything that keeps you from Him.
Thank you for explaining and answering in an easy to understand way. A sister in Christ, Lisa
Thanks so much for sharing Lisa and for the encouragement!
Thank you needed this
Thanks so much!!
Thanks, Mike. I’ll highlight your post on the Christian Poets & Writers blog!
Thanks Mary!