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How to Hear God's Voice
Whitney Hopler
Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Larry Kreider's new book, Speak, Lord, I’m Listening: How to Hear God’s Voice Above the Noise, (Regal Books, 2008).
God is always speaking, but you may not always be hearing Him. If you're not hearing from God regularly, it could be because you're limiting the ways you listen for His voice. God speaks in a wide variety of creative ways, so you need to be open to hearing from Him however He chooses to speak to you.
Here are some of the many different ways you may hear from God:
The Bible: God may cause a portion of Scripture to jump off the page for you while you’re reading it. He may make you aware of how it applies to your life right then and use it to lead you in a particular way. The Bible is your final authority – the standard by which you should check everything else you think God may be saying to you. Remember that nothing God says in any other way will ever contradict what He says in the Bible. Get to know the Bible well by reading and studying it often. Be sure to keep the context and original intent of Scripture passages in mind.
A journal: Writing down your thoughts in a journal, then reading the record, can help you understand more clearly how God may be speaking to you. Whenever you sense something that may be a message from God, write it down to preserve it. Then pray about what you’ve written. You can also write out your prayers to God in your journal.
Meditation and contemplation: Choose a Scripture verse or passage and reflect on it over and over in your mind. In the process, God may reveal its deep meaning to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your mind as you think about God’s Word in a focused way.
Praise and thanksgiving: You open yourself up to hearing from God when you praise Him for who He is and what He has done, and thank Him for it. Praise and thanksgiving invite God’s presence into your life. Choose to praise and thank God no matter what your current circumstances. Acknowledging that He is in control in all situations will draw you closer to Him and help you recognize Him at work.
Surrender: Giving up your own efforts to run your life and trusting God fully with it puts you in a position to hear from God well. Ask God to help you learn to wait, rest, and be content, so you’ll be able to surrender.
Confession: Confessing your sins to God with the intention of repenting of them and asking God to change you for the better will help you hear God’s voice. Confession removes sin that keeps you from hearing God’s voice clearly. When you confess sinful attitudes and behaviors – even small ones, since they can grow into bigger problems – you unclog your pipeline to heaven.
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Third-eye
10/14/2008 7:50 PM
One that was not mentioned was how God often uses other people to speak to us.
I had a very blessed experience years ago,
while working in a women's recovery house in Port Coquitlam.
Every Sunday we attended a church in Langley,BC.,
(Christian Life Assembly).
When we had arrived on this particular evening I had left the "girls" outside to do their smoking before the service was to start.,
I had taken a seat to watch the worship-team assemble and
pray.
As I sat there,alone,I began to pray.
I said,"Father of Heaven,I have spoken to alot of people that hear you clearly in your lives and I would love to hear from you myself."
At that very moment an elderly woman approached me and she had something in her hand.
She said,..."God has just spoken to me,and He has put it on my heart to give you a gift today,...it belonged to my Mother."
She extended her hand;
A gold ring with 4 diamonds shined out from her palm.
I started to protest,...She insisted.
I had a very blessed experience years ago,
while working in a women's recovery house in Port Coquitlam.
Every Sunday we attended a church in Langley,BC.,
(Christian Life Assembly).
When we had arrived on this particular evening I had left the "girls" outside to do their smoking before the service was to start.,
I had taken a seat to watch the worship-team assemble and
pray.
As I sat there,alone,I began to pray.
I said,"Father of Heaven,I have spoken to alot of people that hear you clearly in your lives and I would love to hear from you myself."
At that very moment an elderly woman approached me and she had something in her hand.
She said,..."God has just spoken to me,and He has put it on my heart to give you a gift today,...it belonged to my Mother."
She extended her hand;
A gold ring with 4 diamonds shined out from her palm.
I started to protest,...She insisted.
marysunkes
10/9/2008 9:36 PM
A link to this article has been posted on the website GoodNewsNow.com.
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who said God told her to ordain me on 07-07-07. Some how he change his mind. I know God truly don't act like that it had me where I was unsure about what God was saying to me
because I believe God was leading her and it was a confirmation. Tapping into the voice of God is so important and learning the different ways he speak to his people was very reassuring after encountering that experience. Because I believe she began to listen to to many voices "people" who were around her. I really wanted her to coach me as I follow the leading of God but no way God want me to be coached or directed by a spirit that change its mind. The article was very informative thank you because I need to reconnect to the voice of God. And when He move I move. God bless you I really enjoyed this article and this web site
Paula 10-14-08