Hearing From God is Not Just About a Voice

Sometimes it can be tricky to understand or be sure of what God is saying to us.  For some of us we can’t make out what the ‘voice’ in our head is saying, but I’ve come to realise it hearing from God is not just about a voice.   I was especially reminded of this as I was reading my toddler a bedtime story about the different ways God speaks to us.

Hearing From God

God can speak to us through nature, a friend, provision, His Word, dreams and many other ways. If you’d like to begin teaching your children about this, be sure to check out Rainbow Moments by Nikki Rogers.     I’ve also interviewed herrainbow moments hearing God's Voice

Oftentimes God will show us to do something or not to by an inner peace.  If we are unsettled in our gut, this can be a sign not to do something.   For example, when my husband and I moved from NSW to QLD, we loaded up our old vintage caravan full of books and other belongings.  Stephen felt very uneasy about towing it, although he had put truck tyres on it for the trip.  Just 20 minutes into our 8 hour trip, the entire wheel on one side flew off into a paddock, leaving our axel dragging along the highway.  We spent nearly a whole day by the side of the road.

We now abide by the saying “no peace, no go”.  If we are unsettled about something we sit down and go pray until we feel we have an answer about our situation even if that means changing our plans.

The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be thankful.  Col 3:15  GNT

God also speaks to us through dreams and de ja vu.  I’ve had many dreams of God warning me not to go somewhere OR giving insight into strategies for breakthrough, new seasons, new assignments, etc.   De Ja Vu can be quite similar, a little instance of feeling as though we’ve been in situation before.  My husband calls them prophetic fast forwards and God used it to help him save someone’s life. 

Ultimately we must base our ‘hearing from God’ on His Word.

God can give us a little idea to do something, an idea that won’t go away, a prompt to speak to someone, or even pull over on the side of the road and have a sleep.  He prompted my Dad to do this and it saved Dad from being crushed by  boat that had fallen off the back of a truck.

“If we live by the spirit, let us then walk in the Spirit” Galatians 5:25

Hearing From God

Here are a few thoughts from a friend, Roslyn Hartwig on hearing from God:

“One of the most recognised ways to do this is to hear what God says and then to obey and do it.  To hear in this way implies words, but is hearing of words (either in your spirit, through the Bible or audibly) the only the way?

 

I have often wondered why I don’t ‘hear’ God very often.  It has only been recently that I have realised that being led by the Spirit is not always about words heard in your head.   Sometimes, it is action with conscious thought.

An article I read recently explains it quite well, in that talking is sometimes too slow, the better we get at something, the less the need for talking, we don’t change gears driving while talking ourselves through it.

 

The saying ‘actions speak louder than words’ is, I think, just as true in this context.  When we allow the Spirit to flow through our minds and bodies without explanation or reasoning it with our minds first, God can use us to do His will without hindrance.   So often when we think it over, we allow fear to come to the fore and then we hesitate to do what we know to do.

Allow God to touch your spirit first, body second.  Do not try to explain and reason these actions away with your mind.  This is not necessary and can be counter productive to the way of God and the Holy Spirit.  Listen with your spirit only and answer Him with actions; not explanations.

 “Do it all for the glory of God.”  1 Corinthians 10:31″
Do you have any stories of a way God has spoken to you?  I would love to hear from you in the comments!

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About Elizabeth

My name is Elizabeth Ainsworth, a wife and mother in QLD Australia who shares her ponderings of faith at Where Deep Calls to Deep

9 thoughts on “Hearing From God is Not Just About a Voice

  1. A couple of months ago I kept thinking about how I needed to talk to this one friend of mine. I felt like I needed to tell her about how I had struggled in the past and how I’m doing okay now. This friend and I were not especially close so it was kind of random. I told her we should meet up for coffee some time soon and she agreed. When I told her my story she was almost in tears when she told me that I had perfectly described what she was going through, that she was suffering with anxiety. The amazing thing is that she had this overwhelming need to talk to me about it too and didn’t understand why until then. We both have been completely overwhelmed by God’s grace in leading us to each other and it is one of the clearest instances when I have ever felt him speak to me. We now meet up every week and I am helping her and guiding her in a way that I think points to Christ and it’s one of the most amazing friendships I have ever had.

  2. I am a Christian and work with non believers.there is soo much hatred around and I pray everyday and trust GOD and listen to him to love them as my enemies. and BLESS them.
    Thank for ur encouraging words

    1. There is so much hatred and misunderstanding, and you’re right, it’s God’s voice that cuts through that. My husband has been able to share with so many guys at his workplace, and I’m amazed at the words God gives him to say.

  3. I was at a point in my life where I just felt like my love for my husband was gone. I was still submitting to him and so forth, but I was like I do not care what he does or where he goes etc. One day someone called my phone (annonimous caller) and started telling me stuff about my husband. I listened, but I was not angry or sad. I told myself either Iove him or leave him. From that day I found like a fresh anointing of love for my husband. I think it was God’s intervention in my marriage that brought about this great change. I really do believe God has his angels watching out for his children when they are about to mess up.

    1. Oh that’s an amazing story, thanks for sharing. My husband’s Aunty shares a similar story of her taking her young children to the bus stop to leave her husband and a kind old lady sat down and started sharing about marriage and God worked in her heart and she went home. Sadly a few years later her husband died in a plane crash.

  4. Found this article very interesting, thank you. I’ve had quite a few of these “De Ja Vu” moments. I cannot say there were any “God moments” in them, Just a feeling of “I’ve been here before”, and wandered why. Now I know. And will pay more attention to the situation.

    Thank you for an insightful article.

  5. Thanks for the story. It was inspiring. I am currently trying to make head or tail of my employment search for over 16 months now.
    I request prayer.
    Thanks and regards
    Patience.

    1. I’ve had those experiences too, and will be praying for you. I found a really helpful book called While You Are Waiting by Melody Barker and it wasn’t too much on Kindle either. Hope that helps. 🙂 You might find my recent post, Behind the Scenes of Destiny Helpful?

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