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There were times I thought hearing the voice of God was impossible. I thought God could never communicate with someone like me. Similar to many persons, I assumed God only spoke to certain pastors, prophets, or members of the clergy.
In retrospect, I realize God sure does have a sense of humor. The same God I thought would never speak to me began to give me clear instructions on how to live my life. I was shocked but excited to learn that God desired to communicate with an everyday person like me.
Once I became convinced that God still speaks, my next questions were,
- How do I hear His voice more?
- Did I have to spend hours in prayer and fasting to hear His voice?
- Are there specific prayers I should pray to increase sensitivity to His voice?
- How would little old me continually reach the ear of the God of this whole universe?
All of these answers did not appear right away; however, here are some tips on how I learned to hear the voice of God.
The Bible
Since I desired to hear the voice of God more frequently, I started where I knew. I began to read the word of God just about every day. I know it sounds cliché, but it worked. God spoke through the scriptures.
Daily, the words from those pages jumped out at me. The illustrations and stories were teaching and instructing me on how to live day-to-day. God’s direction and voice became more evident with each passing day.
The Bible is not an old book of stories. It is God’s love letter to humanity. In it, we can hear the heart of God.
My advice: Purchase a Bible (like this one) in a version that is easy to understand. Personally, the “thee’s” and “thou’s” would set my brain on fire, so start with an NIV or NLT version.
Journaling
I then purchased a bunch of cute little prayer journals that I would write in while reading the Bible. I mean, any book would suffice, but I’m a sucker for a cute journal. In those journal pages, I poured out my heart during my quiet time with God.
Sometimes I would pen my understanding of the scripture I just read. Other times I would write whatever I was feeling or sensing.
Years later, looking back on those pages, I can see that God was clearly speaking. At times it’s shocking to see just how clearly.
My advice: We are usually able to connect the dots looking back. Invest in a prayer journal (like this) and begin writing during or after your Bible reading and prayer sessions. Be consistent and patient in this process.
Prayer
In addition to writing, I would pray as often as possible. At first, this was difficult because I did not know how to pray. I thought my prayers had to sound a particular way because I saw the way people at church got emotional during prayer.
I wanted to cry in prayer time to feel what they felt. When that did not work, I did my best by just having a conversation with God.
Ok, ok! I gave God my wish list lol.
Side note: Here’s what I love about God. Even in my lack of understanding, He met me at my level. *Praise Break*
As I continued to pray, I got more comfortable with God. The more comfortable and often I prayed, my prayers began to change.
I noticed I stopped giving a wish list and began to pray for other people. It was in those moments that God began to speak more than ever. He would provide me with insight on how to pray for those people.
Sometimes this came through visions. Other times it was just a “knowing”. As an added bonus, God began to unlock gifts that I had no idea existed.
Before I knew it, I was on a path to purpose and wrote my first book shortly after.
My advice: Spend time praying daily. It can be 15 minutes or 5 minutes. Just start. When you are done praying, keep an open ear to hearing God as you go throughout your day.
Keeping an open ear is kind of like when you are trying to eavesdrop on a conversation. While eavesdropping, you are attentively trying to hear. This is the same posture you should maintain while listening for the voice of God.
Ways God Speaks
Now that God was speaking, it was important for me to understand how He communicated with me. Despite what the movies portray, God’s voice is rarely, if ever, a loud, audible, thunderous voice. The ways He speaks includes:
- Dreams
- Visions
- People
- A knowing
- The Bible
The truth is, God is eager to speak to you.
The more you pay attention to how God communicates with you, the more you will hear the voice of God. As you commune with Him, the more you will be able to recognize His voice. The more attentively you listen, the clearer His voice will become.
Why you need to Hear the Voice of God
I’m sharing all of this with you because learning to hear the voice of God is a defining moment in the life of a believer.
It is in hearing His voice you are able to receive direction for your life.
I’m sure as a young believer, you have questions.
You want to know what college to attend, what career to pursue, who to marry, what business you should open, or which friends you should connect to. All of these are great questions.
What’s even greater is that you have access to the One that created you. He can answer every single question.
Luke 12:7 says, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows “.
If God cares about the number of hairs on your head, then He definitely cares about your life choices. He is eager to communicate His desires for you. Yet the only way you can know and obey His plan is if you hear His voice.
I outline more ways that God’s Speak in this free e-book guide.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me
-John 10:27
Learning to hear the voice of God takes practice. Be patient and do not give up. It is not a perfect journey, but God is with you.
Well, that’s it for this post. I hope that you felt inspired to hear the voice of God.
Until next time….
Be Strong, Be Courageous, Serve God Wholeheartedly
Gilberta Thompson
P.S. Download your free guide to hearing the voice of God, here.
