HOW TO HEAR GOD


 

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest needs in this day of confusing voices, is to learn clearly to hear God’s voice. The Scripture says in Matthew 24:4-5,11,26 and in II Thessalonians 2:3, 9-11 that “deception” is one of the greatest evidences of the last days! Just as Satan deceived in the beginning of time so he shall deceive in the end times. We desperately need to hear God!

Jesus said in John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: For what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” John 8:26-29 “I speak those things which I have heard of Him. I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things; for I do always those things that please him.” In John 15:15 Jesus said, “All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Jesus heard the Father: Baptism - “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;” Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22 and Transfiguration – “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35.


 

MAIN BODY

Note: God speaks in different ways…

  1. We Can Know God Still Speaks To Us!

A. Concerning the Holy Spirit, Jesus said in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you all things to come.” John 14:26 “He shall teach you all things.”


 

  1. We Can Still Hear The Voice Of God!

  1. Concerning hearing His voice, Jesus said in John 10:3-4,14,16,27 “The sheep hear His voice…He calleth His sheep by name…His sheep know His voice…Jesus knows His sheep…Jesus is known by His sheep…The sheep hear His voice…The sheep obey & follow Jesus.”


 

  1. We Can Distinguish God’s Voice From Other Voices!

  1. Too many of us are like the men accompanying Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:4,7;22:9 when they heard a voice they could not hear nor understand the voice. Or again in John 12:29 when the Father spoke to Jesus, the people thought it was thunder or an angel.

  2. Safe guards that help us distinguish between God’s voice, our thoughts and Satan’s: 1.)If it goes against the flesh it is probably God’s voice and if it pleases the flesh, it is probably our thoughts, Satan’s or a combination. 2.)Look for a sense of peace and confirmation within your spirit. I Corinthians 14:33 “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Mark 16:20 “The Lord confirms the word with signs following.”

  3. Have you ever had a strong impression about something? Heard an inner voice? Had a premonition:? Had a fleeting thought? Felt you were being told to do something?

  4. Illustration: “My wife’s voice!”


 

  1. We Can Know The Different Ways God Speaks To Us!

1. Through the Scripture- Hebrews 4:12 “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”; II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2. Through the Holy Spirit- I Corinthians 2:9-13 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God.” Acts 13:2 “The Holy Ghost said, separate me...”

3. Through prayer- Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”; John 14:5 “Thomas: How can we know the way?; John 14:8 “Philip: Show us the Father.”

4. Through fasting- Acts 13:2 “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said…”

5. Through visions(optasia=a sight, apparition; horama=a sight; horasis=act of seeing)- Acts 9:10-17 “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision…”; Acts 16:9 “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night.”; Acts 10:3 “Cornelius saw in a vision…”;

6. Through trances(ekstasis=a standing out, estasy)- Acts 10:10 “Peter fell into a trance.”; II Corinthians 12:2-4 “I new a man in Christ, whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: caught to the third heaven…into paradise…”

7. Through dreams(omar=what happens in sleep)- Acts 2:16-18 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith the God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:”; Matthew 1:20; 2:12-13, 19, 22 “Joseph: The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream.”

8. Through revelations(apokalupsis=an uncovering, unveiling)- Matthew 11:25 “Jesus: Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”; Matthew 16:17 “Jesus: Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”; I Corinthians 2:10 “God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”; I Corinthians 6:6 26 “Paul: I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine. When ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hat an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.”; II Corinthians 12:1, 7 “I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. Lest I be exhalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations…”; (Through gifts of the Spirit within the Body of Christ):

9. Through prophecy- Romans 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;”; I Corinthians 12:8-10 “For to one is given by the Spirit: prophecy.”; I Timothy 4:14 “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (presbuterion = an assembly of elders).”

10. Through teaching (didasko = to teach, instruct, train, disciple)- Romans 12:6-7 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us: he that teacheth on teaching.”; I Corinthians 12:28 “God hath set some in the church: teachers.”; Ephesians 4:11 “He gave some: shepherds/teachers.”

11. Through exhortation(parakaleo=to call near, to call for, come along side of)- Romans 12:6-8 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us: he that exhorteth, on exhortation.”; Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day.”; Hebrews 10:25 “Exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

12.-13. Through tongues(glosa=languages) and interpretation- I Corinthians 12:4, 10, 28 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. To another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. And God hath set some in the church: diversities of tongues.”

14. Through wisdom(sophia=wisdom, skill)- I Corinthians 12:7-8 “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom.”; Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdom.”

15. Through knowledge(gnosis=knowledge; to know how to use the wisdom) I Corinthians 12:7-8 “But manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.” I Corinthians 14:6 “I shall speak to you either by knowledge.”

16. Through discernment(diakrisis=a through judging) I Corinthians 12:7-10 “For to one is given by the Spirit discerning of spirits.”

17. Through angels(aggelos=messenger)- Acts 5:19 “The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them(apostles)forth.”; Acts 8:26 “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”; Acts 10:3, 7, 22 “Cornelius: saw in a vision an angel. The angel spake unto Cornelius. Cornelius was warned from God by an holy angel.”; Acts 12:7-10 “Peter: The angel of the Lord came upon him.”; Acts 27:23-25 “Paul: For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul…”

18. Through the witness within our spirit- I John 5:6 “It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” Everything that we hear must be confirmed as a witness in our spirit as in Romans 8:16 “The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

19. Through being silent- Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”

20. Through waiting upon the Lord- Isaiah 37:9 “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”; Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the Lord. Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

21. Through a “Still small voice”- I Kings 19:12(Not wind, earthquake nor fire.)

22. Through “Open and closed doors” Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they(Paul & Silas)had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”

23. Through “Circumstances & events”- Acts 16:10 “And after Paul had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering(sumbibazo=to put firmly together) that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel unto them.”

24. Through creation: donkey- Numbers 22:21-35 “Balaam’s ass.”; rocks- Luke 19:40 “Stones cry out.”

 

CONCLUSION

We Can Boldly And Confidently hear and Obey God’s Voice! Luke 17: 1-9 “Jesus was transfigured before them and Peter said, Let’s build three tabernacles…and while he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And the disciples fell on their face and were sore afraid.”

Example: “When was the last time you heard God say anything to you?” Genesis 28:10-22“Jacob’s Bethel experience”; Genesis 35:1-7“Back to Bethel.”

 

HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR!

Matthew 11:15 “Individuals” ; Revelation 2:7 “Churches”
© 2011 New Testament Church