How Do I Hear When God Speaks?

By Aaron Baldridge

Many things are difficult for Christians to understand. One thing is particularly troubling, especially for new believers—the concept that God “speaks” to His children. We communicate with others through verbal or written words, and it is usually pretty easy to understand what is communicated. But God speaks in other ways that are more difficult to describe. It is even harder to understand unless you have experienced it. He speaks to us spiritually rather than verbally.

When examining this subject, we must keep three important principles in mind. First is the crucial, biblical teaching that the Holy Spirit indwells and empowers every Christian at the moment of conversion.

Second, we must remember that God never contradicts His Word or violates His nature. This means we have a responsibility to spend time learning and digesting God’s Word so we know the truth. If you do not know that Jesus said in the gospels, “No man knows the day or the hour when I will come again,” it will be easy for a slick “snake oil salesman” to lead you astray when he declares the Lord is coming back in six weeks.

Finally, it is important for Christians to remember that God often speaks in a still, quiet voice rather than boisterous thunder. God instructed David to “be still and know that I am God.” We may miss God’s voice if we do not listen quietly and concentrate completely. Perhaps you have experienced this when watching a TV show while playing a game on your phone or tablet. You “pay attention” to both, but it’s easy to miss important details, and later you find yourself wondering what you missed.

With these three things in mind, as we pray and live the Christian life in fellowship with God, how do we hear His voice and know we are walking in his ways? We must be sure we have a clear line of communication with God. Though the Holy Spirit indwells all believers, the Holy Spirit does not always have full control of all believers. Sin interrupts communication between God and man, and when this occurs, it is very hard to hear Him speak!

God speaks to us through His Word. I am amazed when I reflect upon the many times that God has used a Scripture, devotional thought, or sermon to speak to me about a matter that I have been praying about and needing answer to. Answers have come. Comfort has been given. Directions received. Conviction and chastisement dealt out. It is imperative for God’s children to spend regular time reading God’s Word. Our ability to hear God speak will come in direct proportion to the time we spend learning in the Word and listening for Him to speak.

God speaks to us by prayer. Prayer is a two-way communication, although we often treat it as a one-way “shopping list” delivered to God on a daily or weekly basis. Sure, one-sided conversations with God are often appropriate—when we invite His presence and blessing on our meals or pray together during worship services. Yet, even these instances are really two-way communication because God does visit with us and bless us through our meals, services, and activities throughout the day.

It is crucial, however, for believers to make intentional time to hear from God. We need at least one daily time when we get alone with God and pray. During these moments, we must be still and listen for Him to speak—to wait in silence to hear the Holy Spirit’s promptings and nudging. Again, God speaks softly, and we must be centered upon Him and tune everything else out. This is difficult to do even without a television blaring, kids running around, social media sounding alerts, or cell phones ringing. Find a quiet place and a quiet time where you can quiet your mind and get alone with God.

God speaks to us through fellow believers. God did not create His children to be alone. He created us for fellowship, and fellow believers help us confirm God’s speaking to us. A wonderful illustration is my call to preach. I had no doubt in my mind that God called me to preach, but I was very unsure of myself. Over the years, the affirming words, prayers, and opportunities others gave me confirmed the calling on my life.

Our Christian community of brothers and sisters helps us confirm God’s will in other areas well. I can testify about times I joined others in our church in praying about a particular matter, and God gave all the same answer. If you think you have heard something from God but are unsure, ask a brother or sister—maybe even a group—to pray with you about the matter. He will often affirm the decision through them.

God also speaks to us through circumstances. While we have free will to make our own choices, God often uses circumstances to guide us. Have you not observed that people are more open to and seeking the Lord during times of tragedy? After Hurricane Katrina, many asked, “Why would God allow that to happen?” Though God does not always cause tragedies, He does work through them to His glory (Romans 8:28-29).

In our connected, busy, loud world, it is easy to lose sensitivity to God’s voice. But the more we listen, hear, and obey, the better we will become at discerning God’s voice. Hearing God speak requires us to be intentional about seeking His direction through His Word, listening to His voice, and becoming deeply involved in a loving community of other believers. Most important, though, is simply being in His presence. We cannot hear God’s voice when we are not near Him.

About the Writer: Aaron Baldridge pastors Calvary FWB Church (Columbus, Georgia). He is an alumnus of Welch College (BS) and Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College (MA). In addition to pastoring, he teaches online courses at Welch College and California Christian College.