I love the song, “Word of God Speak,” by MercyMe. The chorus especially speaks to my heart:
Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That you’re in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In your holiness
Word of God speak
There is something so awesome about communing with God and hearing His voice. Yet, there are still times I find myself wondering if I do hear God’s voice or if He still speaks to people today. The enemy loves to use doubt and confusion to cause us to keep from hearing clearly.
God speaks to His children in many ways. Here are just a few examples of what I have experienced.
He speaks through His word, the Bible. Lately, I have been reading in Luke. There are many passages where Jesus is speaking directly, “the letters in red.” I love to read these passages. It is like walking hand-in-hand with the savior and having him share His heart with us.
He speaks through nature. There is something about being outside and enjoying God’s creation. There is a sense of awe and wonder in the beauty that brings refreshing to all who take time to enjoy it.
He speaks through pictures. This is probably how I hear God the most. He brings pictures to my mind as I am praying. Sometimes I understand them, other times I share them with the church body and God shows someone else what they mean. It is so awesome and freeing to know you don’t have to have all the answers and so cool when the body of Christ works together.
He speaks through our thoughts or impressions. The one that stands out to me most happened recently. I had been praying God would reunite me with a woman who I had prayed with about getting pregnant. She and her husband had been trying for years. As I was driving down the road, I had the thought, “Stop at Big Lots.” After a bit of going back and forth with God, I pulled into the parking lot of Big Lots. As I entered the store, you will never guess who greeted me…the lady that I had prayed for! “I’m pregnant,” she called out as she gave me a huge hug. I couldn’t hold back the tears. God had not only answered our prayer, but He had brought us back together miraculously.
He speaks through others. Although I have written down many of the prophetic words that others have shared over me, there is one that stands out distinctly to me. I was at a conference with a couple other people from my church. When I sat down, a man sitting across the sanctuary stood out to me (caught my attention). I had the thought pop into my head, “He is being unfaithful to his wife.” (Whether in his thoughts or in his actions, I do not know.) Later, when I was at lunch, I said to my friends, “Why does God always give me the hard words?” When we returned to the conference, they had a prayer line. As I went through the line, the very first lady laid hands on me and prophesied, “Why do you ask me, ‘Why do you give me the hard words?’” Needless to say, I nearly lost it right there. Talk about a direct word from God! I don’t remember everything else that was said, but the gist of it was that God could trust me with it. What stood out to me most, was that God speaks to His children! LOL
He speaks through dreams or visions & sometimes, He even speaks audibly! Many years ago, I was woken out of a sound sleep one night by someone calling my name. Three times I heard it, “Jean!” I sat straight up in bed. “Why are you calling me?” I asked my husband. “Wh…What?” He answered groggily, “I didn’t call you.” We both looked at each other. “Maybe it was God,” my husband said, “Just like the story in the Bible! You should go pray and see what He wants.” I went downstairs, laid on the couch and started praying. I am not sure how long I had been there when I fell into what felt like a very deep sleep. I had a dream that was more real than any other I’ve ever had, it was more like what I would imagine a vision to be. I saw myself in a beautiful wedding gown. I was walking down the aisle to the altar. On the altar I could see the feet of Jesus. The rest of Him was covered in beautiful, white clouds. As I approached, I heard a voice ring out, “Let the intercessor and the prophetic unite.” I woke up very shaken and amazed.
These are just a few of the ways God speaks to us. I am sure there are more. The important thing is to know that He does speak, and He desires to speak to you.
The Bible tells us:
John 10:27-28 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
May the cry of your heart be as that of Samuel, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:7-11 (NIV)
