How does God talk to you?

[Ladybelle]

I know I don't post in here much, but I lurk. And, I'm certainly a Christian.

Anyways, I was talking to a dear friend of mine and she posed a very good question & one that I've wondered myself: How does God talk to you? If you've been praying about something & wanting an answer from God, how do you know when He's answered you without a doubt?

I believe he talks to me in dreams,but I've heard of people being approached by strangers (prophets) with words from the Lord.

When people say "God told me", how did he tell them? Has God ever talked to you? In what way did he do so and how did you KNOW it was him?

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

for me its when i'm in need and he brings things to me in clarity of thought
Often if confused on a subject, feeling misguided..... it gets really heavy
And all of a sudden it's clear as a bell.... a rainbow after the storm

I speak it by saying "it something in my heart"... after i express my thoughts, or comply with what god's telling me.... i feel free, clear, at peace even

great question OP

 

[sidney]

There are many ways you can hear from God, through reading the word of God, through godly friends, through wise counsel (pastors), through circumstances,etc. If you want to hear the voice of God it takes months and months, and hours and hours of being in God's presence.....he said if you seek me you will find me. But people don't spend that much time from God.....and so not many people hear from him. If you need to know the answer to your question now, I would pray for direction and ask godly friends what they think about the situation. If you have close contact with your pastor I would ask him as well. Pray in look for favorable circumstances. Ask God to open doors that are in his will and close those that are not in his will.

 

[wish4length]

I honestly wish I were a better listener to even be able to answer this question

 

[Prudent1]

There are many ways you can hear from God, through reading the word of God, through godly friends, through wise counsel (pastors), through circumstances,etc. If you want to hear the voice of God it takes months and months, and hours and hours of being in God's presence.....he said if you seek me you will find me. But people don't spend that much time from God.....and so not many people hear from him. If you need to know the answer to your question now, I would pray for direction and ask godly friends what they think about the situation. If you have close contact with your pastor I would ask him as well. Pray in look for favorable circumstances. Ask God to open doors that are in his will and close those that are not in his will.

ITA w/ all of the ways the ladies have listed. For me personally it usually an internal prompting or through crystal clear dreams full of analogies and symbolism. I cannot forget them. I may not remember a 'too many enchilada' type dream past breakfast time. Some ppl even hear from him in audible voices. I have def had experiences where I internally heard and knew I was being warned of possible future outcomes. As far as how you know, that is from time spent getting to know him. I mean, it's like that experience Moses had where he asked GOD to see his face. You may not see him coming but you def KNOW when he has been through and you are seeing his backside! When you have received a breakthrough so customized and significant to you. Received a crystal clear answer to something you've never discussed with another human being. Something you never even open your mouth and vocalized-ever. There are no coincidences that fine tuned. There is a difference between something you perceive with your head, your heart, and your spirit. They do not feel the same. It does take time honing the ability to decipher the three. I appreciated ppl's prayers for me and such but quite frankly, I got tired of always needing to get in touch with so and so for prayer. I knew God did not have favorites. So, I just started to pray and ask him to show me how to get closer to him. I told him I wanted to hear him too even if it was scary or he was correcting me or whatever. I wanted to know if all of this stuff was real or a super hallucination.

 

[LovelyRo]

God speaks to me in different ways. Sometimes it's through "signs." Other times it's through the word. Recently I prayed to the Lord on an serious decision I had to make. I asked the Lord to guide me to scripture that would direct me and sure enough I started reading the word and was certain of the decision that God wanted me to make. I feel as though the stronger my walk is the easier it will be for me to hear God.

 

[suburbanbushbabe]

God talks to in ways I often don't want to hear. Discomfort is always a good clue. Something I'm resisting is another. And scripture. Every time I do Bible Study with people, I hear God talking.

 

[nique3]

This is a great question. Thanks for asking it OP. It is so cool to hear how God speaks to other people.

God usually speaks to me through a heavy burdened feeling (I get really emotional), also reading the word. I know when a scripture is meant for me because it stikes a cord with me (meaning I feel convicted). Lately, I have found a wonderful church, and usually the pastors message ALWAYS has something to do with whatever I am going through at the moment.

When I first became a Christian God used to speak to me through an actual voice, but I had to becareful with listening to voices, because 9 out 10 its not from God.

 

[Lylddlebit]

~~~~~~~Deleted~~~~~~~~~~

 

[BeautifulRoots]

I think the best way to hear what god is saying is by reading your word. Whenever you ask God something, it's is great when outside sources give responses that can fit, but reading your bible is the answer that is verified as truth to the christian.

AMEN! I was pretty much going to say that exact same thing. His words will not pass away!

 

[amarestar86]

Hi asuperwoman,
I am also a lurker on here. I recently became seriously interested in how one hears from God - I had a big decision to make that I was struggling with and I realized that I depend a lot on others to guide me and to hear from God for me so to speak. Subsequently, I happened to stumble upon Joyce's Meyer's book: "How to Hear from God". It was very enlightening, practical and instructive and touches on some of the experiences that the other posters have shared - you should check it out if you are able to. HTH!

 

[mrselle]

For me, sometimes it is through reading the Word, hearing a sermon in church, hearing God's voice, a dream or vision and other times it is just a feeling that God is dealing with me and gently guiding me to do something. If I am really in tune and truly want to hear from God that "gentle guiding" will be so strong that I can't stop thinking about it and I just know what it is I need to do. Last summer God dealt with me on a situation I was going through with a family member. The family member was in the wrong, so I thought I was in the clear and just needed to keep on doing what I was doing. Not so. God dealt with me so strong that I had no choice but to repent of my wrong doings, humble myself and apologize to the person. At that point it didn't matter who was right and who was wrong. There was something that God wanted me to do so I did it.

 

[luthiengirlie]

I know I don't post in here much, but I lurk. And, I'm certainly a Christian.

Anyways, I was talking to a dear friend of mine and she posed a very good question & one that I've wondered myself: How does God talk to you? If you've been praying about something & wanting an answer from God, how do you know when He's answered you without a doubt?

I believe he talks to me in dreams,but I've heard of people being approached by strangers (prophets) with words from the Lord.

When people say "God told me", how did he tell them? Has God ever talked to you? In what way did he do so and how did you KNOW it was him?

A still small voice through my emotional moments. Sometimes its like a parent soothing a kid.

Through other people especally if its the same thing 5-6 times. (I can be hardheaded)
Or something going smoothly. When it obviously going to take an ACT OF YHWH For me t acieve something.

When he makes me PAITENT. Sometimes He's gotta say Luthiengirlie be STILL sheesh!!!

Sometimes He looks at me sideways or gives me the side eye. I can really feel THAT for some reason. Like" Girl PUHLEASE" You cannot be serious! OH you ARE serious, FACEPALM!

Yep. Its a unique relationship!

 

[phynestone]

He speaks to me in several ways - through others, a Word and a still small voice inside.

 

[Sharpened]

Everything else has been mentioned, but I realized the hard way if wanted to get closer to Him, I had to let go of my desires for this world, a work in progress.

 

[cdawnlewis]

He speaks to me through my dreams, giving me clear messages in dreams that I can't forget. They are full of symbolism. Also, when I hear from God, it's not actually a voice, but a strong, strong feeling. One time I was at the dollar store and the spirit told me to give these two men in front of me in the line 10 dollars. They looked like they were needing money, and they were people I would never expect to encounter personally. But the urge was so strong I knew I had to move!

 

[Butterfly08]

Lately it's been through reading His word, and journaling. Sometimes I will see a vision like I'm watching tv and write it down. Later on, I will see it as it actually happens. Other times it is a word or phrase that is given to me. For instance, he recently told me "stay in the fire." I am going through a tough, wilderness phase and in previous years I have wriggled out of the fire. It was a strange word but later revelation showed me that He is trying to purify me and I need to let Him keep working on me, even though it hurts, to let faith have its perfect work.

An example of a vision I've seen is a Sold sign for my house. God showed me this sign less than 2 months before our house finally sold. This was during the worst of the housing crisis, so seeing that Sold sign was a tremendous encouragement. Needless to say, my faith was strengthened when it actually happened.

At the beginning of my birthday month, as I lay in bed I saw several visions. Some have not come to past. One was my feeling that this was a brand new season in my life. The next day in service, the sermon was preached that we are in a new season and past mistakes are being wiped away.

Also a couple months ago I was journaling. I give every page a title which summarizes what I wrote on that page. My title for the last page I wrote before church was "It's Turning Around!" When I went to church that night, I received a personal prophesy, and what was part of it - "God is going to turn some things around - not many days." The prophetess had me to literally turn around twice. Wow!

I see a lot of visions, and it can be frustrating at times because some of them are taking a loooong time to come true. However, I guess it's a sign of growth that God can trust me with this knowing that the birthing process will be difficult. I think he is trying to build my faith by not letting the visions immediately come to pass.

The word is true, if you seek Him, you WILL find Him.

 

[gn1g]

Depends on how I seek him. If I set out to have a conversation then I become STILL before the LORD and I hear his still small voice in my being. If I am overtakin with a situation and it is too noisey in my spirit I go to the word and He will speak to me there and often times he will talk to me thru people especially children, television and media outlets.

Once my mom was very very sick we didn't think she was going to make it, so I was praying and walking and I walked down and alley in which a car was parked with a big magnetic sign on the door and it said"EXPECT A MIRACLE" that was all it said, nothing else. I took a picture of it and sent it to my family and we held on to that word with faith and my mom is pulled thru and is still here!

PRAISE HIM, FOR HE IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!

 

[Butterfly08]

^Beautiful testimony!

 

[ToyToy]

I know someone who hears God *audibly*.
I hear God in different ways. Sometimes I hear Him through inner "prompting and nudging". Many, many times God speaks to me through dreams (most of the times they are symbolic). He usually interprets me dreams for me when I ask Him - especially when they are highly symbolic. I hear Him through that small still voice. In the past I have heard God distantly through waves (I could hear waves in the background). Every now and again I hear God clearly and distinctly in my heart. This is always unmistakable. God *always* confirms His word. Always. In 1 John 4 (I may be wrong the chapter, but it is 1 John), the Bible tells us that we should test the Spirit. If you have heard God, He will *always* confirm what He has spoken to you.
Many times I ask for a biblical reference or some form of confirmation, and I always receive it.

We have to bear in mind that it is God the Holy Spirit we hear. If we heard God the Father, we would probably go deaf. His voice is like thunder (Exodus). So when people say they heard God, they mean that they heard God the Holy Spirit. Just wanted to clarify.

We must also be mindful of not "dictating" to God how he speaks to us. God can use anything or anyone to communicate with us. We need to be sensitive to that.

 

[OhmyKimB]

I know I don't post in here much, but I lurk. And, I'm certainly a Christian.

Anyways, I was talking to a dear friend of mine and she posed a very good question & one that I've wondered myself: How does God talk to you? If you've been praying about something & wanting an answer from God, how do you know when He's answered you without a doubt?

I believe he talks to me in dreams,but I've heard of people being approached by strangers (prophets) with words from the Lord.

When people say "God told me", how did he tell them? Has God ever talked to you? In what way did he do so and how did you KNOW it was him?

Dreams, sermons, devotionals, sometimes through my thoughts when I meditate on Him. I don't know how to explain how I know. Discernment I guess is all I can say. I did learned from God at one time to know when things are of him and when it is not. It took me a little while to learn that difference. As my relationship with God got stronger it became easier.

 

[Raspberry]

There are many ways you can hear from God, through reading the word of God, through godly friends, through wise counsel (pastors), through circumstances,etc. If you want to hear the voice of God it takes months and months, and hours and hours of being in God's presence.....he said if you seek me you will find me. But people don't spend that much time from God.....and so not many people hear from him. If you need to know the answer to your question now, I would pray for direction and ask godly friends what they think about the situation. If you have close contact with your pastor I would ask him as well. Pray in look for favorable circumstances. Ask God to open doors that are in his will and close those that are not in his will.

This is absolutely true - God speaks in many ways but primarily through His word. However, the times where I have frequently heard him speaking literally to my spirit were during seasons where I was spending hours in His word and presence on a regular basis. Those are also the times where I have received visions.

The main reason we can't hear that "still small voice" is because our minds are clouded by worries and earthly concerns. My thoughts tend to go a mile a minute and its only when I can "be still" and know that He is God can I hear with clarity. I have heard Him speak to me a few times right before I drift off to sleep - when my mind is the most quiet. There are many times that hearing His voice has been like straining to hear a whisper in the wind and I realize yet again that staying sensitive to the voice of the Spirit talking to my spirit should be my number 1 priority.

Otherwise, disciplining oneself to spend time in prayer, fellowship with Him, and the Word renews the mind and brings the spirit man into ascendancy so that the voice of the carnal mind and urges of the body are whipped into submission. A renewed mind that is at peace can perceive God's voice and direction the best.

 

[Raspberry]

When I first became a Christian God used to speak to me through an actual voice, but I had to becareful with listening to voices, because 9 out 10 its not from God.

Interesting, yes the enemy loves to deceive people when they rely on supernatural signs for God's direction.

I've noticed that early on in our walks God often gives us overt supernatural experiences to build our faith but as we mature we are required to use our faith muscles more and discipline ourselves to hear His voice. Its easy to want an obvious sign instead of trusting and believing in His word. We can trust in His promises even if there are no accompanying emotions to get us worked up.