How To Hear God Speak to You (A Must Read)

We were created in God’s image. If we can talk, it means we’re doing what God does; talking. God spoke to several people in the Bible. He spoke to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, and so many others. He also showed them things that ordinarily they couldn’t have seen or known about. But today, it seems He rarely speaks or reveals things. And when He speaks or reveals, He speaks and gives revelations to only a particular people. That’s not true. God speaks to everyone. God reveals things to us. It’s left to you to identify and develop the medium through which He speaks or reveals things to you. Let’s consider the following scriptures:

Jeremiah 33:3. Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. KJV. Emphasis mine

Genesis 26:5. Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandment, my statutes, and my laws. KJV. Emphasis mine

John 14:26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. KJV. Emphasis mine

Deuteronomy 5:4. The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire. KJV. Emphasis mine

From the above scriptures, it’s evident that God spoke and revealed thing to people. But something that is noteworthy is the fact that these people spoken about in those scriptures had some level of relationship with God. You can’t hear God speak or understand His signs if you don’t know Him personally. Some people are not ready for this level of relationship. That is why they rely on others to seek God’s guidance and direction.

These people have made them believe God can speak or reveal things through them alone. It’s a big lie! Whoever makes you believe such is one of the merchants of God’s word. They deal in buying and selling of the word. Do not mistake me when I say they buy the word. Some of them pay some price to get things that make them see things. And they offer them to you at a price, either of money or your soul.

Can God really speak to me?

Yes! In fact, God speaks to you all the time. We don’t hear, neither do we understand because we don’t know He’s the one talking. I can guess when someone is not listening to me and I will stop talking. So does God. He talks to us through dreams and visions or revelations. He talks through his words (the Bible). He talks to us through signs. He talks to us through our feelings. He talks to us in our inner mind (still small voice). He can also talk to us through audible voice. Yes, I mean audibly like you’re talking with a friend. But you cannot hear Him because you have not been able to train and develop yourself to hear Him.

How do I hear God speak to me?

Create the right atmosphere

An attitude of listening. We have to avoid listening for His voice only when we’re desperate for a word of wisdom or need help in an emergency. We must train our spiritual ear to continuously be open to Him at any point in time.

The Bible said in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God. As we regularly pray and study the word of God, we develop a consistent habit of keeping our spiritual ear tuned in to God’s voice.

An attitude that honors God above everyone else

It is wrong seeking the opinion of others first before we take time to wait on God for direction. Or sometimes, we pray first then go to share with others what we think He said and ask for their opinion about it. You don’t tell your doctor your symptoms, conclude on what it could be and then ask for his opinion. It simply shows we’re honouring people’s advice more than the wisdom of God.

That doesn’t mean you can’t seek opinion from others. God can lead you to. But when we’re in the habit of doing that, it means we don’t trust God enough. 1 John 2:27 said that the anointing of the Holy Spirit on us is permanent. And that the Holy Spirit teaches us of all things. If we’re going to develop the ability to hear from Him, we need to start stepping out in faith, following the promptings of the Holy Spirit that come to our heart. We can make mistakes sometimes, but we can trust Him to help us back on track and keep moving forward.

An attitude of obedience

The Bible said in 1 Samuel 15:22 and in Psalm 40:6 that obedience is better than sacrifice. It does not do God any good if we choose to do what we want over listening and obeying Him. I know it’s not easy to obey, especially when He’s showing us to do what we don’t like or feel like doing. Let the truth be told, we won’t always be excited about the things God leads us to do, like humbling ourselves and apologizing when we’ve hurt someone. But whatever He puts in our hearts to do, it’s always for our good. And He will always be with us, giving us the wisdom and strength to obey when we hear His voice.

You need to indicate your readiness

God can speak to anyone. He can reveal things to anyone. Just indicate your readiness. Let’s consider the following scripture:

1 Samuel 3:3-11. 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 4 That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. 8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 11 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. KJV

From the above scripture, you could find out God was ready to speak. But He did not speak until Samuel indicated his readiness to hear Him speak. Have you sincerely from your heart indicated your readiness to hear God speak to you? Wait patiently. He will, in due time, when He’s got your attention totally.

On the other hand, if you are not ready to take the steps to getting information from God, then you have inadvertently decided to continue patronizing those that rip you off in the name of hearing from God. One of their crafts is to instill fear in you so you’ll always be dependent on their messages before you can take any step.

9 Ways God speaks to us

Audible voice

God has and still can speak audibly. Genesis 3:8 reveals that Adam and Eve heard God’s voice in the Garden of Eden. We can see in Exodus 20:1-22 that God spoke audibly to Moses from the burning bush. God spoke to all Israel from Mount Sinai in Exodus 3:4-6. Also, in the New Testament, God audibly endorsed Jesus at His baptism in Matthew 3:17, and His transfiguration in Matthew 17:5. God is sovereign, and He can speak however and whenever He wants.

Still small voice

In 1 Kings 19:9-12, Elijah was camping in a cave on Mount Sinai when God manifested Himself. Elijah saw a powerful wind, a mighty earthquake and a fierce fire, but God wasn’t in any of them. Instead, God spoke to him in a still small voice.

The written and spoken/living Word

The logos, which is the written Word, is a main way God speaks. God speaks to us when we read the Bible on nearly every issue that applies to modern living. Jesus, the Bread of Life, taught us to pray in Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread”. God has fresh spiritual manna to share with us every day if we’ll take the time to read His Word.
On the other hand, spoken/living Word is a specific message the Holy Spirit inspires to you personally. It’s a specific word for a specific time and for a specific need. It occurs when the written or spoken Word comes alive with special meaning in your situation. Jesus said in John 6:63 that “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

Visions and dreams

Acts 2:17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out 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. KJV

A vision is an inspired appearance (something you see literally with your eyes or in your mind or spirit). A dream is something seen in your sleep or something you imagine doing—a goal or an aspiration. God can insert images and ideas into our minds whether we are conscious or not.

Through signs

There is nothing wrong asking God for a sign. It depends on our motive. Satan’s requests was denied in Matthew 4:1-10, when he tempted Jesus during His fasting period. People who asked Jesus for a miracle just for show or to prove His divinity were denied, but those who asked God for a sign to confirm His will were often rewarded. In Judges 6:36-40, Gideon put a fleece out sincerely seeking confirmation of God’s will and was obliged.

Through people

God expresses Himself through human vessels to distribute His message in anointed sermons, songs and writings. God speaks through preachers and teachers, but He can also speak through our spouse, kids, friends and even enemies. God uses human channels to speak words of prophecy, tongues and interpretation and words of wisdom and knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 1 Peter 4:11).

Through nature

Psalms 19:1 proclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handywork.” KJV. The vastness of space and the complexity of nature testify to God’s intelligent design. You can hear the Creator’s voice in a lightening and thunder, in the waves of the sea, in the song of a bird, in the wind whistling through the trees and in a baby’s cry.

Through our conscience

God designed us with an inner awareness of what is right and wrong with an inclination to do right. God often speaks to us through our conscience.

Through coincidences/circumstances

I was, some time in the past, disturbed about the difficulty I was facing trying to make things possible to marry a lady I wanted to marry. I couldn’t hear what God was saying through the troubles, until a cousin of mine brought my attention to it there are situations we’re facing today that God is using to speak to us. We should ask for His wisdom and spirit of discernment to understand it. 

Remember, God speaks peace (Psalm 85:8). But sometimes, you may not feel the peace Immediately, it will surely come.

Kindly share your thought in the comment section below.