How to Hear from God: Start with His Word

This world is an uncertain place.

You simply have to turn on the news to see some of that uncertainty and instability going on in our world today. Economic upheaval in many global economies, with the lingering effects of the COVID 19 pandemic impacting us all. Foreign superpowers creating regional instability with invasions and threats against smaller nations. Political and moral issues causing unrest and division amongst neighbors.

And so it is understandable, with so much uncertainty going on in our world, that many people are feeling unsure, and even a little fearful about what the future may hold.

It is in times like these, that we need more than ever, to hear the voice of God in our lives.

When our little boy William was just a toddler, there were times when he would wake up in the middle of the night, alone and frightened. And in those times he would start crying and calling out for his Mummy or Daddy. I could hear his cries for help, and in the darkness of our home, before I had the chance to reach his room and scoop him up in my arms, I would call out to him, reassuring him that I had heard him and was coming.

It was in those moments, when he heard my voice, that he would stop crying because he knew I was on my way. He couldn’t see me, he couldn’t feel me; it was the reassuring voice of his father that brought him peace and comfort when he was frightened and scared.

In this season of so much uncertainty and instability, the voice of your heavenly Father wants to speak into your life and situations, bringing His peace and comfort to your soul.

So how does this happen? By God speaking to us through His word, the bible.

Let’s start with laying a foundation for hearing the voice of God.

The first truth we need to understand is that God is a communicating God. In fact, He has been right from the beginning.

In Genesis 1:3 we read:

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

— Genesis 1:3

This verse tells us that right from the start God spoke. He is a communicating God.

The second truth is Jesus said we have the ability to hear his voice. In John 10:27 Jesus spoke these words:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

— John 10:27

Any person who has placed their faith in Jesus is one of God’s sheep. And they have the ability to hear His voice.

This is good news for us. We can all hear the voice of God!

It is not just reserved for the super-saints, or people of great spiritual maturity.

No, anyone who is a child of God can hear the voice of God!

So how does God then speak?

The first and primary way that God speaks to us is through His word, the Bible. It is inspired by Him (2 Timothy 3:16), and alive and active (Hebrews 4:12).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path”

— Psalm 119:105

His words are His truth for our lives today. They are alive and active and have the power to bring you encouragement and comfort, healing and hope, correction and direction.

“When you open your Bible, you are literally opening the words of God. Scripture is God’s voice available for you in every moment, situation, and predicament you face.”

— Craig Denison

In late 2011, I moved from Albury-Wodonga, on the NSW/Victoria border, to live on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia.

I remember moving up there, an unknown city where I knew very few people, and really struggling for the first several weeks in finding my purpose there.

I was feeling lost, unsure of my role and place, disillusioned and discouraged. I was asking God, ‘What am I doing in this city? What do you have for me to do here?’ I had felt his blessing on my move there, but was unsure on what steps to take next.

I remember walking into a McDonald’s restaurant for a meal one day. At the time I was reading ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren. I had the book with me, and so I opened it for a quick read whilst consuming my Big Mac and fries.

I was up to the chapter where he talked about the purpose for your life being to love people, when I stumbled upon these words from scripture:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.””

— Mark 12:30-31

It was in that moment that I felt the Holy Spirit impress these words from scripture to my heart. I felt like God was speaking directly to me. I just knew that God was speaking to me through His word.

‘Dave, your purpose here is simple. You are to love me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and you are to love other people as you would yourself. That’s it.’

I felt energized and alive! Now I knew what I was here for!

I had walked into McDonald’s feeling lost, disillusioned and discouraged. I walked out of McDonald’s with a renewed sense of hope, energy, and clarity about the future.

All because God had spoken to me through His word.

This can happen for you. Maybe you are feeling lost, discouraged, alone. Maybe you don’t know which way to turn, what lies ahead.

But God does. And He desires today to speak to you through His word. Today you can hear the voice of God as you open the pages of scripture and open your heart to His words.

How does this happen? By giving attention to His word. In fact, I know from personal experience that the more time I spend in God’s word, the more I hear God speak through His word.

As we finish, let me give you a couple of ways you can devote more time to God’s word.

The first is by living out a concept I first heard about from Author Wendy Speake in her excellent book, The 40 Day Social Media Fast. Wendy talked about a principle she has implemented in her household of ‘The Word before the World’. What this means is that before she opens her email or social media, or checks the news, she first chooses to open God’s word and allows Him to be the first one that speaks into her life at the start of the day.

The second suggestion is to incorporate listening to an audio version of the bible in the times during the day when you are doing an activity that doesn’t require high levels of focused concentration.

The Youversion app is an excellent resource that can be installed on a smartphone, and the app has the ability to play an audible version of the bible. Simply go to the bible tab at the bottom of the screen and press the play button again down the bottom for a narration of the chapter you are on.

Others might like my friend John Stange’s podcast, The Chapter-A-Day Audio Bible. Each day he reads one chapter of the bible and then has a prayer at the end.

Whatever form it takes, I encourage you to make God’s word a priority in your life, and don’t be surprised when He speaks to you through it. He loves to do just that!

Next time we will look at another way that God speaks to us.