If someone uses the phrase “God told me to do it” in their conversation, a lot of people would peg the person as weird, wacko or even worse. We’ve all read news accounts of heinous crimes committed by someone who was convinced that God told them to do it. So people move to the other extreme and even churches teach that God does not speak to anyone anymore. Oh, they say, he spoke in the times of the Bible, but not anymore, we’re on our own.
A little strange, isn’t it, that the creator of the universe is telling people to do horrible things or has suddenly become mute in the 21st century. The truth of the matter is that God is good and He still speaks today. The Bible tells us that the reason that God created people was so He could have a relationship with them. A relationship is defined by two-way communication. That communication with God is called prayer.
Now most people think of prayer as simply speaking to God, usually asking Him to do something for us. However, the Bible invariably shows a picture of prayer as two persons conversing, man talking to God and God talking back to man. Don’t you think the world would be a better place if people started listening to God a little more and to their televisions a little less? When you pray, have you ever stopped to listen? God wants to speak to you, but you’ve got to have an open mind in order to hear Him.
NLT John 10:27 Jesus: “My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
Pastor Dan,
How can you tell the difference between the voice of God and the desire of your heart?
It’s not always easy to discern the difference between God’s voice and our own heart’s desires. Of course, your question assumes there is a difference between these two. As a believer grows in the Lord, our heart’s desires become more and more the same as God’s will. NLT Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. The simple answer to your question is that God’s voice will always agree with God’s Word, so we need to check what we think we are hearing from God with His Word to see if they agree.
However, life is complex and often the things we are trying to discern are neither right or wrong according to God’s Word. For example, should I take this job offer or not? If what you hear is not contrary to God’s Word, as far as you can tell, the second question is to discern your heart’s motivation. If your motivation in hearing God is for furthering His purpose in your life, then you are on safe ground. When we get to the point, that we are truly neutral, ready to accept whatever God may say, then we can hear God most clearly. If in your heart you strongly desire to hear one answer, regardless of God’s purpose, you are unlikely to be able to hear God clearly.
My July 25 message, “How To Discern God’s Voice” will address this question in more detail.
Hello:
I am originally from St. Louis and now serving as a Youth Pastor in Maine. Sadly, I am in a church where the other leasdership are hung up on the concept of God not speaking today. I get frustrated with them as they make it a point of contention whenever anyone says “God told me to …”. Can you email me at [email protected] with Scriptual support for hearing His voice today? I have done some research in
this area but would like to have someone else’s comments on the subject. Also my blog is http://www.youthministerman.blogspot.com. I linked to your church website from a banner ad on mine and them linked to your blog.
Thank You
There is so much support in the Bible for hearing from God that it is hard to know where to begin. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation shows that God speaks to all kinds of people. You can start with the verse quoted in my blog above, John 10:27. Here are some other ones:
NIV John 10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
NIV John 5:25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
NIV Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.I could go on and on. Bottom line is that you need to hear God’s voice in order to have a relationship with Him. If you don’t hear His voice, you don’t know Him. The Bible defines the first time you hear God speak as the call of God.
NIV Acts 2:39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off– for all whom the Lord our God will call.Now some people who haven’t thought this through very much will say that God still calls people into a relationship with Himself, but He doesn’t speak anything else. The burden of proof is on the people who say God doesn’t speak anymore, because virtually every chapter of the Bible shows that He does. The role of the Holy Spirit is to speak to believers continually.
NIV John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.That should give you a start. I’m not sure what kind of a church you are part of, but I don’t know of any well-known and reputable Christian leader that teaches that God no longer speaks to people today.
Pastor Dan
I just read the comment that you to the youth pastor about hearing God’s voice. I couldn’t agree more with comments and scripture references to the man. When you told him that you must hear the voice of God if you know him. You hit the nail right on the head. I often wonder when people tell me I don’t hear from God at all if those people that tell me that are truly born again. What are your thoughts on those that say they have never heard from God? Thank -you God bless
As I said in my blog, if you don’t hear God’s voice, you don’t know Him. However, since there is the erroneous teaching in part of the church at large that God ceased speaking when the Bible was completed, many people have been taught not to expect to hear from God. I believe at least some of these people have heard from God and committed their lives to Him, however they don’t describe their experience of entering into a relationship with God as hearing from God. So yes, it is possible to be a believer, but mistakenly believe that you never hear from God. Of course, the best for a believer is to hear from God daily and follow His direction knowingly.
No matter what I try (and I’ve tried for 30 years), I don’t hear God. I listen. I pray. I read the Word. I’ve begged. I’m bitter and sour to the fact that – as bad as I want a relationship with Christ, I don’t have one. I’m seeking a true relationship with God, a real relationship like I have with anyone else. I’m trired of guessing, or having faith if God has or hasn’t been talking to me. Why can’t God be more clear? Why is it a “still, small voice” game?
I hear from God many times.From bible,my heart and other people.But i am not sure that it is God’s word or not till it will be come into practical activities.
My new message series “How To Hear God Speak” begins on July 1, 2007. If you can’t attend the Sunday services in person, you can listen to the messages on the website. I believe they will help answer your questions about hearing God speak.
Hey, I love your thoughts here. Great comments. I’m a Pastor in Calgary, AB, Canada and my central passion in life is helping people tune in to God’s voice in their lives. Thanks for using your blog to help people along in this way, and for doing a sermon series on the topic.
If you’re interested, I have created a website called http://www.howtoheargodspeaking.com dedicated to this adventure as well.
God bless,
Brad Huebert
That’s not just the best answer. It’s the bettses answer!
Praise the Lord Pastor Dan,
My question is: Does God only reveal things to the pastor and no one else? We had a situation in our church where a visitor came twice and on the second visit determined that our church was not where God was leading her to be, but she felt she being led to another church she had visited before. Our pastor told us that “God doesn’t reveal anything to you until it’s done.” Is this true because for some reason I’m having a problem with that statement. Are there scriptures that say God speaks only to the pastor and no one else? We appreciate your help and will await your answer. Thank you Sir.
@stand. God reveals things to every believer who seeks Him, whether they are a church leader or not. I have no idea what your pastor meant by his statement. Why don’t you discuss it with him?
Hi Pastor Dan,
I am confused about my current pastor. During services he starts preaching as if God is talking through him. He says things like, “I, the Lord, am now calling you closer…” and what not. This drew a red flag in my head, but many in the church don’t question it. What do you think?
Thank you and God Bless.
There is a spiritual gift called prophecy, in which God speaks a message through people. You can read about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14. In those chapters, you will see that prophecy must be evaluated to see whether it lines up with the written word of God. If it doesn’t, then it is false prophecy and shouldn’t be listened to.
I don’t understand how you know if God is inherently a ‘good’ being. Maybe he IS telling these people to do these heinous acts and maybe the god you know doesn’t exist.
These are the two type of christians that I meet the most often: 1) People who believe only in the bible. 2) People who believe that what they feel is the embodiment of what the true god is.
Seeing as how the bible is written by men (men who lie, steal and deceive), I don’t know why anyone would take the bible as truth. Seeing as how every person seems to have a huge difference in morality and what they view as ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, I don’t know how you can justify your hunch as the true feelings given by God.
Just a rant.