God could have created the world, then stood back and watched the show. He could have chosen to remain a mystery and left us to scramble to understand him through his creation. But He didn’t. In an amazing outpouring of His love, He chose to speak to us. The almighty, all-powerful creator communicates with lowly human beings in our own words.

How God Spoke To Us In History

The book of Hebrews emphasizes God’s communication to us. From the very beginning of the book, we read:

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs” (Hebrews 1:1–2).

Roughly half of the Old Testament was written by various prophets, each delivering an authoritative voice from God to different times and places in Israel’s history, and each speaking to us today.

Ezekiel, John, David, Paul, Peter and many others experienced God speaking to them through visions and dreams. The good news of Jesus Christ was delivered to the non-Jewish world after Peter and Paul received visions. The entirety of the book of Revelation was delivered to John in such a vision.

Others, such as Abraham, Mary, and Joseph received visits from angels sent by God to communicate on His behalf. We treasure the voices of angels as they speak to Mary and the shepherds every year when we celebrate Christmas.

The Old Testament records hundreds of times when God spoke to people. We have no way of knowing in how many of these incidents God’s voice spoke audibly, and how many times God spoke directly into the minds of the listeners.

There is no reason God could not speak to a person today, but it is not the most common way God communicates with us. So where can we hear his voice?

God Speaks to Us In Scripture

This is the primary way we hear from God in modern times. Paul tells us in his second letter to Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Isn’t it amazing that the words of scripture, written down before the invention of modern paper, copied by hand hundreds of thousands of times, translated from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into so many languages, yet remain substantively unchanged? We can rely on the written word of God as His communication to us. If we lament we haven’t heard God’s voice in a while, we should open our Bibles and read. It’s likely He has already written exactly what we need to hear.

God Speaks to Us Through His Chosen Teachers

Have you ever attended a church service and walked away wondering if the pastor had been spying on you during the week? It feels as if he or she wrote that sermon specifically for you. As a pastor, I can guarantee he or she did no such thing! A faithful pastor spends as much time listening to God during the week as they do crafting the perfect words or delivery.

Jesus told the apostles in Matthew: “Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:19–20). It no longer surprises me when I catch myself saying something from the pulpit that never found its way into my sermon notes. I recognize it is the Holy Spirit speaking to a member of my congregation the words they most need to hear.

God Speaks to Us Through Other People

Have you noticed times when you are feeling miserably alone, when suddenly your phone rings and it’s a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time? God often speaks to us through the people He places in our lives. It may be the phone call out of the blue, or an unexpected conversation where you explore deep truths with a friend.

I have experienced occasions where people arrive with a specific message to deliver. On one occasion, I was walking through the hospital and felt a sudden urge to walk up and speak to a total stranger. The message I was given to deliver was a simple one: “Your wife is going to be fine.” I didn’t know this man, I didn’t know he was married, but when his eyes filled with tears of relief, I knew that message was a word from God.

God Speaks to Us Through Creation

Have you ever watched a particularly spectacular sunset at the end of a difficult day? A sunset that glows with a peaceful beauty that can only come from God? Sometimes you are overtaken by a thunderstorm that echoes with God’s power. The Psalms tell us. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge” (Psalm 19:1–2).

God Speaks to Us Through the Holy Spirit

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation when suddenly a Bible verse pops into your head? This often isn’t a random thought, it’s the voice of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).The Holy Spirit is a powerful way God speaks to us today, but even the Holy Spirit can’t remind us of scripture if we’ve not read it. This is why it’s important to immerse yourself in scripture daily.

Why Isn’t God Speaking to Me?

We often feel we’ve been abandoned. The Psalmist often expresses this feeling as well, like in Psalm 13: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). The good news is that even though we may strongly feel this way, it simply isn’t true. So why do we not hear God’s voice? What barriers are there that prevent us from hearing from God?

You know that person at church? The one that is always telling you that what you are doing is wrong, or you’re doing it the wrong way? You avoid them whenever possible, don’t you? You are just not open to what they have to say. Unfortunately, too often we all treat God that way. We know what God is going to say to us and don’t want to hear it. When we know we are doing wrong, we close our hearts against God and put a distance between us and Him. Then we wonder why we can’t hear.

Sometimes we are listening so hard to the chaotic world around us, we miss the messages that God sends us. What can we do to make sure we hear God’s voice?

How to Listen for God’s Voice

Since the Garden of Eden, none of us are born knowing instinctively how to listen to God’s voice. It is a skill that we must cultivate if we wish to use it.

We start by believing that God really does want to speak to us. That is why He created us after all. He desired to form a relationship with us. Like any human relationship, this requires communication. Remember, He is your heavenly Father and loves you deeply.

When my wife and I were first dating, we’d go out to hear live music. We both liked the music, but I struggled to have a conversation with her with all the surrounding noise. In the same way, to hear God we must create quiet spaces in our lives. We read the story of Elijah on the mountain.

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11–12).

If we surround ourselves with the noisy, busy world all the time, we will never be able to hear God’s quiet whisper to us.

Many people think of prayer as a way we talk to God. Has it ever occurred to you that God could respond to us during our prayer time? There are a few things we can do to encourage ourselves to hear God’s voice during prayer. We can start by praying God’s words back to Him. The book of Psalms is a wonderful collection of prayers that encompass all human emotions and needs. As we pray, let God’s word inspire you. What situations, emotions, confessions, or praises pop into your mind? Let the Holy Spirit guide your prayer and listen for God’s response.

If you still struggle, try keeping a prayer journal. Jot down whatever thoughts come to mind. Don’t censor your pen but let the thoughts flow freely onto the page. When you finish praying, look back at what you wrote. We can even look back days, weeks, even years later. It may surprise you what you find!

How Do We Know it is God Speaking?

I have many thoughts that pop into my mind during the day. I doubt it is God telling me to eat another donut or yell something at the driver that cut me off in traffic. How do we know if it is God, our own imagination, or even Satan speaking to us?

Satan is the father of lies, but he disguises himself as an angel of light. The lies he tells us may be so subtle that we don’t recognize them for what they are. This is why Paul told the Thessalonians, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–21). How can we test what we hear to make sure it is from God?

First, read the Bible. God will never tell us anything that contradicts what He has already said in scripture. If the message you receive goes against what the Bible says, you know it is not from God.

Communication from God often brings with it an overwhelming sense of peace. This peace indicates that God is present. At times, though, this peace may be delayed until you set down your own thoughts and plans and obey what God has told you. I have experienced times when the moment I submit to God’s plans I feel my body relax, headaches vanish, and the peace in my life is restored.

Isaiah says that: “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). If God tells you to do something, He will provide the tools you need to accomplish it. Fruit of the spirit such as love, joy, peace, kindness, faithfulness and self-control, are indicators that the Holy Spirit is equipping you to accomplish what God has sent you to do.

When God speaks to you, and you listen, it is something that will transform your life. It will convict you but not condemn you, and this conviction will bring genuine change. While this change may seem uncomfortable, it is always for your good. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).