Sometimes we go through life with our heads full of things we have to do or want to do and we don’t pay attention to that little voice in our head. We are busy on social media watching everybody’s life events (at least what they want us to think their life looks like) or posting pics of what we are eating for others to see. In the age of technology these things have taken over our lives. So much so that sometimes we don’t just sit and reflect on what is truly going on in our own lives.
This isn’t by accident. It is by design. The devil wants our attention anywhere but where it should be…on God. In the old days everyone woke up early on Sunday to go to Sunday school then afterwards attend Church service. After service we would spend time with family until it was time to go back to Church for Sunday night service then we would look forward to Wednesday night bible study. Now we have such busy lives that we only give God Sunday morning and sometimes Wednesday nights and that’s if nothing else comes up. Then God just has to wait for us to have time for Him. God is a patient God but sometimes He gets tired of waiting for you to have time for Him so he sends you little messages. Sometimes not so little. All you have to do is shut up and listen to what He is trying to tell you.
There are several ways God might try to get a message across to you depending on the message and the urgency. While I’m sure there are many other ways God can and does talk to people. (He is a limitless God after all) I am going to go over just a few.
Through His written word
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults, and training in right living;”
2 Timothy 3:16 CJB
In case you didn’t know, the Bible is an instruction manual for God’s people. If you need an answer, if you need guidance, if you need encouragement, or if you just want to know why something is the way it is all you have to do is look at the manual. Trust me no matter what situation you are in the answer is in there.
I can’t tell you how many times I have needed some encouragement or guidance and I just open the bible to a seemingly random page and there is the answer. It has never failed me. But as with any other of God’s communication we have to be still and listen…or in this case read. The Bible is not going to just read itself to you. Well there are audio Bibles but your phone is playing and suddenly fast forwards to the exact verse you need to hear that is a whole other miracle but again, like I said earlier, anything is possible with God.
The Bible contains everything from direction and encouragement to prophecy of things yet to come (I’ll talk more about this later). Open it up and you might be surprised how it speaks to you.
Through other people of God
“Fools suppose their way is straight, but the wise pay attention to advice.”
Proverbs 12:15 CJB
Sometimes God may speak through the words of others. It may be a friend, a stranger, or the pastor. Sometimes if you aren’t listening God will give the word to someone else who is listening and they will deliver it to you either directly or indirectly. God even spoke to you through his people thousands of years before you were even born. It is filled with prophesy that has come true and is yet to come true. If you are wondering why certain things are going on in the world, like the war in Israel, just open up the Bible and the answer is in there. God spoke through his people to you before you were even you.
Through dreams
“But while he was thinking about this, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Yosef, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miryam home with you as your wife; for what has been conceived in her is from Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit). She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua, (which means ‘Adonai saves’) because he will save his people from their sins.’” – Matthew 1:20-21
There are many examples of God speaking to his people in dreams. Sometimes when your conscious mind is clouded or too busy, your unconscious mind is open and listening. He may speak to you directly as he did with Yosef or He may speak indirectly by showing you a narrative or event.
Through visions
“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
Acts 10-9-16 NIV
‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.”
Sometimes the visions may not be straight forward. This one for instance is not God telling Peter what he can or cannot eat but instead God is telling Peter that the gentiles can now be part of God’s people and the gospel should be shared with them. Sometimes daydreams are just daydreams but other times they could be God trying to communicate with you through visions. Pay attention.
Through the inner still small voice of the Holy Spirit
“The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house.”
Acts 11:12 NIV
Sometimes that “little voice” in your head is the Holy Spirit trying to tell you something or lead you in the right direction. Sometimes your are too busy to listen or hear it until it gets so loud you can’t ignore it. When the Holy Spirit speaks it is a small nudging voice like the gentle guidance of a mother. And we all know that we don’t always listen to our mothers and just like our mothers what the Holy Spirits tells us is not always something we want to hear but it is a always something we need to hear.
Through the audible voice of God
“From heaven He caused you to hear His voice, in order to instruct you;”
Deuteronomy 4:36 CJB
Sometimes when you need strict instruction or rebuke or if He has tried to speak to you in other ways and you have not listened God may speak to you directly. God’s voice is not small like the Holy Spirit. It is sterner and more direct like the voice of a father. I have been rebuked by God directly and I have had Father/son conversations with Him and it is not something you will ever forget. When God speaks to you directly you have no choice but to listen because nothing else can drown it out.
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Ok I have told you what to listen for and where to listen, but I haven’t told you how to listen. That’s the easy part. All you have to do is shut up. Quiet your doubt, quiet the “I know better attitude”, quiet your mind of all the “what ifs”, and most importantly you have to tell satan to Shut Up! Because he is the one filling you with doubt and fear.
So now that you have gotten satan and yourself to shut up and you really need a breakthrough it is time to shut down the distractions around you. Turn off your phone, your iPad, your social media posts, and all the other things that distract you from just listening. Trust me. If you just shut up and listen you just might be surprised what God is trying to tell you.