Ways God Speaks To Us | Resource Guide
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Scripture
A passage or principle of Scripture clearly tells us what to do (2 Tim 3:16-17). A deep knowledge of the Bible is key to accurately discerning whether other kinds of messages are from the Lord (Heb 5:14).
The Holy Spirit quickens a biblical insight or application to us (Jn 14:26).
We listen for Scripture references because God may give us a passage.
We deeply reflect on a word, verse, section, or doctrine of Scripture.
The Lord connects an insight from one passage with another passage giving us an ‘ah-ha’ moment of new understanding.
Sermons, church Bible studies, Christian literature. “Only be guided by what we have learned so far” (Phil 3:16, New English Translation).
Inner sense of rightness
We experience the peace of Christ about a course of action. “Let the peace of Christ guide all your decisions” (Col 4:15, Phillips). “I couldn’t get any quietness in my spirit because I didn’t find Titus there. So I left them and went to Macedonia” (2 Cor 2:13, KNT).
Inner promptings – especially when they are persistent (Lk 2:27-32). “Simeon was under the guidance of (‘prompted by’ - CJB; ‘in the control of’ – Wuest; ‘led by’ – Montgomery; ‘moved by’ – TCNT) the Holy Spirit” (Williams).
Becoming aware of a godly passion. (Example: We have a persistent, passionate yearning to take a class at a particular Bible college). “This weighs with me so much I feel sure I shall survive” (Phil 1:25, CJB).
We just ‘know’ things. (Intuitive awareness). “My intuition guides me in the night” (Ps 16:7, Lamsa).
We could not have a clear conscience to do something else (Rom 14:23). “The Lord guides me and in the night my conscience warns me” (Ps 16:7, TEV).
We increasingly see life as the Holy Spirit does because we regularly allow Him to more fully direct every aspect our lives. “They sensed the Holy Spirit telling them not to preach in Asia at this time” (Acts 16:6, Voice).
Supernatural revelation
Visions – quick mental pictures, trance states, movie-like visions, the Spirit within us allows us to see things as He does (Acts 16:9-10).
Messages from angels (Lk 1:30).
Dreams (Mt 2:12).
An indirect message to our mind via things like a story, symbol, or saying.
A direct message to our mind. “For forty days, the Holy Spirit led Him from place to place in the desert” (Lk 4:2, Voice).
An audible message (Mt 3:17).
Unusual experiences. “A spirit passed in front of me. It made my hair stand on end. Something stood there. I couldn’t tell what it was.” (Job 4:15, GW).
Spiritual gifts like discernings of spirits (Lk 13:11-17; Acts 14:8-10).
Circumstances
Learning from something in nature (Ps 19:1; Prov 6:6).
Providential ‘coincidences’ (Prov 16:33) – particularly when the chances of it being coincidental are very small.
Closed and open doors (Rev 3:7-8).
Things have come together to indicate ‘now’ about doing something. “Jacob heard…Jacob saw…Then the Lord said to Jacob” (Gen 31:1-4, CEB).
Pain. “God whispers to us in our pleasures but shouts in our pain” (C. S. Lewis).
An impression from noticing a ‘normal’ event (1 Sam 15:28; Jer 18:1-5).
Other people
In casual conversation with others where God quickens something they said as being applicable to us (2 Chron 35:20-24).
Godly counsel given to us (Prov 11:14).
Prophetic words. “I’m giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war” (1 Tim 1:18, GW).
Reviewing church history to see what our brothers and sisters in Christ have believed and experienced. “I praise you for carefully following the traditions that I handed down to you” (1 Cor 11:2).
Fellowship with other believers (Heb 10:23-25).
God often guides via a pastor who uses the Bible, the wise person via their counsel, and/or a prophet through a prophetic word.
Marriage and friendship (Prov 27:17). “The righteous seeks guidance from his friend” (Prov 12:26, Berkeley). Be aware, though, that other people’s advice can be wrong. We need to live out our own convictions so we have a clear conscience. Remember, people advised Paul not to go to Jerusalem because of ‘impressions made by the Spirit’ (Acts 21:4, Williams). Apparently, these impressions were similar to the prophecy Agabus gave to Paul that he would be imprisoned in Jerusalem. The impressions were accurate but they concluded he wasn’t to go – not as a warning to be ready.
Godly use of reason
Spirit-filled reflection on every form of God’s revelation (Lk 2:51). “And having come down to the borders of Mysia, by a trial-and-error method they kept on attempting to discover whether it was right to go to Bithynia. And a vision appeared to Paul…immediately we endeavored to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to tell them the good news” (Acts 16:6-10, Wuest). The verb, ‘concluding,’ “denotes rational reflection and inference, the plural indicates the involvement of others” (Schnabel, Acts, p 669).
Reading another’s body language to help assess their heart (2 Ki 13:17-19).
Our emotional reactions. (Example: If I am walking with the Lord but think I would struggle with resentment if I were to ‘help’ another, perhaps ‘helping’ them would really be enabling them to be irresponsible).
We keep and periodically review a journal of all the key things the Lord has said to us directly or through prophecies. Perhaps He will help us connect some of the messages in a new way.
Knowing it wasn’t yet time for Him to die, Jesus avoided going into Judea because the Jews there wanted to kill Him (Jn 7:1, Voice). Later, when the Father directed Him, He did go into Judea.
Conclusion: “Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go and He will remove the obstacles from your path, bringing you to your appointed goal” (Prov 3:6, The Message with The NIV Study Bible note).