Faith for Open DoorsSample

God Speaks

God’s communication takes many forms. He knows how to reach you and knows what you need to hear. He speaks to each of us in ways that we can understand. He’s fully aware of our humanity and knows what you need!

Because He’s such a creative God, He loves to mix it up. He doesn’t confuse us but moves to increase our knowledge of Him. Our tendency is to become too familiar, with Him so He protects us from the dangers of a causal relationship! Often though, we come with an expectation of listening for Him with what is only comfortable and safe for us. 

Pay attention to how God speaks. Here are a few ways:

1. Desires – Listen to the voice of gladness in your own heart. Often He will place a desire that only He could start or ignite. After all, He put it in you to have such desires.

2. Dreams – God speaks in mental pictures, daydreams and night dreams, sometimes even in “supernatural insomnia.” I’ve awakened in the middle of the night and felt led to pray for someone on the other side of the world without knowing what the situation was.

3. Promptings – Thoughts, feelings, goose bumps (Holy Spirit infused conversations), nudges, patterns and repetitions could be how God communicates.

4. Pain – C.S. Lewis says, “God whispers to us in our pleasure but shouts in our pain.”

Why, then, do we need the sky to crack with lightning or a neon sign when we have the Holy Spirit? Dallas Willard says that this kind of desire for the “spectacular is a sign of spiritual immaturity”. Just because God can speak in mind-blowing ways doesn’t mean He always will, nor is it what’s best for you. 

Our life is meant to have a conversational relationship with God. Don’t be uncomfortable with the silence. Because He’s heard best when you are at rest in His presence, trust Him by faith to make His will known to you. Keep asking for what you need. He never tires of hearing from you. Perhaps in the silence, He’s wanting to reveal Himself to you. 

There are times when He desires to lead us through difficult situations with His heart for us. What a comfort that is to know He’s such a personal God!

“The pathway to your greatest potential is straight through your greatest fears.” -- Craig Groeschel