The Voice of God

Recently, I was commenting on social media how sometimes we get upset when God closes a door and we forget that we asked Him repeatedly to show us the way He wants us to go. What I've found is that almost every Christian has their own unique beliefs about how God does or does not speak to us. Even though I wish God would communicate verbally because it's easier to understand, He has His methods and His timing that He decides on. In this post I'm going to be dealing strictly with the verbal method of communication from Him.

I had one of my unique verbal experiences with God this past week. I woke up early this past Thursday and I was wide awake. Since I was up I decided to get ready and go to work an hour early. Although I've never done this before, I began listening to some music on my Ipod and walking the property at my work. Despite the upbeat music it was so peaceful. The strong wind was blowing off Lake Whippoorwill sending the 50 degree weather through my wet hair and it didn't seem to even bother me. I had plenty on my mind. I followed the coquina walking path down to the lake where the sun was just peering over the trees. It was breathtaking. I was forced to take a seat on the bench facing the lake. I heard God say, "Take out your headphones". I did. Then He said, "Are you ready to trust me?" I countered, "When you ask me that it makes me worry about what is about to be coming my way. God I've been through a lot. Have I not faced enough trials? Has there not been enough pain in my life for the last several years?" Then I looked and I saw the flock of birds flying overhead. I saw the lake and its system of life that it supports, the aquatic animals, the fish, the plants. Although the county does its part to protect and preserve it, this system has existed for thousands of years without the help of man. Suddenly my fears didn't seem so valid. I thought if God makes everything work for the animals He certainly has been working behind the scenes in my life too making things work for my own good. There's no need to worry about finances, my business, or circumstances. He's hid His face but He's been there all along. I got up and walked back to my office with a renewed sense of enthusiasm that's been absent for a long time. 84 minutes later I received a call that I've needed for literally several years. A complete answer to many prayers for guidance. It was Him. By the lake I heard Him. It had been a long time but I heard Him once again.

I was brought up in churches that taught you could here the voice of God on a daily basis if you had enough faith, enough purity, the right Bible translation, etc, etc. To that I'm going to have to call bull honkey. Now maybe there are people reading this that can attest to hearing a literal voice day after day but I am not one of them. Don't think me a heathen. I would encourage you to test what I am saying. Try this for two weeks. Keep a journal. Ask God specific questions about specific unkowns in your life that you need direction on. What you will find is that God may choose to answer you but it will not always be in the form of a voice. Sometimes it's in the form of circumstances which dictate a definite answer. Sometimes it is quiet impressions you perceive are not your own conscious. Sometimes He does choose to speak through your conscious. Sometimes He does use a voice. I can count on one or two hands the amount of times I have heard His voice and knew there was no way it could be anyone else but Him.

So where am I going with all of this? I don't have a theory, a formula, or any magic tricks to hear from God repeatedly. What I do have is scriptural examples and what I have experienced firsthand, and a theory about all of it. So here it is:

God leads, guides, and directs all the time through various methods depending on what He sees fit for each person in each circumstance.

I like to hear the voice but sometimes He gives me the circumstantial answers. It was the same for Moses and the Israelites. Now I understand that those days were different because the death of Christ had not occurred yet which opened up the veil allowing each believer direct access to God. You would think since God gave them the Ark of the Covenant, the Urim and Thumim, and prophets that He would always speak directly to them...but He didn't. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt sometimes He lead them by a pillar of fire to follow. Other times it was cloud. At times it was a path carved right through the sea.

He used different methods for each circumstance depending on what He thought was most effective. For me personally, I think all methods He uses are effective and equally valuable. I place different weight to His verbal messages though. It's not that it's any more important. It's more like when you place an exclamation point on the end of a sentence to designate the presence of emotion in a sentence. His voice is like that exclamation point saying, "Take note, this is important". When does He typically speak to us in a verbal manner? For me, it has been only in certain circumstances.

1. In order to lead His people

When I served in a pastoral setting I can attest that I heard from God on a more consistent basis. I've often wondered why. My theory is that He was more verbal because it was involving the direction of His people in a church setting. He wanted to communicate His directions clearly.

2. In order to direct our steps

Most of the occurrences where I heard from God verbally involved life-changing decisions that had to be made. Where to work, where to live, who to marry, etc. It's not that everything isn't important to Him. I think most would agree that some decisions we make carry more weight than others and will impact our lives substantially and sometimes forever.

3. In order to give life changing information

I have a friend who used to use drugs heavily in college. One day he was literally at a crack house waiting on his buddy to return with more drugs and God said to Him, "You are better than this. If you don't stop you will die". He never touched them again and started the slow climb back to a normal life.

Another friend I worked with in college recounted a story when he was younger and lost. He picked up a demon possessed prostitute on the streets of New Orleans (Now there's an interesting date!). She took him to an open grave and told him to look inside at the deceased. He said when he saw the dead body He heard God say to him "If you don't change your life this will be you in a grave". He changed his crowd and began following after God's ways.

There have been times in my own life where God would speak to me personally. It would never be more than a sentence or two. He would usually start off by saying my name. It was personalized. It was healing. It was revealing. It was always needed. It changed things.

He doesn't follow a formula because He's not a scientific law. He's a person with emotions just like us. We never communicate in only one way with our family and neither does He. If your family is unable to be present you might call, skype, or use social media. If your about to hang out with friends you might text that you're almost there. If you are about to ask someone to marry you you might wanna do that one in person (Free tip!). God is the same way. He uses the method He wants for whatever the situation calls for.

Now certainly let's not pretend these are the only three times He will speak verbally. It is always a danger to try to place God's methods in a box and say He would never choose to do this or do that. These are my own personal experiences and my own observations. I would love to hear some of your experiences with hearing His voice. Hit up my email if you would like to share: stephenflint1980@yahoo.com. Have a blessed week!

Please do not email me to debate because this isn't a textbook or the Bible, it's my experience.