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How Does God Speak to Us?

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“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”

John 10:27

Sheep learn to recognize and obey the voice of their shepherd. I saw a video of two women in Israel, each shepherding their own flock. They met on a hillside and they came together for lunch, while the two flocks intermingled into one flock. After the ladies finished lunch they each called for their sheep and the flock separated and went with their respective shepherd. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me (John 10:14). Christ is our shepherd, do we recognize his voice?

The first thing we learn that enables us to hear the Lord is his language, the Word, because everything we hear from the Lord can be identified in the Word. The more we know the Word in our hearts, the better we know the Lord, and the better we can communicate with him. He will communicate with us through our thoughts as we read the Word; he also communicates with us through other people and through worldly situations.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 19:13). The most important thing in hearing from the Lord is a strong desire and motivation to hear him. Pray every day for the Lord’s help in hearing him, and for the Holy Spirit to help you.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10). If we can be still inside and focus on hearing the Lord, he will answer our questions by bringing scriptures to our thoughts, or his own words which correlate to scripture. When teaching a class or mentoring someone, I commune with the Lord and ask for scriptures that the person needs to hear, and almost immediately scriptures come to mind. When ministering to others ask the Lord for guidance in words and scriptures. Listen to the person very carefully and respond with the words from the Spirit.

But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. (Psalm 1:2). Meditating on the Word and the Lord helps us to block out the world and focus on things above which brings us closer to the Lord and trains us to listen intently to the Word and to our thoughts. Meditation on a God of love increases the love in our hearts bringing us closer to the Lord. The more love we have in our hearts the closer we are to the Lord and the better we hear him.

Today, focus on hearing the Lord through guidance by the Spirit. Conviction by the Spirit is the Lord speaking, guiding you in a Godly direction. Pray that the Lord will help you commune with him and to recognize the thoughts he places in your mind. When we know we have heard from the Lord it is a great blessing. I imagine the Lord has far more to tell us than we are able to hear. Therefore, pray that you can hear him more today.

Let’s pray: Lord, help me to meditate and focus on you and your Word, and to recognize the thoughts that come from you. Fill my heart with your love as I reflect your love to those around me, seeking to bring the Truth to the world. Draw me closer to you every day and continue to mold me to be more Christ-like. In Jesus’ name, Amen