Making God Your Strength and Shield in 2023

Psalm 28:7 is my mantra for 2023. This post breaks it down and reveals how to stay filled with the Spirit and draw on God as your strength and shield.

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
Psalm 28:7 NLT

Recognize where your help comes from

In today’s uncertain climate, it’s easy to feel bombarded with negativity, strife, and conflict—whether it comes from the greater world scene, national politics, or closer to home in your personal life. Where can you turn to for protection and help?

^1bWhere does my help come from?
²My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
³He will not let your foot stumble.
He who watches over you will not slumber.
Psalm 121:1b–3 EHV

Our help comes from the Creator of the universe—Christ Jesus the Lord, who sits on the throne, interceding for us. “So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help” (Heb. 4:16 CEV).

The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper (John 14:16–17). Have you been filled with the Spirit? If not, ask Jesus to fill you (see Luke 11:13).

The Lord is your strength

Psalm 18:32 says, “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure” (NIV). Call on God to equip you with strength for your journey—wherever the Spirit leads in 2023.

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace” (Ps. 29:11 NIV). Ask for not only strength, but peace. Be a peacemaker in the new year, and reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:18 NIV).

Jesus said many times, “Fear not.” Come what may, remember that Christ is always with you and will never, under any circumstances, leave you (Heb. 13:5). “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10 NIV). That right hand will keep you from faltering.

Be joyful, for “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10c NIV). More about this in a moment…

Even if you feel weak and frail, tell yourself you’re strong: “Let the weak say, I am strong” (Joel 3:10).

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:10–11 NIV

The Lord is your shield

The full armor of God includes the shield of faith. But, when the enemy lets his arrows fly, you must use it. “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:6 NIV).

Remember, you have an inheritance:

^4bThis inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
1 Peter 1:4b–6 NIV

Always remain in God’s love by praying in tongues:

²⁰But you, dear friends, continue to build yourselves up in your most holy faith as you keep praying in the Holy Spirit. ²¹Keep yourselves in God’s love as you continue to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, which results in eternal life.
Jude 20–21 EHV

Trust in the Lord

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV

Partial trust is untrustworthy. Trust God with every fiber of your being. Call upon the Lord and recognize His influence in every area of your life. Doing so enables God to chart your future through 2023 and beyond.

⁶Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
⁷They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
Psalm 112:6–8 NIV

“‘No weapon that has been made to be used against you will succeed. You will have an answer for anyone who accuses you. This is the inheritance of the Lord’s servants. Their victory comes from me,’ declares the Lord” (Isa. 54:17 GW).

Rejoice in the Lord

The joy of the Lord is your strength. But how can you be joyful in troubled times? By exercising your will to be thankful and happy for your blessings.

Be gentle in all your dealings with others who may also be struggling. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Php. 4:4–5 NIV).

The fruit of the Spirit is joy (Gal. 5:22). Continually sowing to the Spirit will ensure a continual harvest of spiritual good: “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8 NIV).

Singing songs of praise is a good way to stay happy in the Lord.

¹⁸Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:18–20 NIV

Look up

When the going gets rough, it’s easy to become downcast. But Jesus said that, as tumultuous events of the end days begin to play out, “‘…stand up and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is approaching‘” (Luke 21:28 ISV).

When Stephen testified about the Messiah, “[he], full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55 NIV).

Keeping yourself full of the Holy Spirit by looking up to Jesus and His victorious position enables you to see God’s glory. “We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne” (Heb. 12:2 GW).

Look up for that joy which is your strength. Rejoice in the Lord in every situation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. God will shield you and lead you to deliverance.

But you, O Lord, are a shield for me. You are my glory and the one who lifts up my head.
Psalm 3:3 EHV

Remember that God wants to bless you. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'” (Jer. 29:11 NIV).

May God bless you richly as you bless others in 2023!

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 6

Let all things be done

Let all things be done decently and in order.
–1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV

We are concerned that our church services be conducted “decently and in order.” But we can be so concerned about what we think is proper that we quench the Spirit.

Yes, we want decency and order, but above all, “let all things be DONE!”

1 Thessalonians 5:20 forbids us from despising manifestations of Holy Spirit.
In the parable of the talents, Jesus presses the point that we’re to use the gifts of grace He’s given us to build His kingdom until He returns. Those who obey in faith will be rewarded.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
–Hebrews 5:14 NIV

Concerning operating in the gifts of Holy Spirit, spiritually mature saints will learn to distinguish good from evil, what’s of God and what’s not—not by standing back and refusing to participate. Instead, they will train THEMSELVES through constant USE and PRACTICE.

“As John Wimber put it, spiritual gifts are tools. They are not toys. You need to practice using them, and you will not be an expert on your first try.” (James W. Goll, Releasing Spiritual Gifts Today, p. 20.)

Therefore, we must earnestly desire to be used in the gifts of the Spirit, step out in faith to manifest them, and consistently practice them to edify the Body of Christ. This is how we prepare ourselves and the Church for Christ’s return.

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 5

Use them or lose them

In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus tells a parable about a master who entrusted sums of money to three servants to put to work while he was gone away. One who was given five talents earned five more. Another given two earned two more. The servant given one buried it in the ground.

The master returned and rewarded the faithful servants but scolded the lazy servant.

The context of this passage is the return of Christ. Jesus has gone away, but entrusted to us His Holy Spirit and His gifts. What will we do with them? Will we—of our own desire and sense of responsibility and stewardship—use them to build His kingdom? Or will we bury them deep within our earthen vessel?

Those who took the risk and, in faith, developed what they had, not only increased their abilities, but were rewarded with more by the Master.

But the one who neglected his gift and did not “lively and intensely set himself on fire” (2 Tim. 1:6) to use what he’d been given, was called “wicked and lazy.” What he was given was taken away from him and given to someone who would actually do something with it.

Romans 11:29 says “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (NIV). Potentially, we always have the ability to move in the gifts. But if we don’t seek, develop, practice, and use them, we will lose the practical ability to manifest them when the Spirit moves on us.

God is serious about us taking the responsibility to use the gifts He’s given to us through Holy Spirit. We must “use ’em or lose ’em.” If we really want to please God, then we must learn how to move in the Spirit and manifest the gifts. It’s OUR responsibility.

Next time, we’ll conclude our study with a final exhortation.

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 4

We must stir ourselves up

Some believers have waited years for God to move on them to manifest a spiritual gift. But God says it’s our responsibility to first desire and believe and step out in faith to manifest the Spirit.

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
–1 Timothy 4:14 NKJV

Paul reminded Timothy that a spiritual gift had been imparted to him when some elders had laid their hands on him and prophesied. The prophetic message revealed God’s intent to impart a particular spiritual gift to Timothy, and it was transferred by the power of Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands.

In Romans 1:11, Paul wrote, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.”

Spiritual gifts may be imparted by the laying on of hands at the direction of Holy Spirit. The word impart means “to share or give over.” Impartation must be directed by God.

Paul reminded Timothy, then, not to be careless of, make light of, neglect, be negligent to use, or disregard this spiritual gift. It was Timothy’s responsibility to use his gifts.

We can have gifts that are lying dormant and unused if we neglect to do what it takes to use them.

Therefore I remind YOU to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
–2 Timothy 1:6 NKJV

Again, Paul reminded Timothy, “YOU must stir yourself up to use your spiritual gifts.” It was not God’s responsibility to rekindle his zeal for manifesting the Holy Spirit, it was Timothy’s.

Stir is the word anazopureo, meaning “to rekindle or stir up.” It comes from a combination of three words: one meaning “intensely,” one meaning “a live thing such as an animal or beast,” and another, meaning “fiery, fire, or lightning.” This is not a calm word!

Paul was insisting that Timothy “lively and intensely set yourself on fire to use your spiritual gifts!” I get the image of kids vigorously scrubbing their feet across the carpet to build up an electrical charge so they can really shock someone.

God said, “YOU do it!” We’re responsible to step out in faith, accept some risk, and use what God has given us.

How do you stir yourself up?

Paul wrote, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Cor. 12:1 NKJV). You must not only understand spiritual gifts, but you must also be convinced it’s God’s will for you to move in them. This should be clear by now.

Besides tongues for personal edification, God may impart to you any of the nine gifts of the Spirit from 1 Corinthians 12:7–10. (God could give you any of them at any time to use in a ministry setting.)

We must also realize that we’re not perfect. We will make mistakes. But God doesn’t condemn us for trying to learn.

However, God will not accept us burying our gifts because we’re afraid we might make a mistake. So we remain humble, and give grace to others who make mistakes with the gifts.

And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith.
–Romans 12:6 NASB

Remember: gifts are given by God’s grace. We didn’t earn them. Whatever gifts we have, we are commanded to exercise them, to use them. How? By faith. The more we use them, the better we’ll get, and our faith will grow to use them even more.

You can also stir up the gifts by speaking in tongues. LOUDLY!

20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
–Jude 20–21 NIV

You build your faith by praying in tongues. Note in verse 21 that praying in the Spirit is also a way to keep yourself “in God’s love.” How are we to use the gifts? In love (see 1 Cor. 13).

Note also this verse has to do with expecting the Lord’s return. Jesus gave the Holy Spirit and His gifts to build up the Church to prepare it for His return.

Next time, we’ll learn that gifts are ours to use or lose.

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 3

We must earnestly desire spiritual gifts

A pious pastor once told me, “Seek the Giver, not the gifts.” There’s truth in that, but what does the Bible say?

But earnestly desire the best gifts. …
–1 Corinthians 12:31a NKJV

What are the “best gifts”? Those that build up the Church—individually and corporately.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
–1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV

Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.
–1 Corinthians 14:39 NASB

Why is prophecy so important? Because it’s immediately understood. Paul said, “in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

Paul was not criticizing messages in tongues, rather messages in tongues with no interpretation.

What good is the manifestation of a spiritual gift if no one understands what God is saying? Because prophecy is immediately understood since it’s in your native language, it will edify. Tongues with interpretation is the equivalent of prophecy.

In all these verses, the King James versions says, “covet earnestly.” That word covet in Greek is zeloo, meaning “to have warmth of feeling for, covet earnestly, desire, envy, be jealous over, be zealous for.”

God’s Word commands us to be zealous and envious to move in the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus said,

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
–Mark 11:24 KJV

Jesus said that whatever we desire, crave for, beg for… to not only ask God for it, but to believe and trust Him to the point that you can reach right out and take it. Then, He said, you’ll have it—it will come to pass.

That’s what we’re to do about spiritual gifts. We have what we need—the Holy Spirit—but we must covet the ability to step out and use that which He’s freely
given us.

Next installment, we’ll learn how to stir ourselves up.

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 2

All divine gifts in context

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
–1 Corinthians 12:3–6 NKJV

What are we to look for when we consider spiritual gifts? Verse 3 tells us we’re to expect the exaltation of Jesus Christ as Lord.

In verses 4–6, each member of the Trinity is mentioned:

Holy Spirit	Gifts—charisma	Manifestations
Lord Jesus Christ	Ministries—diakonia	Administrations
God the Father	Activities—energema	Operations

There are three categories of gifts:

Some gifts are credited to Holy Spirit.
Some ministries are attributed to Jesus.
Some operations are credited to the Father.

There are three lists of gifts in the Bible—each attributed to one person of the Trinity.

Gifts of the Father

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;
8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
–Romans 12:3–8 NIV

These are the natural gifts—the motivational or working gifts.

God as Creator has graced every human made in God’s image with a capacity to serve humankind. These gifts are given to everyone, whether Christians or not, although they are sanctified through union with Christ. You could also consider them natural personality types:

Prophecy—visionary pioneers
Serving others practically
Teachers, educators
Encouraging, exhorting
Giving, philanthropy
Leading, organizing, administration
Mercy and compassion

Gifts of Christ Jesus

7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore it is said,
“When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.” …
11 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
–Ephesians 4:7–8,11–13 NRSV

Christ Jesus gave gifts to the Church in the form of ministries:

Ministry Gift	Function
Apostles	Establish new territory for Christ
Prophets	Hear and see what God is doing and where He’s leading
Evangelists	Reach out to the lost to present Christ crucified
Pastors	Care for the sheep of God’s pasture
Teachers	Ground us in the Scriptures and doctrine of God

We have these ministry gifts until the Church attains unity and maturity. Since we have not attained the full stature of Christ, we still need all of these ministers.

These are gifts of Christ—the Head building the Body.
Fivefold ministers equip the saints for the work of the ministry. They have a training capacity, a call to reproduce themselves and their ministries in believers.

Gifts of Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 list the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit:

Word of wisdom
Word of knowledge
Faith
Gifts of healings
Working of miracles
Prophecy
Discerning of spirits
Gift of tongues
Interpretation of tongues

In this series, we will focus on using these manifestations of the Holy Spirit in corporate worship meetings.

Three Types of Gifts

Churches can be built on the Father’s natural gifts, but these organizations will be primarily social institutions.

We need Jesus’ ministry gifts to turn the institution into a body.

We need to be filled with Holy Spirit and manifest the Spirit’s gifts to build up that Body to maturity.

The Father’s gifts are irrevocable—they are intrinsic to who you are.

Jesus’ gifts are also irrevocable, but they are given to only a few. These individuals can grow in them and add more as they prove faithful. Paul was a prophet or teacher in Acts 13:1, but later in his letters he said he was “called to be an apostle.”

The Holy Spirit’s gifts are manifestations distributed to anyone when the Spirit wills. The Spirit can give or withhold them. Yet, if you are faithful in exercising a gift that the Holy Spirit manifests through you, you can develop a gift into a ministry.

Next issue, we’ll learn about God’s command concerning spiritual gifts.

Using Spiritual Gifts, part 1

If you’re born anew and baptized in Holy Spirit, you have what you need to move in the gifts.

But ministering spiritual gifts is not optional. God commands us to “earnestly desire” spiritual gifts and to stir ourselves up to use them. That’s what this series is about.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts…
–1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV

You can be equipped

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples
2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” …
6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
–Acts 19:1–2,6 NIV

As soon as the Ephesians received the Holy Spirit, they could speak in tongues for personal edification and prophesy. They demonstrated vocal evidence.

You also have received this ability, whether or not you have released it or know how to release it.

2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with ALL those EVERYWHERE who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: …
5 For in [Christ] you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— …
7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
–1 Corinthians 1:2,5,7 NIV

The Corinthian believers lacked no spiritual gifts. This goes for you too—”all those everywhere.”

If you’ve been saved and baptized in Holy Spirit, you have what you need to move in the gifts.

Next time, we’ll look at all the divine gifts in their biblical context.

Hearing God’s Voice, part 5

How do we know it’s God speaking?

First of all, by faith. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to My voice.” That means He will speak to us.

Here is a test to measure what you hear:

Does it honor the lordship of Jesus in your life?
Does it bring glory to Jesus? (Or does it not dishonor Jesus?) John 16:14.
Does it align with the Scriptures?
Is it Scripture (quoted exactly or paraphrased)? Does it agree with scriptural principles?
Does it promote the fruit of the Spirit? Gal. 5:22-23.
Is it characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Does it encourage you to be more like Jesus?
Is it encouraging and comforting? 1 Cor. 14:3

How often should we listen for God’s voice?

A convenient time to listen and journal what you hear God speaking is during your prayer time or quiet time.

But [Jesus] answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
–Matthew 4:4 NKJV

That’s the spoken word.

Matthew 6:11 NKJV: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Job 23:12b NIV: “…I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.”

Hebrews 4:7b NKJV: “… ‘Today, if you will hear His voice’…”

What do we do with what we hear?

“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.’ ”
–Jeremiah 30:2 NIV

Get a notebook. Write the date, the time, and any circumstances surrounding your listening time. Then listen and write what the Lord says.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
–James 1:22 NIV

Do not be hasty and run ahead of the Lord. But be willing to obey and be changed by what He tells you.

Don’t expect everyone else to fall in line because you heard God. God confirms His will through the mouths of many witnesses. His word is primarily for you.

What are the benefits of hearing and heeding God’s voice?

Proverbs 8:34 NIV: “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.”

John 3:29 NIV: “‘The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. …’ ”

Proverbs 1:33 NKJV: “‘But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.’ ”

Psalm 81:13–14 NIV: 13 “If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, 14 how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!”

I pray that you’ve been blessed by this series and that you cultivate and continue to hear the voice of the Lord for yourself. God bless you.

More information:

Hearing God’s Voice, part 4

Hearing and discerning God’s voice

For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it.
–Job 33:14 NIV

God is always speaking, but we must learn to perceive, recognize, and listen to His voice.

This process is illustrated in the life of the young prophet Samuel.

1 The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.
2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.
3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6 Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy.
9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
–1 Samuel 3:1–10 NIV

The voice Samuel heard, he at first did not recognize. It takes faith to recognize and acknowledge that the Lord is speaking. It takes practice to build confidence in hearing the Lord’s voice.

God does indeed speak, so when we ask Him to communicate with us, we must believe and then practice hearing His voice.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (NIV). If you earnestly seek the Lord to hear His voice, He promises to reward you.

If we would have the Lord to speak to us, submission is key. Pray for a clean heart and ears to hear. Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Then, you must really listen with expectation.

What does God’s voice “sound” like?

What will you hear? An audible voice?

Most likely, it will not be audible. Rather, it will be God’s “still, small voice.”

11 Then [God] said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
–1 Kings 19:11–12 NKJV

We may miss hearing God’s voice because we’re expecting something dramatic. While God can speak in dramatic ways, He usually speaks in a quiet whisper. To hear that whisper, we must still our hearts and minds to selectively listen to Him.

How will He speak? Where will His voice originate? Not in our ears, for it’s usually not audible.

Remember that God speaks through the Son, who speaks through the Holy Spirit. Where does the Holy Spirit live now?

Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells IN you?
–1 Corinthians 3:16 NASB

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is IN you …
–1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB

You will hear God’s still, small voice in your heart (spirit), because that’s where the Holy Spirit dwells. That inner voice is very similar to your own thoughts.

Can you recite a Scripture or sing a song inaudibly, inside your head? That’s what the voice of the Lord sounds like. It sounds like the voice of your own thoughts.

Tune in next time to learn how we know it’s God speaking and what we should do with what we hear.

More information:

Hearing God’s Voice, part 3

How God speaks today

1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son….
–Hebrews 1:1–2 NIV

In the New Testament age, God speaks to us through His Son, the Word. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice” (John 10:27).

Now that Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father, how does He speak?

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.”
–John 16:12–15 NIV

Jesus speaks to us today through the Holy Spirit.

When we listen, we glorify Jesus. Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says…” (Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22).

Ways that God communicates

God communicates with us in many ways, through various means.

Nature

Psalm 19:1–4
Romans 1:20 NIV: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Wise Counsel

Proverbs 12:15 NKJV: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.”
Proverbs 11:14
Proverbs 15:22
Proverbs 20:18

An Audible Voice (Rare)

Isaiah 30:21 NIV: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'”
Matthew 17:5

Personal Visitation of the Lord or Angels

Acts 9:3–6 NIV: “3 As [Saul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ 5 ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 6 ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.'”
Luke 1:26–38

Dreams and Visions

Genesis 20:3–7
Acts 18:9–10 NIV: “9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.'”

Revelation through Scriptures or Preaching

Daniel 9:2–3 NIV: “2 [I]n the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.”
Acts 14:8–10

Inner Witness of Your Spirit

Romans 8:16 NKJV: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”

Voice of the Holy Spirit in Your Spirit

Acts 8:29 NIV: “The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.'”

Ministry of the Prophet

Acts 21:10–11 NIV: “10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.”‘”

Gifts of Holy Spirit Through Other Believers

1 Corinthians 12:7–10 NKJV: “7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”
1 Corinthians 14:3,24–25 NIV: “3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. … 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'”

Next installment, we’ll learn more about hearing and discerning God’s voice.

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