The First Step In Receiving God’s Guidance
Do This and You Can Learn How God Communicates With You
If God Talks To You Are You Crazy?
We’ve all heard the stories of people who do some horrible act and say the reason they did it was because God told them to. We’re rightly taught to be skeptical of people who say God talks to them because the most publicized cases are the nut-jobs who do terrible or weird things. People who “hear voices” are struggling with some type of illness.
As true as that is, what do we do when page after page of the Bible uses phrases like “God said” and “the Lord spoke”? What do we do with verses like John 10:27 where Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice”? If God is a person, then it makes sense that He would talk. He isn’t an impersonal energy force. He is a person, and in case you haven’t noticed, people talk.
Communication Through Words
We are created in the image of God, and our words play an incredibly important role in our lives and in the world. It has always amazed me that we can make certain sounds and through those sounds share what is going on in our heads so that another person understand what we are thinking.
The right sounds (words) written or spoken can take something invisible (our thoughts) and make them understandable to others. It’s pretty amazing, and it happens because we are created in God’s image.
If we’re created in His image and we talk, doesn’t it make sense that God would talk as well? One of the main reasons God made us is so that we could know the incredible life and joy of having a living, close relationship with the source of real life and joy. That means communication. That means words being spoken and heard.
How do we balance the fact that people who hear voices often have some type of a condition with the Bible teaching that God talks to us and we can hear Him? How do we know when it’s God talking or if it’s our own thoughts or the result of something wrong with us? Let me share a few ideas that I’ve found very helpful.
Jesus Said, “His Sheep Hear His Voice.”
Over and over again, Jesus spoke of the importance importance of having ears to hear what God was saying. And Jesus said that those who believe in Him, His sheep, hear His voice. God speaks words that reveal His thoughts as well as create realities, and we can hear some of those words.
This is our starting point for getting guidance from God on a regular basis. If we don’t think He wants to communicate with us, then we will not be open or receptive and miss or block His words.
I never expect the president of the United States to call me. It never even enters my mind. So, if I got a call saying, “This is the White House and the president wants to talk to you,” my first response would be, “This is a crank call or some kind of scam.” I would not be open, without some real strong convincing, that the president actually wanted to talk to me.
And today, with all of the telemarketers and businesses calling, most of us do not even answer the phone unless we recognize the number. We don’t want to be hassled with unwanted calls, so we do not even pick up.
You’re On God’s Call List
But if I’m on the president’s cabinet, and if I have his number in my contact list, if I get that call, I’m very open to receiving it and have no trouble believing he is calling me. Now I’m open to answering that phone call. I’m actually expecting it from time to time because I’m on his team, and I have an important role to play.
Taking it a step further, what if the president was your father and you knew he really, really loved you? Would you have his contact information in your phone? Would you be surprised if he called you regularly?
The answers are obviously no. You would have his number in your phone, and you would not be surprised if he called you and wanted to talk with you.
So, my friend, Scripture says you are a beloved child of God. That means God loves you and likes you and that He is your perfect Heavenly Father.
He wants to talk to his kids. And, you play an important role in his ministry. You are a cabinet member with an important role to play and one that He wants to talk to you about.
But you have to believe that in order to be open to His words. You must believe that He is alive and that He communicates. And you must believe He wants to talk to you. That is foundational.
That step puts you in the right mental and spiritual place to start learning how He communicates with you.
Want more resources on learning how God communicates? Check out courses and programs at www.TruVineMission.com
Want training and coaching to help you know and live your God-given purposes, head over to www.MarkFurlongCoaching.com
