Finding God’s Voice: When The Voice Of God Is Scarce
“…In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” – 1 Samuel 3:1
During a family devotion, my five-year-old daughter asked, “How do we hear when God talks to us?” It’s a fascinating question and one that many of us ponder.
In recent times, religious content has been abundant. We encounter it in emails, short videos, social media posts, and more. We have unprecedented access to biblical teachings. Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all the “noise” and disconnected from everything? Perhaps your spirit is craving something more personal and relevant to your current stage in life. Have you found yourself seeking out prophets, seers, palm readers, and astrologers to satisfy your curiosity about life and the future?
In Samuel’s time, the word of God and open visions were scarce. This scarcity didn’t mean that God was silent; rather, it indicated that people weren’t paying attention. Eli the priest and his sons were out of alignment with God. God was calling out to Samuel but it wasn’t until the third time that Eli guided Samuel on how to respond to God’s call.
God desires for you to hear His voice. He is always speaking, but like Samuel, we often don’t recognize it. We ignore His voice because we’re unsure how to identify or respond to it, and this confusion leads us to seek other sources that might misguide us. How, then, can we truly hear God?
Do you find yourself asking the same question? Let’s explore some common ways God communicates with believers:
- The Written Word Of God: The Bible is the foundation of our faith, much like a strong foundation is essential for a building. Any message or leading that contradicts scripture is not from God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that all scripture is God-inspired and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The way to hear God is to be familiar with how He speaks in the bible. To develop our ability to hear God, we must first immerse ourselves in the scriptures. What does the Bible say about your situation? Following the scriptures protects us from error.
- The Inner Voice: Proverbs 20:27 says, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” Our human spirit is like a candle that God lights to provide us with direction. Many years ago, I read a book called, “Listening prayer”, I think by Leanne Payne where she spoke about developing this inner voice. I would recommend it to you.
Developing this inner voice, often referred to as intuition or a nudge, is essential. It only becomes a trusted guide when enlightened by God’s Word to distinguish good and evil. This is how God fellowships with us, and without it, we can be easily misled. Sometimes, withdrawing from distractions helps us hear our inner voice more clearly. - Through The Ministry Gifts: Ephesians 4:11-14 lists the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers as gifts to equip believers for ministry. These roles help us grow to maturity, confirming what God has already impressed upon our spirits. Their role is mainly confirmatory. God wants each of His children to know Him personally, without constantly seeking others to tell them what to do (Jeremiah 31:34). They should not replace your own fellowship with God.
- Through Spiritual Gifts of Revelation: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 describes special abilities given by the Holy Spirit to reveal unknown things, such as gifts of prophecy, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom. We see this in operation in Acts 13:2 where while in worship and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to separate Paul and Barnabas for the ministry. He elaborated further in 1 Corinthians 14:26 on how to use them appropriately. Every child of God can prophesy to a certain degree. Often in prayer, when we speak the word of God that comes to our heart or sometimes as a song that comes to mind, we are prophesying. However, there is a gift of Prophecy. Other revelation gifts include visions, dreams, and trance. However, we must be careful to judge each of these gifts by the scripture because the devil can also use them to cause errors. If it does not build up or promote righteousness, but instead, fear, anxiety, immorality or confusion in your faith then it is not from God.
- Other Less Reliable Methods:
Casting Lots: Proverbs 16:33 mentions this method, it was used prayerfully by the Apostles in Acts 1:26.
Nature: Romans 1:20 and Acts 17:27 suggest that God can reveal Himself through nature, such as a burning bush, a donkey, or even a rooster crowing. Nature can amplify God’s word and teach us about His personality.
This outline provides a starting point for discussing and deepening our understanding of how God communicates with us. None of these methods are foolproof, as the devil can also use them to deceive. As seen in the temptation of Jesus and the encounter with Eve, the devil twists God’s words. The Bible instructs us to judge all things and to discern every spirit if it is of God. Not every prophecy or vision, even from the pulpit or from a prominent Christian leader, is from God. Therefore, we must be vigilant, discerning, and grounded in scripture to ensure we receive the right message.
Do you have proven ways God speaks to you? Feel free to drop a comment or ask any questions.
Instructive!
I used to put limits to the ways that God could speak to me but I’ve been relearning as I grow in my faith. In some seasons, He speaks to me differently than in others, so I’ve been learning to keep my heart open. He usually speaks to me through dreams but I’ve experienced him speaking through others, heart impressions and His word (which is a constant way of communication with Him).
Interesting. I quite agree.
Dreams are common ways God speaks to some. Though I find it quite tricky because dreams also come from multitude of business ( our preoccupations) as the bible says and the devil can manipulate dreams a lot. I believe dreams from God usually come with certain nudges and instructions.
Yes God speaks to us in diverse ways. We develop our hearing by following the instructions. The more we hear, the more familiar we are with that method and the easier it is to be led by the Spirit through the method. The word of God and the inner witness remain the most common ways.
Yes, I agree and this is why discernment is key and always taking any dream back to God in prayer and seeing if it aligns with His word. And as we coninue to establish our imtimate relationship with God, we become even more familiar with His voice and sensitive to the ways in which He chooses to seak to us😊 This was a good read!
So true. Thank God for His Word and inspiration.
Pst Michael, many thanks for this. I find it so inspiring that I had to read it multiple times. It is powerful! Regarding how God speaks with us as believers, it is multi-channel. God could use anything/situation- from bush burning to writing on the wall to making a donkey speak to a voice from heaven… I have experienced God using silence to speak to me, so I have learned listening to God’s silence. He always speaks if we care to listen.
Thank you @Tunde. I’m humbled to know it blessed you too as it blesses me to read.
I love the use of the word “multi channel”. Absolutely, God is not limited by our time and space. He can use anything He wants.
Silence is a big part of faith which is often ignored. Elijah experienced it when God spoke only in a still small voice after all the noise of earthquakes and thunder.
The Holy Spirit is a gentle Person. When we cultivate silence, we experience Him even deeper and His leadings become louder than can be missed.
God bless you brother.