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In Bible Study last week I mentioned the time a mature Christian friend asked me if God spoke to me.  At first I thought the person was trying to be funny. When I realized they were very serious I was glad I did not take them lightly.  With their question, and in many situations since then, I have come to realize that many Christians do not live their lives tuned into the voice of God.  This sore spot in our Christian lives needs to be healed.

This week it became a war game--in my ongoing battle with Satan--to try and discern God’s voice.  My heart had been wounded by a human and it required tuning in to God’s voice a many-times-a-day-task.  I studied this subject and wrote this lesson for two reasons.  One, to make sure I had learned it right.  Two, for others who go through the process of discerning the voice of God in this noisy world we live in. 

With permission I quote from the article "Hearing God" from www.seegod.org:

"I am not exaggerating when I say many Christians are threatened by the idea that God speaks to us here and now. Why is that? They go along thinking they have God tucked securely into their theology, believing they hold the key to knowing Him in their doctrine, and it unnerves them to hear reports that God is speaking to people they know at work, at church, or right next door. They are comfortable learning about God’s existence and His attributes, but show me a theological seminary anywhere with a class teaching students how to hear God speak. Wouldn’t such a class be controversial! Objectors would rage against such subjectivity. So, no such classes are offered. This omission affects sermons and teaching in our churches; it results in the perception that God is "up there somewhere", not here with us now.

It is normal for God to speak to His people. When you’re in trouble; it is normal for you to expect God to send His messengers to help you. He sustains you. It is normal for God to comfort your heart and speak to you so definitely that you can stand in the middle of trial and tribulation and boldly proclaim what God gives you to say, or do what He empowers you to do. The entirety of Scripture witnesses to this. Think of Elijah, David, Nathan, Ezra, Jeremiah, Hosea, Isaiah... Think of how God arranged for Philip to meet up with the Ethiopian eunuch. Think of Priscilla and Aquila enlightening Apollos. Think of John in exile on Patmos. God speaks to and through His people.

There are some people who are afraid to open themselves to the spiritual dominions; the very mention of words like meditation and tuning in to the unseen alarms them. The Bible does have plenty to say to any who fear evil. Fear should not motivate what you do or don’t do. Whenever people in the Bible are approached by an angel, they have to be told first not to be afraid. It is natural to fear the supernatural. But, the Holy Spirit indwells us; He’s already on board. The true Church is made up of members who maintain an ongoing, personal walk with Christ. They are empowered by His divine eternal energy step by step, hour by hour. Unless we know the vital voice of God in our spirits, unless we have that filling Bible-fed fellowship with Him by His Spirit, we are nothing. How are we to commune with Him?

There are two facts in the Bible that are never explained.  The first is God always was and He always will be.  The second is God speaks.  From Genesis to Revelation God speaks to His creation.

God made man able to talk and he was created to communicate with God; both speaking and listening to God speak. And after the fall this communication continued.

Throughout the Bible those spoken to by God evidence not just a passive feeling, but a response. Sometimes their response is joy. Sometimes it is anger. When God spoke to the murderer Cain, Cain was resentful. That was his response. When God spoke to Moses, He met with resistance. There are people who argue with God. He is real; we are real. However you look at it, the Bible doesn’t describe people experiencing mere ethereal thoughts; what is going on is solid, authentic communication between Creator and creature."

In I Samuel we find the story of Samuel.  In chapter 3 verse 9 the Bible says, "Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth^."  When I typed into my search engine the words "speak Lord" I found there are 120 verses that contain those words.  When I typed in "voice of the Lord" I was referenced to 132 verses.  God does speak...but we must listen for He speaks in a "still small voice" (I Kings 19:20). In chapter 9 verse 15 the Bible says God whispered in Samuel’s ear.

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