Thursday, August 29, 2024

God's Voice--Audible or Not

Have you ever heard the voice of God, and if so, was it an audible voice or did He someway use one or more of the body’s five senses to speak?  I wonder what God’s voice sounded like when he spoke from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). 

Was His voice like turbulent, whitewater rapids on its trek down a mountain from melting snow?  Did it sound like a category 4 hurricane hitting landfall on the coast of Florida, or was it like the roaring sound of a tornado touching down with deafening claps of thunder overhead?

Whatever the texture, tone, or intensity of God’s voice sounded like that day, I believe it commanded respect and reverence from all that heard Him.  The Bible says in (1 Kings 19:11,12) that God speaks in a still, small voice, and not in a strong wind, earthquake, or fire.

My mind pictures God’s voice as being quite audible, with no-one questioning as to who is speaking.  I think His voice is like a cool, morning breeze blowing against my face.

I believe that God’s voice can be heard through signing with hands, though not audible, but powerful and distinct.  I have heard God’s voice through an anointed sermon from my pastor.  At times His voice sounds exactly like my wife’s voice when He uses her tongue to speaks words of wisdom to my heart.

There is no limitation with God, no barriers to overcome when He chooses to speak.  In (Exodus 3:1-6), God spoke from the midst of a burning bush to Moses.   I believe God could speak to me through nature, by having the wind blow through tree branches, if He were inclined to do so.  I’m sure the message would come through very clearly.

One time I heard God speak my name, while I slept, as plain as day.  It seemed quite audible when He said, “Dennis, wake up.”  I immediately knew that it was God calling my name.

Fully awake, I felt His presence and someway heard God speaking from deep within my soul or in my mind.  He continued with words of encouragement, speaking to me like a friend speaks to a friend.  It was a feeling of total companionship between the Lord and me.

All this awareness and the words He spoke were familiar, directing me, loving me, speaking through one or more of my five senses.  I do not comprehend, totally, how it all came about, or how God conversed with me, but I know it was the Lord taking time to support and love me.

The Bible says in (Acts 2:17) that young men shall see visions and old men shall dream dreams.  When these phenomena happen, I am sure God’s voice will accompany the visions and dreams either audibly or through feelings or the other four senses.

God will speak when we are listening.  I am positive that more individuals would hear from God if they were not so involved with the things around them.  God speaks in a calm; soft voice and it requires a quiet environment to hear Him.

Time alone with God is imperative to hear His voice.  We need to stop talking long enough to hear Him speaking—Stop, Look, and Listen. 

God certainly speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, which was recorded by holy men of old as the Spirit of God breathed upon each of them.  He spoke His infallible words to their heart, and I believe they heard God’s voice within them as they penned each word with care.

Words reveal themselves to me as I expose my heart and soul to the Lord in the quiet times of meditation.  When I become inspired, I write down each word, phrase, and thought that comes.  Sometimes they come so quickly that it is a challenge to keep up with the thoughts.  I later compile all that God gave me into the writings you read on my blog.

Do I hear an audible voice speaking into my ears?  No.  I sense His presence within me as I close myself off with Him and allow my mind to grasp what He is saying.  Is God’s transfer of thoughts verbal or through feeling?  They can come any way that God chooses to give them to me.

An example:  I may be sitting in the car waiting for my wife to finish her shopping and see an advertisement sign in the parking lot or a sign on the side of a building; or I may see a picture and wording on a billboard on the side of the road.  A nugget that I hear from a sermon can inspire thoughts to pour into my head.

I then take these thoughts and allow God to go with me to the recesses of my mind and formulate sentences and paragraphs in writings that I pray touches the hearts of those that read them.  God’s words, His voice, can come to me in a myriad of different ways.  I try to stay alert and one with the Spirit to receive them.

A person may ask, “Why don’t I hear the voice of God like you are writing about?”  I don’t have all the answers, but this is what comes to mind:  Number one, we must be ready to listen.  Number two, we must want to hear His voice.  Number three, we must turn off devices like the radio and television to hear His voice.  Number four, we must be prepared to do what God is asking us to do.

Number four is where the rubber meets the road.  Either we are amenable to be used of God, for His glory, or we are not.  I believe when people are active for the Lord, at any level, God is speaking.  He will not leave us nor forsake us.

God will fill our mouth with words that are not our own when we are witnessing to others about God’s amazing love.  I believe the words that come out of my mouth, when I am under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are God’s words to those listening and not only to them, but to me as well.

I am blown away, figuratively speaking, when I start talking and I realize that my tongue is moving, but the words I am speaking and listening to are not my own.  In my prayer time, I have prophesied over myself as God used my tongue to speak to me personally.  Don’t ask me to explain how it works, it just does.

God uses vessels, conduits as it were, called Christians.  They move in faith and touch other people’s lives as they listen to God’s voice through the words Believers speak or the words they put on paper. 

God’s voice is recognizable.  The Bible says that his sheep know His voice.

(John 10:27), “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

 

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