When God speaks to you

[Wrg1405]

How does God speak to you?
Does he call you by your birth name or nickname?
Does he call you my son or my daughter?
How does he make you feel when you hear him?
Does he relate to you in the way that others have done so in a positive way?

How can we be sure it's God speaking and not satan. How do we tell the difference?

Just to clarify I'm asking about quiet/personal time with God.

 

[Christ_empowered]

The 1 time I thought I heard from God, it was scary. Nightmare-ish, even. I heard a voice telling me I'd wasted my life and "sold my soul for cheap pills." Not a loud voice; just a quiet voice in my head. Then I got bashed on the head with a pipe in a rough part of town (ouch). And the next night I was given heavy electroshock...

...on the plus side, the voice did say I'd get another chance, which is crazy, considering how things are going in my life now. This was when I was 23 and having my Crackup ("severe manic episode with psychotic features" in shrink-speak). I don't know if it was God or...that other guy...

...haven't heard anything like it ever since, which is just fine by me. These days, I pray to God to help me "spot" things...pride, self-love, getting puffed up, etc., and I've been made more able to do it ("gained insight" in shrink-speak).

 

[Wrg1405]

The 1 time I thought I heard from God, it was scary. Nightmare-ish, even. I heard a voice telling me I'd wasted my life and "sold my soul for cheap pills." Not a loud voice; just a quiet voice in my head. Then I got bashed on the head with a pipe in a rough part of town (ouch). And the next night I was given heavy electroshock...

...on the plus side, the voice did say I'd get another chance, which is crazy, considering how things are going in my life now. This was when I was 23 and having my Crackup ("severe manic episode with psychotic features" in shrink-speak). I don't know if it was God or...that other guy...

...haven't heard anything like it ever since, which is just fine by me. These days, I pray to God to help me "spot" things...pride, self-love, getting puffed up, etc., and I've been made more able to do it ("gained insight" in shrink-speak).

Do you feel that the first time was of God?

 

[Christ_empowered]

I dunno. It could easily have been the evil one...I wasn't saved and even though I was only 23, a life of heavy sin had most definitely caught up with me...but, I dunno. I suppose it could also have just been plain ole psychosis, but...nobody knows what causes psychosis. All docs can do is give pills to suppress "symptoms."

I'm honestly just very, very happy I haven't heard anything like it ever since.

But...back to your question...do you think when God "speaks" its always in the ways you're thinking of? Couldn't it be in how He arranges situations, the people He puts in your life, etc.?

 

[Wrg1405]

I dunno. It could easily have been the evil one...I wasn't saved and even though I was only 23, a life of heavy sin had most definitely caught up with me...but, I dunno. I suppose it could also have just been plain ole psychosis, but...nobody knows what causes psychosis. All docs can do is give pills to suppress "symptoms."

I'm honestly just very, very happy I haven't heard anything like it ever since.

But...back to your question...do you think when God "speaks" its always in the ways you're thinking of? Couldn't it be in how He arranges situations, the people He puts in your life, etc.?

Just so you know I'm not suggesting it was from Satan.

Yes I agree totally that God speaks to us by using people in the situations of life that we find ourselves in. To me that's a matter of fact. We see it here on this site. In fact over the weekend I experienced that so powerfully with my post about missing my son and responses to my prayer requests. I'm not sure he arranges situations (and I could be wrong and am open to being told so) but I think he uses others to speak to us in the situations we put ourselves in.
He then uses genuine honest people like you and others to speak to us.

My angle for the post and i have just edited it was to talk about the personal/quiet times we have with God.

 

[Christ_empowered]

me again. I didn't mean to sound critical. Aside from that 1 (INTENSE!!!!!) experience, I've never heard anything from on high that was so clearly...well, from somebody, somewhere, telling me things.

I had an acquaintance...a Baptist minister...he told me that he heard from God, very loud voice, telling him to give up his (lucrative) business career and get into ministry, stat. So...I think it does happen.

 

[Wrg1405]

me again. I didn't mean to sound critical. Aside from that 1 (INTENSE!!!!!) experience, I've never heard anything from on high that was so clearly...well, from somebody, somewhere, telling me things.

I had an acquaintance...a Baptist minister...he told me that he heard from God, very loud voice, telling him to give up his (lucrative) business career and get into ministry, stat. So...I think it does happen.

Hello you again.

You are not coming across as critical. Your response is what I'm after hearing. Don't put yourself down and thanks for being honest

 

[Edward]

The Lord has never addressed me by name that I can remember. The one time that I was spoken to audibly, He just began speaking to me, giving me instructions to carry out.

When I questioned Him () He got short with me and repeated the instruction and added, right away. I was like yes Sir, and did it.
But no names.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

How does God speak to you?

By an impression on the heart and/or mind.

Does he call you by your birth name or nickname?

Neither. He just talks.

How does he make you feel when you hear him?

Like a son.

How can we be sure it's God speaking and not satan. How do we tell the difference?

The witness of peace. Spiritual, inward peace, not outward calmness of circumstances and situations.

Does he relate to you in the way that others have done so in a positive way?

Do you mean do others relate to me in a positive way the way God has? If that's what you mean, then, 'yes'. My pastor, mentor, father in the faith would often be like what the voice of God was to me.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I'm honestly just very, very happy I haven't heard anything like it ever since.

Besides when God speaks understanding and insight to me through the scriptures, I can count on two hands when the Lord has 'spoken' to me in all my 30 years as a Christian. And as every year goes by I'm losing memory of them.

 

[Brother Mike]

Besides when God speaks understanding and insight to me through the scriptures, I can count on two hands when the Lord has 'spoken' to me in all my 30 years as a Christian. And as every year goes by I'm losing memory of them.

You have known God long enough. You need to give him a reason to speak to you.

Story I hope you catch on.

As a truck driver, I drove, unloaded and drove somewhere else. Things were going pretty smooth and 3 months went by and I did not hear a peep out of the Lord. (I mean like a talk, I am sure I was led by the Holy Spirit on things that said stop inside or I had peace about)

So, I am driving along and I said, "Ok, what Gives Father, I have not heard from you in months."

Just then, real loud inside (Not a voice "ears", but inside) He said, "Ya, and what do I need to say to you, you don't talk to anyone for me."

I said, ah, OK. The next person you tell me to go talk to, I'll go talk to them. I'll just walk up and start talking, just give me what to say when I walk up.

Well, it was my next unload and there was a nasty varmint dock manager that cursed me out for walking in the wrong area of the warehouse looking for someone to turn my bills in. This guy not only cussed me out, but He told me He was going to make me wait until the next day, so Have a good sleep in the parking lot. Man, it was only like 2pm......... Really.

I just walked back to my truck. I was going to read some scriptures and wash that guy out of my brain.

Just then................. Guess who the Lord wanted me to just walk up and talk to?

I won't tell the story, but that mans life changed completly that day.

Give him a reason to talk to you, and next person you talk to about Jesus, wait a sec, ask the Lord what to say. You will be amazed. Our natural thinking pulls up scriptures based on what we see and hear. What God knows though goes beyond and cuts the root.

Mike.

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

The several times I wonder if God spoke to me I also wonder if it was just me talking to myself. I've never heard a voice other then my own in my head. I know that's not always God because I've rationalized to myself how a sin was ok. I wish I could say differently, but I can't tell what's my own good sence and what's from God. Maybe none of it is from God. (A bit of a troubling thought for me.)

 

[Edward]

The several times I wonder if God spoke to me I also wonder if it was just me talking to myself. I've never heard a voice other then my own in my head. I know that's not always God because I've rationalized to myself how a sin was ok. I wish I could say differently, but I can't tell what's my own good sence and what's from God. Maybe none of it is from God. (A bit of a troubling thought for me.)

The one time that God spoke audibly to me, it was inside my head, (99% sure) but it sounded audible to me.

How I know for sure that it was God is, He interrupted my train of thought and spoke. It was in a grammatical speech pattern that was not mine own. It was...someone else.

It was also the most strong presence of God that came over me ever. There was no question who it was.

He said, pray for Brother xxxxxxx, he needs help.
I said, what, why, what's wrong?
He said, pray for him now He needs help (his tone that time was short, or urgent...
So I did, then the presence left.

 

[Edward]

I heard a respected pastor's sermon once where he told how to teach yourself how to ID the voices in your head. It takes some discipline to do it.

For two weeks, just before bed, pray and ask God a question. Have pen & paper ready, and write down everything that comes into your head.
When it seems to stop, say, is that all Father? Then write down anything else which comes to mind.
Then go to sleep. In the morning look over the list of things you wrote down and cross things off that are not scriptural. Those things would be you or the enemy talking and not our Lord.

The pastor said that over the course of two weeks (don't skip any nights!) You'll become accustomed to recognizing who's who talking.

I haven't been able to do this for two weeks.
What I do do is to ask sometimes if I'm not sure...is that you Father? And wait.

 

[Wrg1405]

↑
Does he relate to you in the way that others have done so in a positive way?
Do you mean do others relate to me in a positive way the way God has? If that's what you mean, then, 'yes'. My pastor, mentor, father in the faith would often be like what the voice of God was to me.

Yes that is what I meant. I thinks this very important. I hope this makes sense but someone who relates to you in a positive way you will listen to because they are positive even when they talk to you about the negative aspects of your life, your relationship with God as such. I don't think God beats us up when we get it wrong and I beleive God encourages when we get it right.

 

[Wrg1405]

The one time that God spoke audibly to me, it was inside my head, (99% sure) but it sounded audible to me.

How I know for sure that it was God is, He interrupted my train of thought and spoke. It was in a grammatical speech pattern that was not mine own. It was...someone else.

It was also the most strong presence of God that came over me ever. There was no question who it was.

He said, pray for Brother xxxxxxx, he needs help.
I said, what, why, what's wrong?
He said, pray for him now He needs help (his tone that time was short, or urgent...
So I did, then the presence left.

I have never heard God speak audibly but I'm convinced that in my mind God speaks to me and I'm hear him.

Just a quick example if I can give a quick one.
For most of my Christian life God was not my Father and I was not his son. Yes I beleived in Jesus but life experiences taught me God was God and if pleased him then one day he would call me son, or even by birth name William (which for me has negative connotations, right from an early age I refused to be called William and asked to be called Bill)

I left church for a long time, won't go into the details but when I came back to church (it was either do or die, when i say die I mean it literally because I asked God to take my life)

As Jethro quoted in post 9 about having others relating to you in a positive way, a mentor of God as such, when I came back to church. God gave me such a person.

I was laid up with a back problem. As I'm sat on the sofa I feel God say to me "Let's spend some time together" I said no. He says "Pick up your bible and read Romans 5" I say no.

I was so frightened to read the bible because when I did I always focused on the punishment side, the consequences of not being a good boy.

The more I said no the more God asked me.

Then all of a sudden it was like a bullet that hit my heart. This bullet had the inscription (and I had that picture of a bullet ripping my heart apart)

The inscription was "Bill my Son I want to spend time with you, I'm your father" he did not call me William, he called me son and told me he is my father.

That was in my mind, I processed the words and even though it wasn't audible to hear in a room it certainly was God speaking to me through the Holy Spirit in my mind.

God spoke to me.

I do think that if ever you think in your own mind words like your a failure, useless, must be better, work harder to be loved, then it ain't from God.

When he talks to us, he is gentle but he is firm at times but in a loving way.

As he said to once when I wasn't getting something "What part of this are you not getting" he didn't say "You idiot"

 

[Eugene]

He said, pray for Brother xxxxxxx, he needs help.
I said, what, why, what's wrong?
He said, pray for him now He needs help

Dear Brother Edward, this is what I don't understand. If God already knows the problem, is the cure dependent upon me? I personally see our brother in Christ loved as Jesus Himself to our Father. Oh I've experienced thoughts of need for someone and act on them, and I've heard messages from the pulpit seemingly especially directed to my or other's need the preacher probably has no awareness of, but then again we read of John being told to write the things he saw that Jesus' angel showed him and send it to the seven angels (Pastors) of the seven churches in Asia. Rev 1:19-20.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (Was this given us in writings?)
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Is this also done in writings?)
The reason I question this is that when Jesus was up against it being tested by Satan did even He ask for special help in personal communication, or did He use the words given Him by our Father through the prophets? To me sufficient were the words "It is written," and that in the face of reality that drove Satan himself away for another day or season.

Last I bring forth these words of God.
Ecc 8:4 Where the word of a King is, there is power . . .

 

[smaller]

The reason I question this is that when Jesus was up against it being tested by Satan did even He ask for special help in personal communication, or did He use the words given Him by our Father through the prophets? To me sufficient were the words "It is written," and that in the face of reality that drove Satan himself away for another day or season.

Jesus knew that Satan can not obey Gods Words, but must resist them, therefore, Satan departed, not interested in serving God.

Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The service of Satan is an INVERSE form of "serving" and "worshipping" God. Which is problematic for us to take hold of, in understandings.

I am not apt to listen to voices in my head, when I have Gods Own Words, instead, written, securely upon my heart. The Living Word is much more interesting than believers credit.

That being said, there are some times in my life, where I have "heard." Few as these were, they are very vivid. And when this does happen, which it does, who can help, but listen, and move accordingly?

I might suggest the soft approach is always with us, speaking. If it get's louder than that, best listen closely.

 

[Edward]

Dear Brother Edward, this is what I don't understand. If God already knows the problem, is the cure dependent upon me? I personally see our brother in Christ loved as Jesus Himself to our Father. Oh I've experienced thoughts of need for someone and act on them, and I've heard messages from the pulpit seemingly especially directed to my or other's need the preacher probably has no awareness of, but then again we read of John being told to write the things he saw that Jesus' angel showed him and send it to the seven angels (Pastors) of the seven churches in Asia. Rev 1:19-20.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (Was this given us in writings?)
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Is this also done in writings?)
The reason I question this is that when Jesus was up against it being tested by Satan did even He ask for special help in personal communication, or did He use the words given Him by our Father through the prophets? To me sufficient were the words "It is written," and that in the face of reality that drove Satan himself away for another day or season.

Last I bring forth these words of God.
Ecc 8:4 Where the word of a King is, there is power . . .

That's what I thought! God didn't need me to pray to help a Brother in need, He already knew the problem. I had been praying for God to let me help Him in some way, that I was feeling useless as a servant because of my situation and back problems...then He asked me to pray for a Brother in Christ when it really wasn't needed.

The only thing I can figure, is that God loves me, so let me help where none was needed. But the Brother did need help and urgently too. After I prayed for him I was still curious what happened so I jumped on the computer and pm'd the Brother to ask what had happened and told him that God had told me to pray for him. He did indeed need help that day while he was out and about and was in the process of collapsing as I understand it, when a stranger in a suit walked up and said I'm here to help, what do you need? Then he got him what he needed and was gone.

The Brother in Christ told me that according to the time stamp on the pm, that it was right about that time that he was in need and got helped.

That blew my mind. It was a serious situation the Brother was in, and God let me help somewhat. I feel blessed that He let me help where He didn't need me. I wonder if he wouldn't have been helped if I hadn't prayed?

 

[Brother Mike]

Dear Brother Edward, this is what I don't understand. If God already knows the problem, is the cure dependent upon me?

This is really an awesome question, and I my hope is that others here grow to be thinking on these type's of things.

If God already knows the problem.................... Then is help for someone really dependent on us?

It's kind of like saying, do I need to preach the gospel, since God already wishes that none be lost and all come to the knowledge of the truth?

2Th 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

The Lord does know His Word needs a free course to be unhindered, right? God would know something like that, surely. Why pray then? What is the Word not having a free course? Who might be responsible for stopping the Word from getting preached?

Mat_16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Who has those keys?

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
(Luk 10:19-20)

Who was given authority over the enemy?

Joh 16:15 Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. (AMP)
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Who is being given, shown all the power and authority in Heaven and in Earth?

Rom_8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Why do WE need to pray in the spirit (Spirit) So the Holy Spirit can make intercessions for the saints according to the Will of God? God should already have that handled, right?

Believers need to learn that.

1) We are the Body of Christ, it's us that were anointed.

2) We have been born of water and have a physical body. We are the ones with the authority as God gave the earth to the children of men, and Jesus ripped that authority away from Satan.

3) God has authority through us, until Our Lord returns. No body, no Holy Spirit, no help for others.

4) God is not going to just trash the devil, the devil is the god of this world and God's integrity goes beyond most peoples understanding.

5) God knows we personally have need of these things (Matt 6) He is able to exceedingly abundantly above what we even ask or think, (Eph 3:20) If we serve God, and obey, things just sort of fall into place for us. For someone else though, we are to pray because we are the body of Christ here on earth and have a right and power against the enemy that hinders others.

6) God will prompt us to pray, and when He does, I go pray in tongues until I know inside it's fixed. God just won't come and fix it himself, He is not flesh and blood and Satan would cry foul. However, nothing the devil can do about us filled with the Word and power of the Holy Spirit. This is why the devil hates the fact that Christ came in the flesh, because He now had to deal with the power of God in man on earth.

That blew my mind. It was a serious situation the Brother was in, and God let me help somewhat. I feel blessed that He let me help where He didn't need me. I wonder if he wouldn't have been helped if I hadn't prayed?

I answered your question above. God bless.
Mike.