When The Holy Spirit Speaks To You...

[Edward]

How does the Holy Spirit speak to you? Audibly? In your head? In your Heart? Many times I read in the forums and IRL where people will say...the Holy Spirit told me...etc.

Seeking to be closer to God, I have been paying attention to this. Learning to listen for the soft voice of the Holy Spirit. Learning to differentiate between the Holy Spirit speaking, and my own thoughts. These are my observations.

The Holy Spirit speaks softly most of the time. There have been times though, that the Holy Spirit has spoken loudly to me. Not audibly, ever, but in my head.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit impresses upon me what it is, like a gut feeling yet different somehow, not instinct at all yet I suddenly know what it is that He's trying to tell me. At times, this is softly, other times it has been a very strong impression. Maybe this is the same thing as the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart? Though I have found myself thinking and describing it as differently than speaking to my heart. I am now unsure about that.

There have been times that the Holy Spirit changed the subject on me and taken away my train of thought. Spoke loudly and clearly to me in a different grammatical speech pattern than I think in, AND impressed very strongly upon me at the same moment, the same thing. There was zero doubt that it could have been a thought of my own. It was not my thought, I was being ordered (so to speak) to do something. Then my own thoughts returned, leaving me with the feeling of His presence, but the talk was over and I knew it.

Not your typical topic, I understand. I am curious though, as to others perceptions and experiences in this area. How does the Spirit speak to you? All thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[Guest]

Very nice OP Edward. From personal experience, the Holy Spirit has spoken to me through music, sin, mercy, peace and love. He teaches me through sin what God's goodness feels like, and he teaches me through mercy to show me that he is in control. His mercy is physical and a wonder to grasp. He teaches me through his peace to show me there is nothing to fear. When I say physical I'm speaking about my whole inner soul and spirit, because that's how Jesus is. He is intimate.

Hebrews explains his mercy well to me..Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. When he comes to you, he really comes to you. That's why they say he's a mix between a lion and lamb. And sometimes..

The Holy Spirit speaks softly because he is the Lamb of God. How wonderful is that. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

- urk

View attachment 3365

 

[Sparkey]

Sometimes I ask, "Lord? You know how to lead me."

Which events in your life have had the most profound effect? Was the Lord there for you?

 

[Znex]

Since I became a Christian, I've had God speak to me, not audibly but in my mind as a distinct voice.

In fact this is in such a way that I have been able to seek his voice in prayer and we two may have a bit of conversation about how I'm doing and what is good for me to do about different things, perhaps discussing what's on my mind at the time.

However while at times he will talk to me guiding me, at others he'll remain silent unless I openly seek his advice through a prayer conversation. He still at other times will call me to focus back on his Word and what it says when I seek him, I suppose as a bit of a test.

Admittedly, I have had trouble from demonic tempters and my own sin questioning in my mind too whether everything God has done was something I just imagined or he's not actually who he says he is, or they'll even actively pretend to be God himself. I sense however that few people would not have received such temptations past or present.

Fortunately by God's grace, as my faith grows both in practice and through God's continual work, I'm recognising my tempters more easily now and am able to focus back on my Father, although I will say even now I am far from perfect in this. :P

I will also say that I've always seen it as a gracious gift in answer to my own prayers as a lonely child, so I've not seen it impossible that others will not have this and rather have their own unique gifts that God has given them.

To have a gift and not another is not a shameful thing, but a sign pointing back to God's creativity in making us all unique and equipped for each of our given paths in life for the sake of his own glorious name.

 

[Henry Maxwell]

`
Very interesting thread and very helpful, much appreciated. I would add that I have always felt that the Holy Spirit quite often speaks to us as we read and study the Bible. One of my favorite verses in the New Testament is 2 Tim.3:16-17, which says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that <sup class="crossreference" value='(B)'></sup>the man of God may be adequate, <sup class="crossreference" value='(C)'></sup>equipped for every good work." (ASV) The reason I like to associate the leading of the Holy Spirit so closely with our reading and study of the Holy Scriptures, is because I think the written Word Of God will keep us out of the possible pitfalls and dangers of mysticism.

 

[Edward]

Sometimes I ask, "Lord? You know how to lead me."

Which events in your life have had the most profound effect? Was the Lord there for you?

I had a problem getting online this morning but alls well now. Anyhoo, the event which had the most profound effect on my life was when I had my truck accident and felt myself beginning to black out and called upon the name of the Lord. He was there for me. As I lay on my back for four months recovering, I had much time to reflect on this and how the Lord had been with me. The Holy Spirit impressed upon me during that time, that it was true, he had been there for me. I realized that I owed Him my life, and became very serious about living for the Lord then. No only did He save my life, but I still walk after having broken my back in two places. I'm not in a chair or whatnot so this is a huge blessing to me. I have daily pain, and some may not be able to perceive the blessing in that, but I do. It could've been a lot worse than it was. The Lord has done many things for me since then, but none has had so profound of an effect upon me as that incident.

Like Znex, I too have held conversations with the Lord in my head. Only a few times, He mostly just impresses upon me or my heart what it is. I understand the danger of listening to the voices in ones head and the need to test the Spirits, and have done so on occasion, but I have prayed for and been blessed with discernment and am pert darn good at recognizing the voice as either the Lord, or a foreign voice. There's almost never any doubt as to the source of the voice between the Lord or an evil one sowing doubt. The evil ones sow questions, the Lord makes statements, generally speaking. The Lord is with me in this, and will not forsake me.

Thank you urk. The Lord speaks to me through music also, and other ways. Mostly coming over me with His presence and impressing upon me the message. How does He do it to you?

In fact, I wish some more of you good folks would be a wee bit more specific of how the Spirit speaks to you. In a voice? Impressing upon your heart? How?

Come on brothers! Scared of someone showing up at the door with a straight jacket for you for speaking of voices in your head? LOL. The Lord's in control brothers, it won't happen, and if so, then it must be His will then.

 

[Edward]

Let's hear some testimony.

Has anyone ever had the Holy Spirit speak to them audibly?

 

[Guest]

Hello my good and curious friend with the awesome avatar. A word of advice, when you're talking to someone specifically, it's good to use the (@sign and name) for notifications to get their attention, haha. - like this... @Edward ..

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Blessings - Urk

 

[ministeresther]

The Holy Spirit speaks in diverent ways, i have heard his voice on a few ocasions, not audibel but deep within me, like a soft gentel beautifull voice i could actualy hear, but at the same time knew i did not hear it with my ears, thats the best way i can describe it. The information i got this way was always acurate and proved to be true, even if it seemd to be imposible at the time it was recived. Another way the Holy Spirit speaks is by giving us ideas, and ther is nothing to small ore insignificant for this, a lot of times if i lost something around the house, and i realy dont know were to look anymore, i wil just call out to the Holy Spirit and sudenly i will feel urged to surch in a sertand place and find the thing im looking for... He speaks to us wen we read our bible, by giving us revelation concernin sertand scripturs, i think we all know the times we read a vers we read often and sudenly its like we read a whol sermon in this vers, and something we did not know /understand becomes so clear, ore a vers we have read a hundred times sudenly aplyes to our situation and advises us what to do sometimes He uses another human being to speak to us this can either be. Trough a sermon we hear ore trough somthing a random person says to us, not even knowing our situation. Somtimes he can just touch our hart and give us compashion and pacience we know is not of ourself.

 

[Edward]

it's good to use the (@sign and name) for notifications to get their attention

[MENTION=93656]urk[/MENTION], Thanks urk, I'll do this.

if i lost something around the house, and i really don't know were to look anymore, i will just call out to the Holy Spirit and suddenly i will feel urged to search in a certain place and find the thing i'm looking for

I've done this exact thing when I couldn't find something. The urge you say you feel is the same thing I've been talking about when I say I get an impression upon my heart from the Holy Spirit. When I did this before, it was not a gently impression, I just suddenly knew where it was. I didn't remember, I was told where it was. I didn't make a big thing about it, thanked the Lord and kept on with my day, like my pal had done me a favor. Although it is the small stuff many times that lets one know they have a friend. I was down to a half pot of coffee one morning so made it, and wondered where I would get the money for more but thought that the Lord will take care of me and forgot about it. A short while later a friend that I hadn't seen for awhile called and said hey Ed, haven't seen you in a while, I'll stop by. When he got there he handed me a fresh pound of upgrade coffee beans. I was on the last half of the cup and it was time to make more right then. (I hadn't told him I was out of coffee). This was the Lord delivering coffee to me. I didn't pray for it or anything like that, too petty. The Lord is good.

 

[YosefHayim]

It's amazing that the LORD can speak to people in different ways. Like urk said, through music.

I remember one time when I fell in love with a girl I shouldn't have I was in a store, and saw a album that said something like "the first cut is the deepest". I saw it as a sign that I wasn't going to gain a relationship, and I tried to block it out of my mind.

Could that have been him?

I've prayed for him to speak to me, and I am waiting on him. Some times I have that feeling: "I know he's waiting for something specific". So I ask for his will.

He is great.

There's a quote that says "coincidences are God being anonymous". I don't think he's anonymous, the bible says he's evident.

He speaks through nature. He speaks through prophecy. He speaks through action.

My friend is on ARD for possession of cannabis. He missed court and was on a bench warrant. A few months prior to that I was on the CD for paraphernalia. Well after that I started focusing on God a lot more, and telling him about the greatness of Jesus Christ. He said he was in jail, and there was 6 other people and him. Someone was in there saying who was safe and who wasn't. Who was staying locked up and who would be free, judging everyone. They were in for different things: Drugs, weapons, intoxication. My friend prayed for everyone in the Jail, and himself. One person came in after he prayed. My friend and the 6 people that were in the cell when he prayed were let out. The last person that came in after he prayed stayed. I get that comforting chill when ever I tell that last part to people.

He told me he felt God never payed attention to him or listened to him, and felt that was God saying he was with him.

 

[alone_with_god]

I've found that because my thoughts rum 100 miles an hour, daily, God chooses to speak to me mostly through "night visions" (dreams). I also prayed and asked God to distinguish my thoughts from his voice, so now when he speaks to me in "waking hours" he will totally interrupt my thoughts. I can be thinking to do or say something, and right in the middle of my thoughts, He will invade my thinking and impart his way. It's amazing. I know when its him, because as he says, his thoughts are above our thoughts, his ways above our ways! Because I struggled with separating my thoughts from his voice, he also now will confirm his words through songs, conversations with others, pictures, etc. I'm learning that God can speak in any way he chooses. It's up to us to have an ear to hear. I've even learned that if you ask him to speak to you in a certain way, or through as certain person, or thing....he will.

 

[Edward]

That's what I'm talking about! Thumbs up for the last two posters. Good info and testimony there. Indeed God is evident when one learns to listen. I'm getting better at it, praise the Lord.

The Lord speaks to me in dreams a lot also. I've asked Him to speak to me in dreams, and bam, He does. The Lord is great!

 

[Guest]

The Holy Spirit's anointing also comes when you least expect it. Does anyone know what I mean by that. Blessings.

 

[Guest]

It means that God is in control. John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

 

[Edward]

The Holy Spirit's anointing also comes when you least expect it. Does anyone know what I mean by that. Blessings.

I thought about this, but didn't want to answer too hastily. Do you think that the anointing always comes directly from the Holy Spirit, or can it come through another. I'm thinking here about how the Apostles used to lay hands on people that they receive the Holy Spirit...and also, if if can come through another, that it is dependant on the receptiveness (state of heart and faith) of him that is to receive it?

 

[Guest]

The Holy Spirit's anointing also comes when you least expect it. Does anyone know what I mean by that. Blessings.

I thought about this, but didn't want to answer too hastily. Do you think that the anointing always comes directly from the Holy Spirit, or can it come through another. I'm thinking here about how the Apostles used to lay hands on people that they receive the Holy Spirit...and also, if if can come through another, that it is dependant on the receptiveness (state of heart and faith) of him that is to receive it?

Sure, the anointing is from the Holy Spirit. It's safe to say that. That's a good question, so it's best to keep it simple. Meditate on Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.†(omnipotence: having very great or unlimited authority or power.) Blessings.

 

[ravindran_eee]

Personally, the Holy Spirit speaks with me more frequently through the Word of God. Sometimes the Lord would just plant a portion of scripture deep in my heart and I feel the need to medidate on the Word more. Then the Lord reveals something that would pertain to a situation which I would have been praying about. The other frequent way is through Sunday service! There are many weeks where it would look like the Pastor is just talking to me one on one!! I have never heard an audible message from Holy Spirit. But there have been times when I have felt the Holy Spirit talking or conveying something very clearly in my heart. It would be more obvious because it would be very different from the actual desires of my heart!

How does the Holy Spirit speak to you? Audibly? In your head? In your Heart? Many times I read in the forums and IRL where people will say...the Holy Spirit told me...etc.

Seeking to be closer to God, I have been paying attention to this. Learning to listen for the soft voice of the Holy Spirit. Learning to differentiate between the Holy Spirit speaking, and my own thoughts. These are my observations.

The Holy Spirit speaks softly most of the time. There have been times though, that the Holy Spirit has spoken loudly to me. Not audibly, ever, but in my head.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit impresses upon me what it is, like a gut feeling yet different somehow, not instinct at all yet I suddenly know what it is that He's trying to tell me. At times, this is softly, other times it has been a very strong impression. Maybe this is the same thing as the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart? Though I have found myself thinking and describing it as differently than speaking to my heart. I am now unsure about that.

There have been times that the Holy Spirit changed the subject on me and taken away my train of thought. Spoke loudly and clearly to me in a different grammatical speech pattern than I think in, AND impressed very strongly upon me at the same moment, the same thing. There was zero doubt that it could have been a thought of my own. It was not my thought, I was being ordered (so to speak) to do something. Then my own thoughts returned, leaving me with the feeling of His presence, but the talk was over and I knew it.

Not your typical topic, I understand. I am curious though, as to others perceptions and experiences in this area. How does the Spirit speak to you? All thoughts and comments welcome.

 

[Edward]

Personally, the Holy Spirit speaks with me more frequently through the Word of God. Sometimes the Lord would just plant a portion of scripture deep in my heart and I feel the need to medidate on the Word more. Then the Lord reveals something that would pertain to a situation which I would have been praying about. The other frequent way is through Sunday service! There are many weeks where it would look like the Pastor is just talking to me one on one!! I have never heard an audible message from Holy Spirit. But there have been times when I have felt the Holy Spirit talking or conveying something very clearly in my heart. It would be more obvious because it would be very different from the actual desires of my heart!

That's exactly how he speaks to me most of the time. Just that once he invaded my thoughts and spoke very loudly to me in a way that was unmistakable. I loved it (except that I was concerned for a brother) and wish he would speak like that all the time. My pastor at the church I attend speaks directly to me at times also.

 

[Kaliani]

TBH, I am more wary of the impression of an abrupt command. Audacity does masquerade as authority while, I believe, the Holy Spirit speaks in a still small voice, most of the time.

He makes us work for it, as it were. Not so much so we 'earn' it, but so a choice is clear and present to us.

People often need to resort to fasting, isolation, intense meditation, etc just to tune out internal and external forces of temptation. Now, these exhort and harangue and yell. See addicts and obsessive-compulsives.