Speak Lord: Hearing the Voice of God

Sunday, May 24^th 2026

John 10:27; Acts 2:17-21; Acts 1-28

Introduction

God Still Speaks Today, Let’s Listen, Discern and Obey

1. Ways God Can Speak to Us

• The Holy Scriptures – 2 Timothy 3:16

We hear God’s voice preeminently in and through the written Word of God, the Bible. This is the primary way God speaks to me! It may be me reading or studying the Word, someone preaching to me from the Bible or reading a book written by a Christian.

• Audible Voice – John 12:27

Those who heard the audible voice of God are Abraham, Moses, the nation of Israel, Samuel, Elijah, John the Baptist, Peter, James and John, the general public John 12:27, Paul, Peter and John. Most of the time when you hear audible voice it’s because of what lies ahead is going to be difficult!

• Internal Audible Voice

When we genuinely ‘hear’ a sound in our head, a voice that is decidedly not our own. But in this instance, no one else would be able to hear it with their physical ears. Always be careful to share the information with people. Write it down

• Angels

God speaks through angelic messengers and the Bible is full of examples of it. Joshua, Samson’s parents, Isaiah, Daniel, Zacharias, Mary, Shepherds, Philip, Peter and others

• Dreams

God does communicate through dreams like Joseph, Daniel, Matthew. It seems many Muslims coming to faith in Jesus through dreams. I have heard missionaries and read testimonies of people having dreams and Jesus is revealing himself to them.

• Visions

God gives people visions to encourage and strengthen the work of God. God promised this would happen in Acts 2:17-21 from the prophet Joel. Ananias in Acts 9:10-12, Peter on a rooftop in Acts 10. Paul in Acts 16:9,10; 18:9,10; 22:17,18!

• Impressions

God often puts words, phrases, sentences, images and the like into our minds, stamped with the indelible print of his voice. Even though undeniably subjective it is a valid means of divine communication into our hearts.

• Providence

God may also communicate to us through providential guidance or by means of events that clearly reveal his will.

• Sympathetic Physical Pain

On occasion God will communicate his desire to heal someone by stirring in your body a pain or sensation that corresponds to the affliction that another is experiencing.

• Creation

God has created the world, and it speaks to us that there is a Creator. Psalm 19 and Psalm 104 describes God’s creative power and how they bring glory to Him.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:18-25 says “…for what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.”

1. The Goal of Hearing God

The goal of hearing God is for us to be obedient, humble and direct all glory to God. What fruit of the Spirit has been produced in you since have been ‘hearing God.’ We must be careful to not to be enamored with the gifts of Spirit and not grow in the fruit of Spirit!

Too many people have fallen because the pride in their lives and have taken advantage of people and even destroyed the faith of some people. Let us walk humbly before God!