Hearing God Through His Word

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

God speaks through His word. It's living and active and He's speaking to us through it today.

We need to read God's word, study it and meditate on it. It's a lamp to our feet and a plumb line to measure everything by.

When you read the Bible, read it with the expectation that God will speak to you.

When we first learn to hear from God, He mostly speaks to us through Scripture. A passage suddenly 'comes alive' to us - it jumps out and we understand it in a way we didn't before.

God speaks to us about things that aren't actually in the Bible but they always agree with the principles we find there - they line up with what the Bible says.

If we 'hear' something that doesn't agree with what the Bible says, we need to reject it as not being from God.

John 6:63 tells us that the words that Jesus spoke are spirit and life. We need to feed on God's word to be spiritually healthy. God's word is like to food to us and we need fresh food every day to grow strong in God.

The Bible guides us on many issues. It's important that we know what God says about things. If we don't know what the Bible says, we can easily be deceived into believing that what we think or hear is God leading us, when it isn't.

There are many ways to read God's word. Here are a few suggestions:

Read a whole book through at one sitting to get a feel for what God is saying

Read the same book in 5 different versions so that it really becomes a part of you

Take one verse or passage and meditate on it

Use study aids to unlock meaning

Read through the Psalms for months at a time

Read one chapter of Proverbs a day alongside whatever else you are reading

Personalise what you are reading and pray God's word back to Him

Invite the Holy Spirit to come alongside as you read and teach you

I can't stress how important it is to know what the word of God says so that we're not easily deceived.

If we have a dream, a prophecy, a vision, inner thoughts or an audible voice that doesn't line up with God's word, then it isn't God speaking to us.

Our Father has given us His written word to help keep us on track.

All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness ...
Timothy 3:16-17

When we read God's word we renew our minds

Beware of falling into the trap of taking words out of context so that they fit with what you believe God is saying.

If someone says they have revelation from God, one of the tests is whether or not it agrees with God's word.

When you are learning to hear God it's important to check everything out with the written word of God.

The Bible says many things about God's word, Psalm 119 has much to say about it. I recommend that you read it.

Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
Proverbs 4:20-22

As you learn other ways of hearing God, always remember the importance of God's written word - it will help you to go in the right direction.