Hearing God for This Season
Last weekend was Pentecost — and The LORD is pouring out His Holy Spirit so we can learn to discern what He’s saying to know Him better. And He is speaking 24/7!
In this episode of Spirit Connection, I give you examples of the many different ways God speaks … and practical instruction on how to learn to recognize His voice so you can grow in confidence, knowing that you hear Him clearly!
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Find Out
- Over 10 ways that God speaks to us though we may not recognize it.
- Several reasons why God speaks in metaphor and mysteries.
- 5 practical steps you can take right now to hear God accurately.
- Why it’s okay if you can’t always remember your dreams.
Message
Dreams and Visions and more
“For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man.” Job 33:14–17 NKJV.
God will speak to you even if you do not perceive it or understand.
He can conceal revelation from your natural mind to keep you from getting prideful. God is often sealing our instructions even though we are not aware.
Later, you can live out these hidden things He has tucked away in your spirit and then your life is changed.
You do not always have to remember things for God to speak and change your life!
Different ways God speaks
God can speak through the Bible, a movie, a TV commercial, a song, during worship, a prophetic word, etc. There is nothing He can’t use!
Everything applies, but you might have to weed some things out. It is the same principle whether it’s a dream or something you hear a friend share through The Holy Spirit.
Most people find that The Holy Spirit speaks directly during times of prayer or worship. God can use anything to seal your instructions, keep you from pride and keep you moving in the right direction.
God can also speak through one of His angels! In the book of Acts, there is a lot of angelic activity. In Acts 8:26, Philip has an encounter with an angel and the angel tells him where to travel next.
In verse 29, the Spirit tells Philip how to respond. He meets a man who is pondering the meaning of a verse in the Book of Isaiah. Philip explains the passage and tells him about Jesus.
The man believes and is baptized. God used a combination of a messenger angel and The Holy Spirit to speak because He wanted to bring a single person into the Kingdom.
Parables and God’s hidden language
Jesus used parables to explain the concepts of The LORD and Heaven in everyday story or language.
Because God’s methods are so varied and not limited, we need to understand God’s hidden language.
Reading the parables helps you understand that not only is God speaking all the time, but He also uses everyday situations for people to receive a deeper spiritual message.
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2 NKJV.
Think about the last time you had to search for something. It probably took some effort. It may have taken some outside help. It is the same with searching out the meaning of a prophetic word.
Dreams can be a little harder to understand. As you consider the symbols and settings you see in dreams, studying the parables will help you see how God uses metaphors.
When it comes to hearing God, it takes time to learn to discern because it is about getting to know God and how He talks to you personally. Slow down and record things that you hear and experience, and then pray and ask God to show you what is for now and what is for later.
Practical steps
- Write it down.
- Search the matter out, especially in the Bible. Consider doing a word study or other related Bible research into the themes God shows you.
- Read a book or take an online course.
- Ask The LORD to speak!
Foundation of love
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV.
We need to combine hearing God with loving people and ourselves.
Jesus talked more about loving people than anything else. The greatest commandment is to love God, other people and yourself (Matthew 22:37–39).
Steps to hear God accurately
- Build a daily habit of listening and connecting with The LORD.
- Cultivate the spiritual atmosphere (unbelief and grumbling can close things).
- Track what God is saying.
- Practice so you can learn to discern.
- Activate it in your life.
Cleaning up your mindset
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ‘Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV.
We need to renew our minds away from the patterns of the world.
You will need to eliminate fear, judgments and unbelief.
Replace these with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).
Changing the spiritual atmosphere
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV.
- Do an inventory of your thoughts and words.
- Recognize ungodly thoughts and take them captive.
- Stop any judgments of yourself and others.
- Bless more than you complain.
- Go on a negative-thought-and-talk fast and develop that lifestyle.
Blessings,
~ Doug Addison
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Doug Addison is a prominent conference speaker captivating audiences with clean stand-up comedy and high energy prophetic messages, also shared on TV, radio and the Internet for over a decade. He brings laughter, fun and a unique prophetic style while empowering people to transform their lives, discover their destiny and understand dreams, tattoos and piercings. His powerful messages stay with his audiences long after hearing him.
I would like to share my Glory Encounter with King Jesus when I was very sick with covid in Las Vegas hospital Dec 17 2021. My kidneys were shutting down in ER. All of a sudden my spirit left my body and I found myself on Throneroom of Heaven with King Jesus.I heard His beautiful sa y to me Sharon you are sitting on next to Me in My Throneroom. Jesus healed me sent me back to share my encounter with Him. I awakened I my hospital room. When I went home we had many miracles. We even gad visitation of Angels. I could hear the voice of King Jesus 24/7. Glory to Jesus