Four Ways God Speaks to You
By Rick Warren
“God does speak — sometimes one way and sometimes another — even though people may not understand it” (Job 33:14 NCV).
A lot of us think we’re too busy to listen for God’s response. But we have to take the time to tune in and listen, because God is speaking. Job 33:14 says, “God does speak — sometimes one way and sometimes another — even though people may not understand it” (NCV).
The question is, “How do I understand it? How do I tune in so that I can hear God’s voice?”
Here are four of the channels that God uses:
1. God speaks to us through the Bible.
It’s your guidebook for life. It shows you the right step to take. That is why you need to read God’s Word every day. If you’re not having a daily quiet time and reading the Bible, God is getting a busy signal when he wants to speak to you. You have to keep a constant connection, because God’s will is found in God’s Word.
2. God speaks to us through teachers.
Have you ever been in a church service and felt like the teacher was delivering a direct message from God to you? There’s no way I or any other teacher could figure out exactly what to say to meet every need. But God knows. So before every service I pray, “God, you know the people and the needs out there. Give me the right things to say.” Somehow, in the way only he can, God uses my teaching and the teaching of other pastors to meet the needs of people who are listening.
3. God speaks to us through impressions.
There are two extremes to this. One extreme is the rationalist who believes no impression can be from God; it all has to be logical. At the other extreme is the mystical belief that every impression is from God. You need to get in the middle and realize that for an impression to be from God, it has to match God’s Word.
4. God speaks to us through our circumstances.
If you’re going to live a life of significance, God has to make constant course corrections, and one way he does that is through the circumstances that come into your life.
When you start to listen to God through circumstances, impressions, teachers, or the Bible, sometimes he’s going to lead you in ways that you don’t understand.
Hang in there! Following God is not always easy, but it will reap more blessing in your life than you can imagine.
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Talk It Over
When has God used one of these channels to speak to you about his will for your life?
How can you test an impression to see if it is from God?
How do you need to change your perspective on your circumstances so that God can use them to speak to you?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Gain confidence in your prayer life
Prayer is a simple concept. It’s just a conversation with God.
But at the same time, prayer can be intimidating. After all, you’re talking to the Almighty! It can be hard to know how to ask for your requests, and anticipate how God will answer.
That’s why Rick Warren’s just-released resource called Experience God’s Power Through Prayer is so powerful. It’s not a passive book to simply read, but an interactive, guided experience to help you gain confidence in your prayer life.
Experience God’s Power Through Prayer shows you how to…
• Develop a daily habit of prayer
• Pray expectantly for yourself and others
• Trust God to answer your prayers
• Understand the benefits of memorizing Scripture
• Express your gratitude to God
• Cultivate a courageous faith
Experience God’s Power Through Prayer is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people learn, love, and live the Word through Daily Hope. So request your copy when you give below.
Thank you for making an eternal investment!
This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
