The Power Of God's Whisper Podcast

[The Lord said,] “Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.”ISAIAH 43:4

FROM THE HEART OF GOD

“Many people like to believe that I’m impartial. I’m not. It’s true that My gifts and blessings are available to anyone who chooses to enter into a relationship with Me and live by faith; I offer My love to all. In that sense, I am no respecter of persons. But I don’t treat everyone the same, because not everyone responds to Me the same way. I favor those who love Me and trust Me.

“You’ve realized this even as you’ve sought to hear My voice. You’ve understood that people who do not listen will also not be able to hear; but people who do listen will learn how to recognize what I’m saying to them. You’ve acknowledged that I reward those who diligently seek Me and that My sheep  —not all people, but My sheep  —hear My voice. You instinctively understand that some blessings come only to those who position themselves to receive them. I draw close in love to those who draw close to Me in love.

“I want you to know this so you won’t take My voice for granted. When you hear Me speak, know that you hear because you are favored. You are honored as one whom I’ve chosen. Though much of the world refuses to believe that I exist, or that I speak, or that human beings have the ability to hear Me, you have come with an open heart and a desire to tune in to My desires. I’ve loved you always, but your pursuit of Me  —which is actually your response to My pursuit of you  —causes Me to delight in you. You are precious to Me. And I speak often to those I delight in.”

Lord, I know You don’t love me any less when I don’t hear Your voice, but I’m so glad for the favor You show me by speaking to me. Thank You for choosing me, for giving me ears to hear, for pursuing my heart. May I always respond in ways that delight You.

This is the sign from the LORD to prove that he will do as he promised: I will cause the sun’s shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz! ISAIAH 38:7-8

“Lord, if I’m believing in the wrong thing and heading in the wrong direction  —I’ll walk away. Just speak to me clearly. But if you want me to press ahead, show me the sign I’m looking for.” I prayed that prayer on a discouraging day when I was headed out the door for a walk. The sign I was looking for  —cardinals  —was a common symbol to me. God had spoken to me this way before, the cardinal representing hope and promise. The more I saw, the greater the affirmation. Where I live, seeing one cardinal isn’t unusual, but the timing in my conversations with God has been uncanny. In desperate times, they’ve flown over my head, landed in branches in front of me, and seemingly stared at me as if God were delivering a personal message. I believed He had spoken this way many times, and on this day I desperately needed another bit of confirmation.

By the end of my walk, I had seen nine cardinals (and nine happened to be a symbolic number in the situation I was praying about). The most I had ever seen on that route was four, and usually, it was one or two at the most. Very often I would see none. But on this day, right after I said, “Lord, I’ll take any cardinals as an affirmation to continue in the direction I’ve been going,” I saw them flying across my path, landing in the bushes next to the path, darting over my head, and perched on branches above, chirping emphatically. Just as Hezekiah asked for and received a sign with the sun, I asked for a sign with one particular bird. And the God who orchestrates His creation gave it to me.

Lord, I know You often choose not to speak this way, and I can’t assume that the absence of a sign means “no.” It may simply mean You want to speak another way. But when You do speak this way, it is so very encouraging. Thank You for designing well-orchestrated “coincidences.”

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. JAMES 1:5

The Bible tells us that God is ready and eager to give us wisdom for our lives. There are no hints and tricks, secret handshakes, or special formulas for getting God’s attention and having Him speak to you. Just ask! In fact, Jesus said that His disciples would be able to know what He was teaching by asking the Father in His Name (John 16:27). Do you want to learn divine guidance? There are many things that can close our minds off to the Lord, but one of the major culprits is our comfort level.

Many Christians approach God with the assumption that it will be difficult to hear Him and that only the superspiritual are close enough to God to know His thoughts. Scripture tells us just the opposite: If we need wisdom, we’re to ask for it. That’s it. No hoops to jump through, no requirement of long hours of monastic solitude and self-discipline, no prerequisite of a master’s degree in biblical interpretation. Just ask and receive.

God has made it possible for us to comprehend the influence of His voice in our lives. His heart can be implanted inside ours, so that we can learn to do good and come to understand what is right.

Many of us don’t think it’s possible, and that’s OK. God knows you don’t have to have a PhD in the spiritual life to learn to hear His voice. We can all start right where we are. It’s sheer grace when we can know the heartbeat of God for our lives.

You and I both know what disappointment feels like when that ever-so-strong inner voice of wisdom seems to fall quiet. We are master at second-guessing the voice of wisdom. In some ways, we are overly fastidious, asking far more questions than we need to. Is this from God or just us?

Are these our desires or His will? Are those thoughts from His Spirit or from our psychological makeup, past issues, or emotional biases? Am I being deceived? But mind you, God has the capability to guide us better than we can be deceived. If we're not willfully fooling ourselves —if we're trying to be faithful with humble hearts—He will make it clear. We can depend on the Holy Spirit within us, the desires He births in our hearts, and the thoughts He gives us.

There is nothing wrong with questioning the voice of God, after all, He has a soft whisper and not a booming voice. He wants us to ask Him anything.

Listen to God’s whisper and not your doubts. The power of the Holy Spirit is always accessible.

Lord, I know You speak to me, but I question which voice is Yours. Please help me to trust You and follow with an open heart. Give me Your wisdom as You promised.

If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. I would lay out my case and present my arguments. Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me. JOB 23:3-5

Even though God loves to speak to his people and loves communicating with them, he sometimes maintains lengthy silences and lets us search for him.

That can be an uncomfortable process, especially during the painful seasons of life, but it has profound effects.  Somehow in the search, his distance draws us closer.     In those times when God’s voice is silent and he maintains a distance on purpose, people may give up and lose the benefit of this silence, but those who keep pressing in will reap rewards for their persistence.

They will learn to depend on God when they cannot hear him, cannot see him, or cannot sense him in any way at all.  Their hearts will continue to respond to his most recent words that echo in their souls, forcing their hearts to choose between faith and fear; assurance and uncertainty; hope and despair.

I tell these stories to show that doubt is a common experience for those who have experienced spiritual encounters. Another voice may whisper to you that what you experienced wasn’t real—that it was just in your imagination, that your mind was playing tricks on you.

God’s whispers are as much His mode of communication as His still small voice. They help us to train our ears to hear His direction and learn to live in accordance with His will. The silence is part of the message.

As Christians, we’re taught to be in constant communication with God. We expect Him to talk back to us. It’s hard to fall into a pattern of just listening to God and waiting on His responses as we go about our day. But He does speak in His ways, and often what He says is different than what we’re expecting.

It may not be a completely comfortable thing for me to admit but I had a hard time hearing God’s voice for the longest. I struggled for years and I’m sure some of you are going through the same thing.

But here’s a secret you can make use of: Don’t get impatient or give up. Know that He is drawing you nearer, tuning your ears to His voice, teaching you the fine art of waiting for Him – and soon your silence will end with words that touch your life forever.

Lord, when I can’t sense Your presence or hear Your voice, please keep drawing me toward You. Give me the patience and persistence to keep seeking Your face. I want to abide in You today, in this moment. May I be still and find satisfaction all in You.

I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. PSALM 85:8

When we ask God questions in faith that He will answer, it’s like plowing a field in our hearts and inviting Him to sow seeds in it. He loves that kind of expectancy  —and that kind of conversation. His answers may not come immediately, or in the ways we thought they would, but they almost always come eventually. He responds to those who long for His words.

One way to hear God is to ask a question and then watch for a living parable to play out in front of our eyes. Several people in Scripture “looked to see” what God would say, knowing that His preferred language seems to be pictures. He spoke to most of the prophets in visual pictures  —Jeremiah learned deep spiritual lessons from a potter’s wheel and a basket of figs, for example, and Ezekiel saw a valley of bones and acted out most of his prophecies visually.

When we ask God a question, we shouldn’t be surprised when we’re hit with a metaphor or parable in real life  —some relationship dynamic or turn of events that gives us a glimpse into God’s heart and addresses our concern. If we ask God how He feels about us or someone else, He may point us to a father doting on a child or a husband showering affection on his wife. If we ask Him why He seems to be so slow in keeping a promise, He may show us the fruit of patience in the life of someone who didn’t rush into a major decision.

Regardless of the question, there’s likely something in our world that portrays it. And the Spirit has a remarkable ability to steer our attention to divine illustrations. He knows how to dramatize His truth.

Listen to God by opening your eyes. Expect Him to share His heart. He loves to speak to His people.

Holy Spirit, please direct my attention to parables of truth. Teach me Your ways in everything I see.

[Rebekah] went to ask the LORD about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked. And the LORD told her. GENESIS 25:22-23

God may speak to us through dreams, visions, and other spiritual experiences. But often, His whispers in our hearts are the most difficult to discern. Our human nature can cause us to hear God’s voice as a yell when it is actually a whisper.

It can be easy to miss God’s still small voice when we are caught up with the cares of this world. So how do we make sure that we know God’s true intent for our lives? Here’s one way: Inject more silence into your life and make space for God to reach you.

To ask questions is to seek answers, and to seek answers is the only way we can truly learn. So...if we want to hear God, we need to ask Him questions.

Most of us do that indirectly  —sometimes tentatively, hoping for guidance and direction, and sometimes with hints of complaint, wondering why He isn’t doing what we want Him to do. But asking God-specific questions with the expectation that He will respond to us is an act of faith.

We can ask Him what His desires are, how He sees us, how He sees others, how He feels about this situation or that problem, how He wants our relationship to develop, how He wants us to see things differently, what He wants to teach us, and much, much more.

These questions may include guidance and specific requests, but they go well beyond those concerns and delve into the heart of the relationship. And God invites us into that kind of conversation. He wants to be known.

Questions that open our hearts for Him to share Himself are always welcome.

When we begin to hear the whisper of the Lord and obey, it doesn’t take you long to see things and know things that you didn’t see before.

Lord, what is on Your heart today? What do You want to teach me? My eyes and ears are open  —please share Your heart with me.

The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. PSALM 19:7-8

How do we discern God’s voice? By reading His words.

It is critical that we hear His directions, instructions, and encouragement. Scripture shows us over and over how God wants to speak to us through His Word. It is the primary means by which He reveals Himself to us.

That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to how He’s been speaking to us throughout history and how He continues to speak today, sharing His voice through the pages of His Word. Now, keep in mind I’m not saying that God never speaks outside the Bible or that it’s always wrong to listen for those other ways that God speaks.

But when we accept everything as from Him on a first time hearing, we will most likely be deceived by some false messages because Scripture has made it clear that Satan and his allies will deceive people with their lies (1 Peter 5:8; 2 Corinthians 11:14). Listening for God is an important skill, but hearing from Him isn’t a guarantee just because we ask.

So don’t ever think you have a divine hotline straight to heaven every time you have a question or concern! In addition, don’t think you immediately hear from God whenever you read your Bible or pray either---that requires time and faith.

Over the years, my study of Scripture has been a journey of greater and greater revelation. It's not that I could never go back to my old way, but it would be like having a plate of baloney and Jell-O compared with having lobster thermidor—rich and delicious. Even though the knowledge of God I gained before was enough to save me at one point in my life, it’s no longer enough to sustain me now.

But God’s Spirit is a living breath that permeates the Scriptures. It’s not a dead letter; it’s a living breath. And like any living organism, we must inhale it deeply to receive its life-giving wisdom.

Holy Spirit, make the Word alive to me as I read it. Every time I hear the words of Scripture, let Your voice come through clearly. Let it breathe life into me.

[The Lord said,] “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, . . . the flames will not consume you.” ISAIAH 43:2

“I never promised that you wouldn’t go through deep waters, rivers of difficulty, or fires of oppression. I have promised, however, that I will be with you and bring you through. You need to understand the difference. When you encounter trials, even painful or difficult ones, don’t think that I’ve let you down. I’m with you even in the midst of them.

“Many people think I’ve broken My promises when they encounter unexpected or traumatic crises. Then they let those disappointments color everything I say to them in the future. They don’t trust My words because, after all, I seem to have let them down last time. But I never let anyone down who trusts Me. Yes, you experienced pain. No, it didn’t overcome you. You made it through because of Me.

“Many people believe that My voice will make their lives easier. It does make your life stronger and deeper, but it will rarely make things simpler for you. You will be led into battles and intense situations that need My touch. You will always be given the best instructions, but seldom the easiest ones. I will lead you into the places of greatest need in this world because you heard and responded to Me, qualifying yourself to be My instrument in those places. I speak strength and encouragement into your heart because you will need them.

“Don’t lower your expectations for what you might hear from Me. Raise them higher. You will go on great but challenging adventures. And I will be with you in all of them.”

Honestly, Lord, Your ways scare me a little. But they also excite me. I am willing to go anywhere and do anything as long as I know You are with me.

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. PSALM 139:2

She was in an intense battle with depression after a series of personal and professional setbacks. Nothing seemed to be working out for her, even though she was faithfully following God. In trying to encourage her, her brother reminded her of scriptural promises and stories of biblical characters who persevered through the worst of times. That helped, but it came across as general wisdom that could have applied to anyone, anywhere. So her brother asked several of his friends, none of whom knew his sister, to listen for God’s voice on her behalf. He told them no details and explained no issues. He didn’t even tell them that the person was his sister or that she was going through a hard time. He simply gave them a first name and asked them, independent of one another, to listen to God.

The friends prayed, sensed what the Spirit was saying, and wrote out what they had heard. None heard exactly the same thing, but there was a common theme throughout: “God sees what you are going through, and He wants to encourage you that this season will end. You are an overcomer, and as you grow stronger, your trials will grow weaker. Nothing that has happened will harm you. He has measured your difficulties carefully, and a day is coming when you will dance on top of them rather than struggle beneath them. You will not be overwhelmed.”

Those words are all biblical truths, and they could apply to anyone. But since they had come from people who did not know her situation  —who could have given her random messages about career direction or ministry callings or anything else she was not struggling with at the time  —she knew the words had come from God’s heart. When we learn to listen to God on behalf of others, He speaks powerful, personalized words directly into their circumstances.

Holy Spirit, inspire in me the words You want to speak to others. Use me as a mouthpiece, an ambassador of encouragement through whom You can touch people’s hearts in their moments of need.

Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. LUKE 24:27

Jesus was confident in His reading of the Hebrew Scriptures because He knew He held in His hand the key to the accurate interpretation of God’s Word. It was a key that anyone could grasp and use. Jesus revealed an all-important truth: what was plain to Him was plain to everyone. But would anyone believe or accept this?

How did Jesus do it? How did He unveil the hidden meanings of Scripture and make them clear to His followers?

God uses every detail of Scripture to show forth His will, His personality, and His plan of salvation. The Bible is alive with meaning at every level: literal, metaphorical, and allegorical. There are so many layers of God’s voice in the Word that commentators are still uncovering hidden truths. The Bible is the ultimate work of divinely inspired literature.

God whispers to us about his love for us, his plans for our lives, His will for how we should live, and more. But sometimes it can be hard to hear God’s voice amidst the noise of our lives!

Ask the Holy Spirit to take charge of your listening ear and help you understand more deeply the truth of God’s Word.

Reading the Bible should be a daily activity. The themes of scripture can guide you through every facet of your life.

Lord, heighten my senses to hear deeper truths, see bigger visions, and feel the weight of Your voice. Let Your Spirit explain the Scriptures to me personally and specifically.