“And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.” – Numbers 7:89
Moses heard the audible voice of God speaking from the mercy seat above the ark. Incredible! It’s impossible to imagine how awesome and overwhelming it must have been to hear. While you won’t have the opportunity to hear God’s voice from the mercy seat in the Tabernacle, don’t let that keep you from listening for God’s voice. God still speaks to His people.
First and foremost, He speaks through His written word, the Bible. As you read the Bible, pray for God to speak to you through the Scriptures. Expect to hear from the Lord as you read and think carefully about what you read. Expect insights relevant to your life, the events going on, and decisions that need to be made.
God speaks through prayer. As you spend time in prayer with God, not just talking but also listening, He will lay unexpected ideas or impressions on your mind. These must be tested against Scripture since we like to talk to ourselves about ourselves. Nonetheless, as you draw nearer to God, you will begin to discern the promptings of the Holy Spirit as Jesus promised.
God speaks through His people. As you discuss things with wise, mature fellow believers listen, for insights about yourself or your course of life you may not noticed otherwise. God also speaks through circumstances. When you find yourself in unexpected, unplanned, or even unpleasant circumstances, seek God in prayer. As doors suddenly close or open, is there something about what’s going on that may represent God impressing something upon your mind?
Once you hear God speak and have tested that you have heard accurately, it’s important to act on what God says. Whether that’s repentance or a new ministry, reconciliation or moving out on mission, obedience to God has a tremendous impact on how easily you hear and recognize God’s voice in the future. #FollowJesus