Do you hear from God? Do you believe you can hear anything from God other than Bible verses speaking to you? We are told over and over that God wants to be in a personal relationship with us; and yet, many people have never heard from God.
I used to worry that I don’t hear from God in the same way that other people do, but I don’t anymore! Why should I expect that everyone’s relationship with God would look the same when no two people’s relationships are the same with one person as it is with another person?
I know that I have had very specific dreams in which I woke up knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that it was a message from God. I also know that I received a warning from God that enabled me to protect my children from a very dangerous situations. However, those instances were few and far between. But, if God wants to talk to me on more occasions, I wasn’t really sure how to listen or hear from God.
About 1 1/2 years ago, I completed the Bible study “Discerning the Voice of God” by Priscilla Shirer. I greatly desired to get to a place of hearing God when and if He was indeed speaking to me.
The first week’s lesson is on obedience and making sure we are following through on the things we need to in order for God to give us more personalized messages. In that week, we are challenged to look at things in our life that may be stopping us from fully obeying – for me, I discovered pride, lack of trust, disappointment in God, a feeling of unworthiness and concern that I might be hearing God wrong. I really appreciated Priscilla’s clear plan that was laid out to be ready to receive instructions from God.
Week two covers the ways in which the Holy Spirit works on our behalf and relays messages to us. Oftentimes, we are busy looking for the big flashing signs to tell us which way to go. This week’s study reminds us to be paying attention to thoughts and insights that the Holy Spirit is leading us towards. I also connected with the author’s thoughts and reminder that seeking the Lord’s direction and leading is a valuable part of our journey towards relationship with God. Another thing that has really stuck with me is the picture of how the Holy Spirit begins to infiltrate our mind, will, and emotions.
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Discerning the Voice of God – Bible Study Book, Revised Edition By Priscilla Shirer Designed to be used in conjunction with the 7-session DVD study, this newly revised and updated edition of Priscilla Shirer’s Discerning the Voice of God Study Guide provides four days of study and insight followed by a fifth day of listening to what the Holy Spirit has been teaching you throughout the week. At the start of each week’s study is a “Viewer Guide” for taking notes during the weekly group meeting or individual video viewing. At the end of each week’s study is a “Digging Deeper with Dad” section by Dr. Tony Evans, the author’s father, where he offers additional insights to the teachings. A Leader Guide is included at the back of the book with discussion questions for each session. |
At the start of each week’s study is a “Viewer Guide” for taking notes during the weekly group meeting or individual video viewing. At the end of each week’s study is a “Digging Deeper with Dad” section by Dr. Tony Evans, the author’s father, where he offers additional insights to the teachings. A Leader Guide is included at the back of the book with discussion questions for each session.
First Lesson Free! PDF Study Guide
The third week continues the work of the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit guides us with it’s voice. These lessons confirmed that the Holy Spirit wants to lead me personally and individually – not just through directives given to those in the Bible stories we read.
One thing I did not agree with in this week’s lessons was regarding boundaries that the Holy Spirit works in. I do believe that there can be exceptions to the rule that God will never lead you contradictory to what the Bible teaches. For instance, look at the life of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son and Hosea being told to marry a prostitute. I think in instances like that, you need to be especially close and connected and give yourself plenty of time to make sure that is indeed God prompting you and not Satan, but I believe those instances CAN happen. I have experienced it. For a long time, I was being prompted to do something that seemed contradictory, so I kept refusing to obey and the prompting kept coming. I finally obeyed and then immediately, like Abraham, was hindered from following through.
Week four is entitled “Reflective of His Heart.” This week challenges you to get to know the heart of God. We are reminded that God is our prize, not the hearing from Him. This week also digs into how our personal perceptions factor into what we understand. One thing that was not completely answered for me in this week’s lesson was how to proceed when you wait and wait and wait for an answer and one never comes. Sometimes the waiting causes more problems when there are things you should be doing.
This takes us to week 5 and the “Revealing of His Plans.” One of the ideas I had to grapple with was that of doing in the moment what you know you should be doing and simply relaxing in your relationship with God. When the time is right, He will lead or direct you differently. Another challenge, which I could fully relate to, was not charging ahead too quickly once a direction is given. Sometimes, we take off full steam ahead and leave God in the dust.
The final week’s lessons are about creating ” A Continual State of Readiness.” Use this time to be preparing yourself for any possible opportunities that could come along. At the time I did this study, I was already writing “The Road to Relationship” to share with my Bible study buddies. I didn’t envision where my book would be now – less than a month from release. I just kept plugging away and had no idea what would happen when I finished.
Day 3’s study of that final week was called “Listen In.” Our challenge was to “carve out time to purposefully listen for God’s voice through prayer, meditating on His Word, and lingering worshipfully in His presence.” I loved that phrase “lingering worshipfully.”
Priscilla’s closing video session was called “Speak, Lord.” My writing of “The Road to Relationship” didn’t come about because of a clear prompting from the Lord to do so, it was done primarily for myself to learn how to better my relationships. A few months after doing this study, I very clearly received a message from God to write my next study entitled “Humility: The Insight Into God’s Kingdom.” I guess you’ll have to wait for it to come out to hear more about that!
So, if you are desiring to hear from God on a more regular basis, but just have no idea where to start, I would suggest working through the study “Discerning the Voice of God.”