The Spirit is always speaking. You are his sheep, you know his voice. Today you’ll find out or be reminded about how the Spirit is speaking to you. Here are 11 potential ways God speaks to us.

3 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. 2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle[a] near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. 6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” 7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. 10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (New Living Translation)

We’re continuing to talk about the Holy Spirit. Specifically, how He helps us to discern.

We looked briefly at , and I hope you remember we’re not limiting God to these 10 things. The same is true today as we look at Knowing How the Spirit Speaks. …there’s not just 10 ways.

The Spirit is speaking all the time. You are His sheep, you know His voice. Often we just don’t know what the Bible says how the Spirit speaks.

I’ve taught people how to recognize and respond to words of knowledge and always there are people who didn’t have Biblical insight to understand their experience. They thought they were going crazy. They wondered if they had ESP. They were fairly certain they were psychic. They weren’t. It was God.

Today you’ll find out or be reminded about how the Spirit is speaking to you. Here are 11 potential ways God speaks to us.

1. Through the word of God

Written word

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Spoken word

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4

2. Through what people say

Intentionally

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. 1 Peter 4:11 (NKJV)

Unintentionally

Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. Philemon 1:7 (NLT)

3. Through open and closed doors

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Colosssians 4:3 (NIV)

6 things I needed to happen before I knew God wanted us here…

4. Through His still small voice

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. Acts 16:6 (NIV)

Are you renewing your mind with the word of God? Then start to follow your still small voice.

5. Through prophecies

During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) Acts 11:27-28 (NLT)

These are tricky and need discernment – OT – “If they don’t come true – stone them” (Deut 18:22) NT – “Test everything and hold to the good.”

Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 (New Living Translation)

6. Through words of wisdom

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: Acts 15:28 (NLT)

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. James 3:17 (NLT)

7. Through words of knowledge

26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south[a] down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 33 He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”[b] 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”[c] 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

8. Through angels

Peter in jail…

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me,” the angel ordered. So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. Acts 12:6-9 (NLT)

 

9. Through dreams

Wise men avoiding Herod…

When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Matthew 2:12 (NLT)

10. Through visions

Paul’s Macedonian call…

That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” Acts 16:9 (NLT)

11. Just about anyway He wants

When you are His sheep, you will know His voice. You need to learn how He’s speaking to you, but He’s almost always speaking.

It’s up to you to learn how to discern His voice. You need the Spirit’s, word and body’s help.

We’ll continue looking at these in our Did God Really Say? series.

Next week I’ll share some of the weird and wonderfully wacky ways God has spoken to me and how I’ve learned to trust it’s Him speaking.

What I’ve Taught on Holy Spirit

Check out my messages and blog posts on Holy Spirit. I’ll keep this updated. Let me know if there is a specific topic you want covered in the comments.

• Learn and Experience All You Can About Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-hopeful/learn-and-experience-all-you-can-about-holy-spirit/
• How to know and experience more of our triune God today https://revtrev.com/living-light/trinity-essential/
• Is Spiritual Growth is on your vision board? https://revtrev.com/living-light/is-spiritual-growth-on-your-vision-board/
• How to be confident you’re being led from Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/living-light/be-confident-led-holy-spirit/
• God is with us will I be with Him? https://revtrev.com/living-light/god-is-always-with-us-will-i-be-with-him/
• How to understand and and enjoy the Gifts God has for you Today https://revtrev.com/message/how-to-understand-and-enjoy-the-gifts-god-has-for-you-today/
• Buying the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-intentional/buying-holy-spirit/
• How to Release the gift of words of wisdom https://revtrev.com/livecasts/how-to-release-the-gift-of-words-of-wisdom/
• 70 Functions of the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-light/70-functions-of-the-holy-spirit/
• How can I Receive the Holy Spirit https://revtrev.com/live-today/how-can-i-receive-the-holy-spirit/
• 3 ways to know it’s the Holy Spirit Speaking https://revtrev.com/live-hopeful/3-ways-to-know-its-the-spirit-speaking/
• How to let the Fruit of Holy Spirit Transform you https://revtrev.com/living-light/how-to-let-the-fruit-of-holy-spirit-transform-you/
• 5 things to know about Spiritual Growth https://revtrev.com/livecasts/5-things-to-never-forget-about-spiritual-growth/
• 11 ways the Holy Spirit Speaks to you https://revtrev.com/live-today/11-ways-the-spirit-speaks-to-you/
• Do Spirit-Filled Believers Leak the Spirit? https://revtrev.com/live-today/do-spirit-filled-believers-leak-the-spirit/
• How to use God’s Gifts for Another https://revtrev.com/living-light/how-to-use-gods-gifts-for-one-another/
• I build myself up reflectionhttps://revtrev.com/livecasts/day-42-i-build-myself-up-reflection-livecast/
• 4 Tips I’ve learned To Hear the Spirit Speak https://revtrev.com/live-intentional/4-tips-ive-learned-to-hear-the-spirit-speak/