Hearing His Voice
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ––1 Kings 19:12
Holy hunches, sensing the Spirit, trusting insight over eyesight, all this talk sounds ethereal and spooky to a lot of men because it requires faith––and risk. If you are God’s man, author and speaker Malcolm Gladwell’s research confirms what you should already know: God’s Spirit is not failing in your life. In fact, He is constantly providing direction and communication.
So when we think He’s silent or not listening, the problem is not with Him; it’s with us. God speaks to our minds and provides opportunities for spiritual rapid cognition. The disparity between intuition and impulse lies in our familiarity with His voice. If we’re hearing His voice, we cannot give in to our impulses. He might be speaking loudly, but we often press the mute button out of the habit of serving impulses rather than spiritual intuition.
Here’s how to know you are keeping in step with the Holy Spirit: You’re saying no to impulses and feelings and yes to your intuition – you’re taking God at His Word without delay — You’re experiencing freedom from habits that frees your relationships — You’re recognizing rather than rejecting the conviction of the Spirit.
Great decisions do not require great deliberation. For God’s man, great decisions require simple cooperation in the first few seconds. That voice will always say, “Honor God and love people.” So the next time you encounter a complex situation, listen to your godly instinct and obey it––quickly.
Father, thank You for Your still, small voice.