This is another example of the teaching my family received from my Mother. It still stands up as a practical and wise way to understand how to “hear” from God. Dave Burwell
God speaks to us by four methods:
- Through circumstances
- Though other people
- Through His Word, the Bible
- Through our minds
When we are children, circumstances are the effective means of training, such as the child touching the hot stove and learning why his/her mother said, “Don’t touch”. When we are newly commited to Christ, God speaks to us things that happen more often than the other three ways.
As we grow, people with experience and understanding are used to teach us. This is the hardest for a young Christian to accept because of pride…”I’d rather do it myself” or wanting to “hear” from God directly. They feel it would prove their maturity. But it really proves the opposite—a mature person accepts the wisdom of others. Young Christians have yet to learn to differentiate between the voice of God and the voice of His subtle imitator, Satan.
God gave His Word to men of faith and they are recorded in the Bible.
He expects us, if we belong to His family, to know and live by what He says. He does not need to voice what we can read.
When we reach spiritual maturity in Christ, we are in 24 hour communication with Him and He uses all four ways to speak to us. We have learned to know that what we get in our mind must be in harmony with Scripture. God does not contradict Himself. The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance what we have read in the Word at the needed time.
God is so good to teach us this way, step by step. Can you imagine what it would be like if a bunch of children had all the abilities of adults without the wisdom and experience to use them? Maturity in Christ comes by learning every day and being quickly obedient to put into practice what you are shown
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