Job 33:13-18 (NLT) ~ why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints? For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings.
Job 33 tells us that God speaks and below are some of the different ways God communicates with us.
Dreams
God spoke to multiple people like Jacob, Joseph and Pharaoh through dreams and he still continues to do so today.
Matthew 2:22 ~ But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.
Visions
Joel 2:28 ~ And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Visions can come in the form of still or moving images, they can last for a quick second or minutes. The events John described in the book of revelation came in the form of a vision that lasted for a long while whilst Peter’s vision in Acts 10 was short. If the meaning of the vision is not understood, you should ask God and He will give you clarity.
Acts 18:9 ~ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
Conscience/Convictions
That feeling inside of you telling you to do or not do something can be God speaking.
1 Samuel 24:5-6 ~ But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.
God spoke to David at that moment through his conscience so if you are planning to do something or go somewhere and your conscience is telling you no, take a step back and consider this being the nudging of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 30:21 ~ Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.
Audibly
It is uncommon but not impossible for God to speak through an audible voice.
1 Kings 19:12-13 ~ After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?
Impressions
An impression is an idea, feeling or opinion about something or someone, especially one formed without conscious thought. This is when you know something that you should not, by the power of the Holy Spirit. You may be praying for someone and you immediately know in your spirit what their situation is or what they need prayer for. This is not equal to knowing that someone is ‘bad vibes’ because you observed them. Rather, it is knowledge or understanding that comes from the spirit of God. When you know you know but you cannot explain how.
Mark 2:8 ~ Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts?
Angelic visitations
There are several people in the bible that God sent angels to rather than men, for instance, Gideon, Samson’s parents and Daniel. The bible says that angels are ministering spirits sent to care for those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14). That is you and as well as protect you, God can use them to minister to you. The passion translation describes them as spirit-messengers and a messenger is one who is sent to deliver a message. According to Hebrew 13:2, some people have encountered angels on earth without realising it. When the angel of God visited both Gideon and Samson’s parents, they didn’t know they were interacting with an angel until the angel ascended.
Hebrews 13:2 ~ Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!
Other people
God can give you a word through your sister, friend, pastor, prophet or even a stranger. However, just as much as there are real pastors and prophets, there are also false ones. Even the real ones may not correctly interpret what God is trying to say due to errors in interpretation and application so always ask God for confirmation. The word of God tells us to test the spirit. That way, you can avoid disappointment and hurt.
1 John 4:1 ~ Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
These are some conventional examples of how God speaks. However, God can also speak in unconventional ways so ask God to increase your sensitivity to his voice.
