Does God really speak to us?

I’ve had that question asked many times. Maybe it’s a question you’ve wondered about as well. The answer is yes, God does speak to us in many different ways.

One way is through people.

I’ve had a specific message spoken over me four different times by four different people. That message is consistent. This is not something that happens to me on a regular basis and honestly, at first I wasn’t sure what to do with it. So, I’ve simply held on to it as a promise. Though I’ve only shared it with some of my closest people, I believe that one day I’ll see it unfold.

Have you ever had a message spoken over you by someone you trusted?

A close friend shared recently that a stranger approached her and asked to pray with her. The woman was gentle and yet bold. She shared a word that spoke to the deepest regions of my friend’s heart and life, and prayed over things my friend had only talked about with God.

How do we know what is true and what is not?

If you’ve had someone speak something over you, and they say it’s from God, these are questions that can help.

Does this confirm what God has been trying to say?

You’ve sensed this promise or truth. You’re listening, but you aren’t sure. So God sends someone in the flesh to confirm it. This is what happened when Peter had a dream about eating “unclean” foods — a dream that wasn’t really about food at all, but God was trying to lead Peter into new territory. He sent Cornelius to confirm that message.

Is there peace?

There’s a difference between uncertainty and a lack of peace. We will always have questions. It’s smart to talk to God about what you believe he’s trying to show you. Uncertainty makes sense as you clarify and talk to God about it, but if you sense tangible peace even as you ask those questions and face those uncertainties, that’s God. Hold on to that.

Do I have to act on it right now?

Write that word down. Tuck it away, if only for a few hours. When the Holy Spirit spoke to young Mary, she pondered it. This means she didn’t rush out and tell the world she was going to be the mother of Jesus. She weighed it. She held it close and gave space for it to breathe. Later she shared her news with a trusted relative and with those closest to her.

Sometimes it’s a right-now word but often it’s a “get ready” word. Taking a step back, if only for a moment, is wise.

Does it line up with God’s Word?

If you are told this is a word from God and it contradicts scripture or you sense a deep inside “This isn’t God, sis” from the Holy Spirit, simply move on.

Why does God use people to speak to us?

God uses people because sometimes we have trouble hearing him (or at least I do). If there’s a price to pay (faith, making a move, stepping out of our comfort zone, transformation, ending a season, changing a role or position), we may just need to hear those words out loud.

For me, as I go back to those four separate messages spoken by four different people over many years, I remember this:

• If God is speaking, he’ll do what he says he’ll do.
• I can’t make it happen, but I can keep my heart open for when it does.
• My waiting time is not wasted. I’ll continue to grow and be fruitful right where I am.

Does God speak to us? Thankfully, he does. <3

Just for you

Do you long to have a Spirit-led heart?

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