6. I can converse with God (Father, Jesus, and Spirit) in the pages of Scripture

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

A common belief among some Christians is that God does not speak directly to us but only in the words of Scripture. How do you feel about this idea?

Many who believe that God does speak directly to us still struggle to experience His voice. How does this relate to your experience?

If you do hear God speak to you, how has Scripture helped this become true for you?Which of the many Bible translations sounds most like God to you? 

As we have seen, the Bible can be read as a way of learning about God, it can be read with a desire to experience God, and it can also be read as a way to hear God and converse with Him. There could come a time when we are so familiar with God’s voice and the things that He says that we can hear Him apart from Scripture. But it is the Bible that helps us learn to hear God, to know how He speak, and what He is most likely to say. 

When we read to hear God we are not asking “What is the Bible teaching me?” but rather “What is God saying to me?” There are many ways that hearing from God while reading Scripture can happen, but it typically involves reading slowly, reading short passages, and sometimes reading the passage several times. We listen to the “inner voice of the Spirit” taking the words of the text and speaking them to us in an individual and personal way. 

One way to facilitate this is to rewrite portions of Scripture, personalizing the words that describe God, inserting our own names into the passage, and changing the situations to be more personal. For example, if we were to try this with Psalm 23 if could look like this: “(Your name) I am, Jesus, your personal guide. Please know that I will lead you to good places that refresh you, restore you, and nourish you. Even though there may be times when things look bad, know that I am with you.” Or you can reverse it and write it to God. For example, “Father, I know and have experienced how you bring good things into my life. Thank you. I’ve also known times when things were not as I wished; I felt afraid and discouraged but then I sensed your Spirit with me. Thank you.” 

Sometimes what we hear God saying to us might not always be what the Bible is saying. For example, we may be reading the story of the exodus of Israel from Egypt, especially how Pharaoh refused to let God’s people leave and we may hear the Spirit say to us, “How are you being a Pharaoh, and what are you refusing to let go of?” Or maybe we are reading the story of the paralytic who can’t enter the waters. Jesus notices him and asks, “Do you want to be healed?” We may hear Jesus asking us if we truly desire healing for our brokenness or if we have become too dependent on our emotional crutches. We hear Spirit saying to us that healing may require us to face things we have been avoiding and asking if our desire for healing is authentic. 

In Scripture we also will hear God’s voice encouraging us and telling us that He loves us. In Matthew 3:17 God says, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” Can we imagine God saying this about you? “You, (your name), are my special child and I am delighted in you.” However or whatever we hear God speaking to us in Scripture, the difference will be noticeable. It will not feel like we’re reading a history book or a book on moral behavior. Rather it will feel like we’re having a conversation with a person about things that are important to them and to us.