Hearing from God
Sun, Nov 02, 2025
Teacher: Kaleb Rockwell Series: Stand Alone Sermons Scripture: Psalm 119:105
-
Show text Hide text
Hearing from God
Psalm 119: 105
The topic for today’s sermon is “Hearing from God”. In preparation for Realign, I felt that God was saying to set aside some time to focus on how we can hear from Him more effectively. Realign is a chance for us to designate time towards several different things. The weekend is full of prayer and praise, messages and fellowship. Throughout all of these incredible things, the entire goal is for us to ReAlign our hearts with whatever God’s will may be for us in this particular season, or a future season. This requires hearing from God on some level.
This morning, we are going to look at some of the ways that God speaks in the Bible and how that applies to our life today. Now if you are like me, then hearing from God has not always been easy (or may not be easy even now!). But this just emphasizes the importance of us working to listen for and hear what God is speaking to us.
How can we hear from God?
God speaks however He wants! Regardless of our ability to hear and understand what God is speaking, He does it all the time!
What are some of the ways we see God speaking in the Bible?
- Through scripture, the Bible, the literal “Word of God”
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
- Through the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:9-12 “9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” - the things God has prepared for those who love him - 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
- An audible voice/internal guidance
- God spoke repeatedly to Moses (burning bush, etc) and other prophets
- God spoke to Jesus repeatedly (baptism and transfiguration)
Romans 8: 26-27 “26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
- Through other people
- This is part of what the spiritual gift of prophecy is: hearing from God for others!
- Major prophetic books - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel
- Minor prophetic books - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
- Through worship: this is WHY we worship so much! God deserves our attention and praise, but He also speaks to us when we worship Him.
- Worship helps us to shut out the distractions of the world and to focus on what God is speaking to us. It can help us listen more effectively.
- Through dreams
Acts 2:17 “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
There are SO many examples of God speaking through dreams to people in the Bible:
- Jacob’s ladder dream at Bethel promising land and descendants (Genesis 28:12-15)
- Joseph’s dream about ruling over his family and later interpreting cupbearer’s, baker’s, and Pharaoh’s dreams (Genesis 37:5-10, Genesis 40)
- Pharaoh’s dreams of 7 cows/heads of grain (Genesis 41)
- Gideon hears a dream about victory in battle (Judges 7:13-15)
- Solomon’s dream about God offering anything he wanted (1 Kings 3:5-15)
- King of Gerar’s dream about Abimelech and Sarah (Genesis 20:3-7)
- Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (interpreted by Daniel) (Daniel 2, 4)
- Joseph’s dreams of Jesus’ birth, to flee to Egypt, and to return from Egypt (Matthew 1:20-21, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19-20, 22)
- Wise Men’s dream to not go back to Herod (Matthew 2:12)
- Pilate’s wife’s dream about Jesus (Matthew 27:19)
- Often times, there is someone else present to interpret the dream. Don’t be afraid to share your dreams with others and to seek interpretation from those around you.
- Through angels - happens often throughout both the OT and NT.
Hearing from God largely depends on us. God is pretty much always speaking all around us, it is our job to try and listen and discern what He is saying.
Word of caution! While God speaks to us, it is important to recognize that the enemy will also try to speak into our lives. We must be careful and use discernment to know the difference between the two. The “fruits of the Spirit” from Galatians 5:22-23 are a good litmus test to know the difference.
God speaking in dreams
New Testament scripture example:
Matthew 1:19-24: “19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”
- We see an angel coming to Joseph in a dream to speak directly into things that were happening in his life at the time. If you have a dream that is related to a decision that you are making in life, pay attention!
- This passage is also characterized by a response of obedience on the part of Joseph. It was this act of obedience that literally allowed the Savior of the world to grow up in a family and have an earthly father! Never doubt the impact that simple acts of obedience can have in your life and the life of those around you.
God speaking to Paul and Ananias
One of the most impactful instances of God speaking to someone explicitly is that of Saul’s conversion to Christianity. As a result of God speaking to him, Saul became Paul, one of the most devout and influential disciples of Jesus in all of history!
Acts 9:3-15: “3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
- How do we respond to what God speaks? Paul could have easily turned away, thought “well that was a weird experience” and continued on with his life. Both Paul and Ananias respond with obedience to God speaking in this passage.
- Ananias doubts at first, but God explains His reasoning and Ananias obeys.
What does this mean for us as we move into ReAlign and in general for our lives?
- The overwhelming message is that God actually speaks!
- We just need to figure out how to hear and listen.
- Prayer
- Worship
- Discernment (distinguish between God and the enemy)
- Diligence on our part