Does God Talk to Us

[cwestra]

I have heard, time after time, people claiming that God has instructed or "told" them to do something or somehow talked to them.  When I hear that I have to admit that I have doubts because I have not had experiences where I can say with certainty that God has actually spoken to me.  I am interested in hearing testimony's from people who have had experiences like this and how they know it is God and not just their own subconcious.

[kensington]

Yep... I have heard the audible voice of God in my ear. 

[cwestra]

Would you be willing to share more details of your experience?  How do you know it was God?  Does this happen regularly or just this one time?  Thanks.

[kensington]

During a very confusing time, I prayed and prayed daily, and I cried out to God to give me an answer... what should I do.

Then one Sunday right after praise and worship as the pastor came to the pupit to bring the word,  God spoke right inside my ear, "this word is your answer"... I know the presence of the LORD, and it swept over me and peace came.  I sat amazed listening to the the man of God and the WORD that came right from the Bible... and my answer was right there.  I followed it.  It was the right thing.

That is how I KNOW it was God...   That was it, it was to the point and short.   But, it was the peace that surrounded me that I knew came from God.

[ex cathedra]

For those who  want to hear God talk to them  read holy scripture.

Martin Luther

[cwestra]

For those who  want to hear God talk to them  read holy scripture.

Martin Luther

Please elaborate.

[cwestra]

During a very confusing time, I prayed and prayed daily, and I cried out to God to give me an answer... what should I do.

Then one Sunday right after praise and worship as the pastor came to the pupit to bring the word,  God spoke right inside my ear, "this word is your answer"... I know the presence of the LORD, and it swept over me and peace came.  I sat amazed listening to the the man of God and the WORD that came right from the Bible... and my answer was right there.  I followed it.  It was the right thing.

That is how I KNOW it was God...   That was it, it was to the point and short.   But, it was the peace that surrounded me that I knew came from God.

That's a very compelling story.  Thank you for sharing it with me.

I had a similar experience approximately a year ago.  Up until that time I had never believed that God had really spoken to me.  My nightly prayers consisted of me talking to Him about what I wanted and what I was thankful for, etc...  That night I was laying in my hotel bed praying and about half way through it just hit me that all I ever do is talk to Him.  He never talks back to me.  It is like a one way conversation with me doing all the talking.  I became very frustrated telling Him how upset I was that He did not even seem to have the consideration to talk back to me.  I really began to get angry at Him.  I asked Him how He thought I was supposed to believe in Him if He wasn't even willing to talk to me.  I told Him how frustrated He made me and that it did not make any sense to me.  Then, as I lay there just after blowing up at Him, I sensed what I am certain was His voice.  It was not audible, just a communication totally different than anything I had experienced before.  Like a voice in my head but not my voice.  Impossible to describe, but it was very clear that it was not me.  I heard the words "Seek me out".  And that was it.  Very simple and without any detail.  I recall  how startled I was immediately after hearing these words.  It was a combination of awe and a little fear as well.  I couldn't believe it.  I was shocked.  You should know, I consider myself a skeptic when it comes to these things anyway.

Anyway, I have not heard from Him since, but I will remember that 3 word prhase forever and have vowed to follow that command, which I am convinced was Him finally communicating to me.  I have found great value, including this forum, by following His command to me and am certain I will continue to find even greater rewards in the future.  I hope he does speak to me again, howerver I have not had any luck.

And it is really because of this limited communication from Him that I remain skeptical of those, including ministers, who claim with ease that God told them this or that or that they were instructed by God to do this or that.  This is what I am now seeking clarity on.  I would like to hear from more on this subject.

[larry2]

Dear cwestra, I have no idea if the following is what you're seeking or not, but Elijah experienced the voice of God, but in these last days God has chosen to speak to us by His Son Jesus through the word.

1 Kings 19:12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Hebrews 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

We're also given discernment, and many times I believe our feelings are affected as we see things, or read certain scripture that we believe it is of God, and many times is. I have been in an assembly hearing a sermon and knew God had used that sermon especially to me, for I had previously been thinking on that very thing. The pastor was probably completely unaware of it.

What we must do is make sure what we hear matches the word of God as the saints in Berea did in Acts 17:11. They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. I have a problem with someone saying God told them something that was nowhere near scripture, or when someone says: God told me to tell you. :)

In Jesus' name - larry2

[marc]

Even though I'm skeptical when people tell me that God talks to them audible, I honestly think we misuse Hebrews 1:2 in this case. I'm not going to be adamant, because I see what you're saying, but I tend to think making this verse completely exclude everything but the Bible takes it out of its time context (being written before there was a thing called The New Testament.) 

[seekr]

God does speak to us but there is a lot of fake out there and maybe that is why God told you to seek Him out. i have heard from God and there is a peace and awesomeness about it although IF we are just seeking THAT, instead of Him, then we can be misled.

I posted these scriptures on another thread and it will help. I think there is a lot fake out there. Usually if it is real public and showy I tend to think it most likely is not real. I believe God speaks to us in a personal way and not as a thing of pride. When I share things about God it is usually because God has shared it with me. But like I said seek Him and He will come to you.

25 "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? 27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD. 29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

30 "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD.

I pray these scriptures help

[WomanDiscipleKJV]

I will share my testimony. In June of 2003 I was with the LDS church ( no negitive comments please)Well I have only been with them since that Jan'03. I had an argument with God & threw my bible across the room & shouted "Show me your word is true! Show me your son did as the bible  shows!" Well in late July 2003 in a dream God answered me straightforward no hiding the truth. He sent his son to do it. In my dream I was in the garden of gesetheme (sp?) with him .I guess in my dream I must have worked in the upper class because of how I was dressed (opposite of me today being a lower class) anyhow he looked right at me & the background became blurry  & he told me "Yes I do exist,the bible is true & so are the disciples, I will see oyu in your own time."  then I woke up. God only showed me what needed to be seen. He answered my question.
Jesus only visited me once more since then in Sept 2003 to help me on my spiritual journey.I take this vision seriously & only share it to help others relize that God is there.
Whether you have an "earth shaking" dream/vision like I had or even if God nevr reveals himself or his son in a dream he is still there. God uses his holy spirit & he is a still small voice we need to pay attention to. More then just a "subconsious" the holyspirit is not like our emotions tossed to & fro like the sea, he is stable, peaceful, yet firm( at least to me) I don't know what is going on in your life, but if you pause, & ask God to help you , he will do so on his own timing, but it'll come.
Godbless you in this journey.

[Memucan]

I will share my testimony. In June of 2003 I was with the LDS church ( no negitive comments please)Well I have only been with them since that Jan'03. I had an argument with God & threw my bible across the room & shouted "Show me your word is true! Show me your son did as the bible  shows!" Well in late July 2003 in a dream God answered me straightforward no hiding the truth. He sent his son to do it. In my dream I was in the garden of gesetheme (sp?) with him .I guess in my dream I must have worked in the upper class because of how I was dressed (opposite of me today being a lower class) anyhow he looked right at me & the background became blurry  & he told me "Yes I do exist,the bible is true & so are the disciples, I will see oyu in your own time."  then I woke up. God only showed me what needed to be seen. He answered my question.
Jesus only visited me once more since then in Sept 2003 to help me on my spiritual journey.I take this vision seriously & only share it to help others relize that God is there.
Whether you have an "earth shaking" dream/vision like I had or even if God nevr reveals himself or his son in a dream he is still there. God uses his holy spirit & he is a still small voice we need to pay attention to. More then just a "subconsious" the holyspirit is not like our emotions tossed to & fro like the sea, he is stable, peaceful, yet firm( at least to me) I don't know what is going on in your life, but if you pause, & ask God to help you , he will do so on his own timing, but it'll come.
Godbless you in this journey.

                  Amen Sister.

                "Let every thing that has breath praise Yah"

                                                                  Memucan