Early on in my faith I didn’t know very much. I just believed. Not much has changed. I think the problem nowadays is we have too many Christians that know much but believe little.
One night many years ago, I was riding my motorcycle to Church for a Bible study. I was riding down a four-lane street with hardly any traffic going in either direction. Suddenly, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit telling me to stop.
It made no sense, but I slammed on my brakes and came to a stop right there in the middle of the street. At that very moment a car pulled out very fast, crossing over just inches in front of me. The driver was looking the other way. This car would have plowed right into me had I not stopped. I thanked God and then rode on to Church.
At the end of the Bible study we were all talking, and I told the others there about what had happened earlier that night. They looked at me in shock that I had heard the Holy Spirit. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to! I was just a young Christian, I thought every Christian heard the Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit speaking
I want you to know, you can hear the Holy Spirit. Just as you can talk to God, be sure that He can talk to you. It is not by our effort, but by His that we can hear Him. The Lord said, “…I will cause you to hear My words.” (Jeremiah 18:2).
The Father only spoke to some prophets, but the Holy Spirit speaks to all believers. The problem we have with most believers is that they don’t believe.
Stop thinking you are not worthy enough to hear the Holy Spirit. Only the Devil would tell you that.
Never worry what people might think of you as you tell them your experiences with the Holy Spirit. Tell them anyway. Let us tell the truth that it would edify those willing to receive it.
God is not muted. The only ones who preach He does not talk are the ones who do not hear Him. They preach to the level they are at to justify there is no more. There is more. Keep pressing in.
Peter preached that the prophetic words from the prophet Joel had already come to pass at Pentecost, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…” (Acts 2:17). The Holy Spirit flows yet to this day.
Seek to hear the Holy Spirit with all your being. We are meant to have a holy communion with the Spirit. We are not meant to be orphans, but sons and daughters.
Holy Spirit leading
Spiritual truth requires a spiritual teacher, and that teacher is only found in the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said, “…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things…” (John 14:26).
Stop trying to understand spiritual things with your natural mind. Pray the Holy Spirit would bring you the revelations that He alone is qualified to give you.
Worldly knowledge is an empty cup in the heavenly realm.
God is Spirit, His law is Spirit, so we must learn in the Spirit. “For we know that the law is spiritual…” (Romans 7:14). In our natural, we need the Holy Spirit as our interpreter to the spiritual.
The Holy Spirit will never say anything that does not line up with the Word of God, and often the Word is exactly what He will give you. If you don’t know the Word, then go learn it.
Seek His leading in everything you do. The Lord said, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).
Holy Spirit conversations
The voice of the Holy Spirit will not come as a natural voice. You need your spiritual ears to hear in the Spirit realm.
If you are born again in the spirit, you have spiritual senses. These senses may be dulled by the natural, but you have them. Like your physical body, you must learn to grow in the Spirit. You must learn to discern His voice. Commit yourself to this every day.
Your problem is not that Holy Spirit won’t listen to you, but that you won’t listen to Him.
Try praying with your ears.
If you want to hear the Holy Spirit, be filled of the Holy Spirit. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (Acts 10:44).
Determine in your heart not to end a prayer set until you hear Him.
Pray the Holy Spirit would help you. It is the pride of man that is the hindrance to God.
If you are in sin, get out of your sin. Sin will muffle your ears. It is like running from the Lord and wondering why you cannot hear His whisper. Draw near to Him to hear His voice.
Increasing in the Holy Spirit
Your life is the classroom and your circumstances the lesson. “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness…'” (Hebrews 3:7-8). Let your wilderness grow you.
Being obedient to the promptings is the key to getting more promptings. If you don’t respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, then don’t be surprised when you stop getting prompted.
If you want to step more into the spiritual you must be willing to consecrate more from the natural.
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'” (Acts 13:2). Never underestimate the power gained through the discipline of prayer and fasting.
The fasted life is the spirit-filled life.
There is always a cost for an increase.
Praying that you would hear the Holy Spirit!
Blessings to you,
Paul
All verses are in red and use the NKJV translation unless otherwise noted.