God Speaks Through His Word
If you want to learn to recognize the voice of God, one of the best places to begin is with the Bible—because God has already spoken.
In my last blog, I wrote about how God speaks in a variety of ways. And He does! But He has ALREADY SPOKEN through His Word—the Bible.
If you want to recognize the voice of God in your life, then one of the best places to begin is by becoming familiar with what He has already said.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16–17:
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The word “inspiration” here literally means God-breathed. Scripture isn’t merely information about God; it comes from God. He spoke it.
Sometimes we say, “I wish God would speak to me,” and we may be overlooking the Bible that is sitting right in front of us.
The Bible is the number one way in which God speaks to His children today, and it is the standard by which everything else must be evaluated. All other ways in which He speaks must pass through the test: “Does it line up with what the Bible says?”
Having a good foundation in the Word of God will help keep us from getting off track in other areas.
Become Familiar With His Voice
If you want to become familiar with God’s voice, become familiar with God’s Word.
One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 4:12. It states:
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Bible is not like any other book. It is God speaking.
Have you ever read a passage of Scripture numerous times before, only to read it again and this time it feels like it is leaping right off the page and into your heart?
This is God speaking to you.
This is His Word coming alive to you in this moment of time. Pay attention! He has something for you!
The more familiar I become with what God has said, the easier it becomes to recognize when He is speaking.
In John 14:26, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would:
“bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
There may be times when I am praying and asking God for direction. Then, “out of the blue,” a Bible verse or even a phrase from a verse comes to me. I know it’s in the Bible, but I might have to search and look it up to find exactly where it is.
But because I have a rich history of reading the Word, God has a vocabulary already in me. He merely needs to impress upon my mind the verse or phrase that has life upon it for me.
That is one reason consistently putting the Word of God into our hearts is so important.
A Simple Bible-Reading Process
Let me give you some thoughts about developing a good Bible-reading process.
1. Have a Plan
Don’t just be sporadic and read only when you feel like it—or wherever the Bible happens to “flop open.”
Because it is a priority to me, I try to read first thing every morning. I read from the Psalms, then from the Old Testament, and then from the New Testament. I simply use a Post-it note to mark my spot and begin there again the next day.
The important thing isn’t having an elaborate system. The important thing is consistently getting into the Word and allowing the Word to get into you.
2. Approach the Word Expecting an Encounter With God
Approach the Word each time as an opportunity for God to encounter you.
Remember that the Scriptures are alive.
I like to hold the Bible next to my heart and pray before I read. I tell the Lord that I love His Word. And I pray Psalm 119:18:
“Lord, open my eyes that I might see wondrous things from your Word.”
I invite the Holy Spirit to speak to me as I read.
This changes Bible reading from simply fulfilling a daily obligation into an opportunity for relationship.
3. Use a Bible Translation You Can Understand
We are so blessed today to have a variety of translations of the Bible, and they all serve their purpose.
Some are very literal translations of the original languages, while others use more modern language that we commonly speak today. I like to refer to both.
Find a translation you can understand and enjoy reading—and then read it consistently.
4. Develop a System to Capture What God Shows You
I have a dedicated Bible that I use for my daily devotions. In it, I like to highlight in yellow specific verses that stand out to me.
Sometimes I simply go back and read verses that I’ve marked. These are Scriptures that God has used from time to time to speak to me.
My devotional Bible also happens to be a wide-margin Bible, so I am able to write very small, succinct notes beside some verses. This makes it easier to go back and find things when I am looking for something I have read before.
Don’t just read what God shows you. Capture it. Remember it. Return to it.
Let the Word Speak to You
God does speak in a variety of ways, and we will look at more of those ways in future blogs. But His Word is of utmost priority. It is the number one way in which God speaks to us today.
The key is to make it personal—not rote or dry.
Sometimes I am reading the Word.
And other times, I feel like the Word is reading me.
This is how a loving and personal God carries on His part of the relationship.
I pray and talk with Him. I pick up the Word—and He speaks and talks with me.
Personal Application
Take a few moments and consider these questions:
- Am I consistently making room in my life for God to speak to me through His Word?
- When I open my Bible, do I approach it primarily for information, or do I expect to encounter God?
- What Scriptures has God used repeatedly to speak into my life?
- Do I have a system for recording, highlighting, or journaling what God shows me in His Word?
- What is one practical change I can make this week to become more familiar with God’s Word—and therefore more familiar with His voice?
When Prayer Feels Stale
I’m also preparing a new devotional resource called When Prayer Feels Stale: A 6-Day Prayer Renewal Journey.
If your prayer life has begun to feel routine, dry, or disconnected, this devotional is designed to help you slow down, reconnect with God, and rediscover prayer as a living relationship rather than simply another spiritual discipline.
Over six days, we will explore practical ways to refresh your prayer life, including listening to God, rediscovering thanksgiving, praying the Scriptures, and learning to pray with fresh expectation.
My prayer is that it will help you move from simply saying prayers to enjoying conversation with the One who loves you.
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