"I'm pretty sure God doesn't speak to me. He's never told me, 'Go tell that person that Jesus loves them' or anything like that."

Peers I went to school with and others I've encountered frequently speak sentences like these. God's power and his ability speak to us no longer seems to fascinate society.

God's communication methods

God resides in heaven, so how can he possibly speak to finite beings like us? God controls the universe, he can do whatever he wants. In addition, God is highly personal and desires a relationship with his people, so communicating with them is not unusual. He talked to his creation from the beginning of time — he spoke everything into existence and directly conversed with Adam and Eve. It can become hard to hear his voice in a busy, individualized society, but he speaks to each person through the way that suits them best.

Prayer

Prayer is the most common communication method between God and humans, which is why church leaders and the Bible emphasize this spiritual discipline. God always listens to prayers, but he only answers the ones that are according to his will. Otherwise, people could treat him as a magic genie and always experience blessing. In addition, he remains omniscient and ultimately knows the best outcome in every situation, even if we become frustrated that things did not turn out as expected in the beginning.

Prayer does not have to become as difficult as some people make it. Many new Christians often begin prayers with "Thy father...O Holy One.. etc;." This is acceptable if someone normally communicates like this, but God wants us to talk to him normally, not as if he is a distant king who does not care about his people. Even if we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit helps us decide what is important ( Romans 8:26). Recognizing when God answers prayers is not an easy task, so it is important to record prayers in a journal or tell someone about them, then check and see what happened since that moment. God remains faithful, and he will respond to our requests (Jeremiah 29:12, Mark 11:24, 1 John 5:14). He may answer prayers immediately, but this is not usually the case, so it is important to remain patient for his response.

The prophetic

God also frequently spoke to people in both the New and Old Testaments through several prophets, who urged sinful nations to repent for their evil ways and live faithful, obedient lives for him. We don't necessarily have prophets in this sense today, but God provides these spiritual giftings through the Holy Spirit's power (Joel 2:28-29).

“And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days."

-Joel 2:28-29 (NIV)

Notice this verse says "all people," not just religious leaders and elites. This prophesy came true in Acts 2 during Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit filled the apostles and blessed them with these abilities. These gifts must still exist if we truly believe God does not contradict himself (John 1:4) and that we have the same Holy Spirit today. As a result, God blessed the world with introspective people who deliver messages he gives them through dreams, prophecies, and visions — all things that fall under prophetic ministry. However, he does not speak to every person this way.

Scripture

Have you felt a verse resonate deep within you during a morning devotional? This feeling is God actually speaking to you using Scripture itself. This idea is called "special revelation," meaning that God communicates truth and insight to Christians through his Word. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16 ). Therefore, God will teach us new things, show us what we struggle with, and help us learn more about him as we read through his Word. Jot down phrases or ideas that pop into your mind after you read through a passage, then see what God might want to communicate to you.

The Holy Spirit

Ever hear the voice telling you not to angrily lash out at that one person who constantly annoys you? This is the Holy Spirit, who God gave us as the counselor. The Spirit will teach us all things and remind us of everything God says (John 14:26). Our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who constantly counsels us (1 Corinthians 6:19 , John 14:15-17). Due to this, we can hear the Spirit's voice and listen to his guidance. The Spirit may also help us realize new aspects of ourselves through tough circumstances, allow us to understand how God transforms us, and enable us to comprehend his plan for our lives.

Other people

Consider these scenarios; a friend walks up to you and unexpectedly announces that they've prayed about something that made you very anxious that week, yet you never actually confessed these concerns to anyone. A loved one gives hard advice that you really need to hear and it helps tremendously. You have a big decision to make, and someone you know helps without actually knowing anything about the situation. A pastor says something in a sermon that connects with you and changes your perspective entirely.

All of these are examples of ways God uses other people to deliver truths about him, His Word, our identity in Christ, or his plan for our lives. The Lord generally speaks to me through others, specifically church leaders, friends, and parents. This is why it is imperative to attend church — we encounter community and fellowship necessary for growth in our walk with God (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 10:24-25). However, it is also okay to attend a house gathering or other ministries, as long as we find some source of fellowship (Acts 2:42).

Nature

People often say, "I look up at the starry night sky and know that God must exist because a big band could not create something so magnificent." The Lord actually does speak through nature, an idea known as special revelation. This is evident throughout the Psalms, especially in Psalm 19 which describes how the heavens and skies reveal knowledge about the Creator. In addition, Romans 1:20 even says that those who have not heard God's name have no excuse for lack of faith in him because he makes his presence known through creation. God's creativity and care remains clear throughout all the intricate insects, amazing animals, magnificent landscapes, and diverse people on this earth.

God sometimes even reveals things to people through nature and animals that allow them to experience character growth. For example, someone might say that they are amazed how dogs remain continually loyal to people who abuse them, or a tree's massive strength through a storm inspires them to endure their own trials.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-Psalm 19 (NIV)

Creativity itself

Nature can teach us about God's creativity, but I discovered that I learn about God through our ability to create, which is a concept many theology books do not discuss. I painted over 40 watercolor paintings, yet I only gave away about five of them. Why? My creations extend from who I am —I see aspects of myself in my art and feel as if I give part of myself away through my creations. This also appears in my school work. Compared to my peers, I typically spend twice as much time on any assignment because I feel as if I devalue my capabilities when I produce something subpar, so I work on projects and analyze every last detail until I reach near perfection. That is why I know God values his creation — everything on earth, both animate and inanimate, confirms extreme care from an artistic mastermind.

Through worship

God is zealous and desires worship, but he in turn will provide new realizations through music and lyrics. A melody might tug on our hearts and cause us to experience sorrow because drifted away from God, but we may not know why it affects us so much. God may also tell us certain things about himself through songs. For example,the Lord frequently speaks to me through the song "Forever Reign"

Listen intently

Knowing how God speaks specifically to us can become difficult to recognize. Anyone who earnestly desires to hear his voice will develop discernment between their thoughts and God's insights (Jeremiah 29:13). However, this takes time and a person must keep growing in their relationship with God so they will grow more sensitive to him and his Spirit.