Some people hear in their hearts that God or Jesus is talking to them.  I have written about missionaries who almost daily are instructed to do certain things.  In fact, they keep journals as follows: (I’d asked Jesus who I was meant to talk to and Jesus pointed him out. I went and sat next to him. At first he was cussing at me, and then I just sat there and asked him about his life. He said, “Why do you care? Why are you even sitting next to me?” I said, “Because I know that Jesus loves you so much.” He started crying and said that his mom had passed away a month before and that he had nothing left to live for and that he was going to commit suicide. He said, “Before I ended my note to my relatives I said, ‘Look, God, if you’re real, send me someone to tell me that You love me’.”  I said, “I don’t have the answers. I don’t know what will touch someone’s heart and what will give someone the hope and strength to go on, but I know that Jesus does and I know that His love can turn around and touch any heart.”)

Dr. Charles Stanley often talks about God talking to him.  However, I question if the average Christian who talks to God or Christ through prayer ever hear an audible answer.  We all see prayers answered but not always aloud.  I feel inspired by the Holy Spirit and believe God is talking to me through His Word when I read the Bible or write a Christian blog.  But I have never had an inner voice say go talk to that person nor do a certain thing.  It may be I do not have the courage to do what is asked, unless it is simple.

I am sure that many Christians have learned that God speaks through the Bible, through situations, from other Christians, in nature, by seeing pictures, hearing sermons and songs.  But I want you to know that you can hear God speaking directly to you in certain situations according to the many testimonies I have heard.

You must first ask yourself: “Why would you want God to speak to you”?  What is your motive?  God is not a “Genie” or Santa Claus.  God doesn’t talk to just anyone audibly.  Normally, it is a person that has an extraordinary personal relationship with Jesus.  In fact, it may be Jesus that would be the one you would hear.  I have heard a number of stories when Jesus would tell someone to do something.  I suppose if you are a shy person Christ would not audibly ask a person to do something knowing they were not brave enough to be obedient to His direction.

It is not uncommon for men and women who have been Christians for some years to find themselves frozen in place and without courage.  They have made a solid beginning…and stopped!  They are not running, walking or even crawling.  They are the embodiment of the Christians Paul criticized in his letter to the Corinthians.  I Corinthians 3:1 – “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.”  Courage is the opposite of fear.  It is doing something unusual that one does, regardless of the consequences and it takes a certain amount of courage to act.  The apostles had the courage to die a martyr’s death because of their belief in Christ.

The Bible gives us many examples of men who had tremendous courage.  It took Noah around 100 years to build the ark.  The Bible says: “God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.”  Can you imagine how many people rejected Noah and his sons?  Never having seen rain previously, living in a desert area, what were the chances of a 400 foot ark sailing?  It took great faith and courage to build for that long.  King David had the courage to confront Goliath.  He led armies into battle.  He was a true warrior.  He pleased God!  Almost every Bible story describes a follower of God who had a tremendous amount of courage.

God, through the Holy Spirit, will speak to you daily through our thoughts.  I suppose one thing that has helped me is I have witnessed so many times to supernatural events.  Involved in church leadership and helping build different church structures, it is easy to see impossible things become possible and know that it could only happen with God’s intervention.  From these experiences it has increased my faith and I am sure, has given me a little more courage.  Maybe someday, God or Jesus will talk to us and have us do something we never thought we could do.  We may not be asked unless we have the faith and courage to obey.