The Answerer

These three are very hard to give a simple answer to this most important question. Thank you for asking it. Very few hear a voice that instantly changes them into serious Christians. Believe me it does happen. See www.jonahministries.com by Michelle Hamilton…and listen to her on Utube 20 years later. Been through many trials.

Michelle Hamilton was NOT a Christian and, a few days before, had told her Mum she was not interested in “Jesus and all that stuff”. She went out on the ocean, paddling a child’s dugout canoe and was swept out to sea by the ocean current. She spent three days and two nights alone in the shark and pirate infested South China Sea plus tropical storms. A ‘Voice’ from the sky spoke (commanded) her about 15 times. Scared her to death it did! She was rescued. I have heard her tell of her ordeal three times, have met her and I have her book. Serious ‘Stuff’ man!

Basically, it is from experience you learn. If you can find a missionary, talk to them, or get ‘on-line’ and converse by Email. Missionaries have to be very sure that God wants them to go somewhere overseas maybe. They cannot assume God has ‘spoken’ to them. Or, simply ask a Christian: “Why are you a Christian and how do you know God’s messages to you are from God?” Note, this cannot be done in 30 seconds! (see mine in question 72)

God does not talk like on a telephone and maybe it is better that way. I have been ‘Spoken to’ four times by an unseen voice. I therefore believe that He knows every thought we have (see Q.191 on that subject)…and then He uses individual ways to communicate what he wants us to do. I have heard of dozens of cases where what somebody gave shoes, winter clothing, food, a ‘paid for’ ticket for long rail trip, etc. – which was just what the receiver needed – but did not ask for. Coincidence or God’s provision? A missionary I read of, planned to buy a pile of winter clothes in Europe but a strong urge told her not to, and her first posting as a missionary was in the tropics! She assumed she’d be posted to a cold climate.

In the Bible there are thousands of illustrations to guide us in what is the right thing to do – or if this is God’s will for me. It can be really hard to know when you are young, so wait and pray.

If God wants to get a message to you, wait, and read your Bible daily. A term or a few years in a Bible college helps many people to decide just what God wants them to do. Countless times I have heard people say: “The verse leapt off the page at me and I knew that God meant it for me.” And it did turn out to be very helpful in what God was trying to ‘say’ to them.

It takes years to discern if God puts a thought in your head – or if it is your own ‘wants’ that you hear in that silent voice. A good resort is to ask yourself this question: “What would Jesus do?” in this decision; be it a boy or girlfriend, to buy a certain car, a new house etc. Stay around serious Christian people in a serious church and make them your friends.

Sorry this is a long answer but serious Christians WAIT for His guidance – which will come but may not be exactly at the time we ask for it.