Nine perspectives to help you hear from the Holy Spirit, by R.A. Weigel
A series of 9 articles about hearing from the Holy Spirit.
It may initially be hard to hear, but there would be no difference between Christian coaching and secular coaching without the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, your efforts would be incredibly draining. Without the Holy Spirit, your relationships would be reduced to human effort only. Without the Holy Spirit the work of being a Christian coach would feel like straddling a spiritual fence and getting splinters where it hurts the most. Without the Holy Spirit there would be no revelation, no peace, no joy, no comfort, and no real kindness that permeated the coaching session.
- Galatians 4:22-23 (NLT) – But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The Holy Spirit is like the wind. You cannot see the wind, but the effects of the wind are undeniable. The “wind” of the Holy Spirit is a power that provides you with certain abilities that unbelievers simply cannot have. It’s like how the wind moves the sails on a ship giving them the means to move forward, make progress, and reach their destination. When you’re coaching and relying on the Holy Spirit to help, the ship will move in the right direction.
- 2 Peter 1:21 (NKJV) – For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
God gave Christians, the followers of Christ, the gift of Holy Spirit for a reason. It’s for your benefit – to advantage your life with a helper, advocate, counselor, intercessor, and paraclete. It’s good to remember that there is nothing that God has ever done for you as a Christian coach, that was not for your benefit.
- John 16:7 (NKJV) – Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
The first perspective was the Holy Spirit speaking to you with
“A Thought Faster Than Your Own Thoughts.”
The second perspective is:
- Prepare to Listen, Consider It, and Write It Down Now!
Habakkuk 2:2 (NASB) – Then the LORD answered me and said, “Write down the vision And inscribe it clearly on tablets, So that one who reads it may run.
Nearly everyone living today has experienced some type of “information overload.” The abundance of information, some good and much bad, has permeated nearly every part of human existence and while each successive generation gets increasingly familiar with the amount of information that is available, it still takes a conscious effort to not let the digital tidal wave permeate the mind.
Have you ever experienced silence? Finding a place free of man-made noise is definitely a challenge, even in places that are remote or in the middle of nowhere. In truth, noise pollution can cause serious health problems for people. The constant hum of life with its boisterous media, incessant talking, booming music, and the explosion of mechanics, can cause hearing loss, stress, and high blood pressure. That overwhelming cacophony of noise in the world has even been blamed for memory issue, attention deficit, and reading problems in children. You may not be fully aware of how it’s affecting you, but one thing is clear. It’s nearly impossible to hear from the Holy Spirit when your mind is constantly trying to discern and evaluate the abundance sounds bombarding your senses.
What are the most prominent voices or sounds you’re allowing into your brain? If you’re not able to find and practice silence, there’s a high probability you’ll miss what the Holy Spirit wants to tell you. You’re going to have to find a location and time where the Holy Spirit’s voice is the loudest voice you’re listening to and that’s nearly impossible if you’re not purposefully getting quiet and determined to listen. The Holy Spirit’s voice is often a whisper so if you’re not willing to give that whisper the preeminent place in your mind, there’s a strong chance you’re going to miss it entirely.
“When someone speaks in a whisper, you have to get very close to hear. In fact, you have to put your ear near the person’s mouth. We lean toward a whisper, and that’s what God wants. The goal of hearing the heavenly Father’s voice isn’t just hearing His voice; it’s intimacy with Him. That’s why He speaks in a whisper. He wants to be as close to us as is divinely possible! He loves us, likes us, that much.” ~ Mark Batterson from Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God
It can take some time to train your mind to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. It certainly takes a concerted effort. Being quiet and silent in waiting for the Holy Spirit to speak to you – is not passive. It’s anything but passive. It’s a determination and an attentiveness that exceeds any type of passivity.
Perhaps you’ve seen one or more of those old WWII submarine movies. There’s the time when the captain warns the crew saying, “Rig for silent running.” Every noise is regarded as a chance for the enemy to hear you while your ears are highly attuned to the sounds from above. Everyone in the sub remains still, machinery is stopped, and there is an anticipation of waiting for a sound that lets you know you’re safe, or in danger. It’s not a perfect analogy, but you are in a spiritual battle and there are times when you’re going to have to be that intentional.
When the Holy Spirit gives you a thought, don’t dismiss it. You want to learn to recognize the difference between your random thoughts and the inspiration that comes from the Holy Spirit. Pay attention to that word, thought, sentence, inclination, prompting, idea, inspiration, or gut feeling. It’s not that the Holy Spirit can’t give you full sentences, but it’s often that you’ve not fully prepared to hear that way. So when the Holy Spirit gives you something, train your mind to make a conscious decision to pay attention to it and then – write it down.
Pay Attention to whatever the Holy Spirit gives you. It may be an idea, thought, word, or phrase that comes into your mind – and it may not happen the same way all the time. It may initially surprise you but how the Holy Spirit will communicate to you because it could even be a smell, a taste, a vision, or a feeling. It’s truly amazing how the Holy Spirit will use ALL your senses to get you to pay attention. Whatever it is… write it down.
Don’t let your mind wander when you get that inspiration. Write it down. How the Holy Spirit will talk to, communicate with, or inspire you will be as unique as how God made you. You’ll often find that one word or one thought will suddenly become two words or two thoughts, and then more and more until it becomes a plan, a story, or a direction – but if you don’t write it down, your own thoughts will quickly overpower, and you’ll lose what the Holy Spirit was telling you.
Remember, the Holy Spirit is always there ready to help you while the systems of the world consistently want to make you unfocused, distracted, and confused.
- Romans 8:26-27 (NLT) – And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believersin harmony with God’s own will.
There is an undermining of what the Lord wants for you if you don’t take advantage of hearing from the Holy Spirit and then make note of it. Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit showed up in some strange places or strange ways, but it was almost always in a place where the “listener” was ready or prepared to listen. It’s not that you can only hear from the Holy Spirit in certain places, but there are certain times in life when big decisions need a certain specific event of hearing from the Holy Spirit. Even then… write it down.
- For Abraham it was on a mountain in Moriah. (Genesis 22)
- For Jacob it was at Bethel. (Genesis 28)
- For Moses it was the burning bush. (Exodus 3)
- For Joshua it was at Gilgal. (Joshua 4)
- For Gideon it was at Ophrah. (Judges 6)
- For Samuel it was at Shiloh. (1 Samuel 3)
- For David it was the cave of Adullam. (1 Samuel 22-24)
- For Elijah it was Mount Carmel. (1 Kings 18)
And throughout the Bible you will find certain locations where big events, important information, or needed insights happened right after the man or woman of God was prepared to listen.
- Elizabeth telling Mary that she will be the mother of my Lord. (Luke 1)
- Peter being told that three men wanted to meet with him. (Acts 10)
- Ananias is told to go to Saul on Straight Street in Damascus, with detailed ministry instructions. (Acts 9)
- Paul, when he has prayed three times for relief from his “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 12)
As you practice the presence of the Holy Spirit you may find that there are certain places – certain times – certain conditions – and even certain people that help you hear from the Holy Spirit. Wherever and whenever you hear from the Holy Spirit, do your best to write it down. Don’t lose it. Find a way to make a note or take an action.
Finally, consider the story of Samuel as a child when he goes to live with Eli the priest. They’re both asleep when Samuel is awakened by hearing his name called.
- 1 Samuel 3:2-4 (NLT) – One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernaclenear the Ark of God. Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
Samuel thinks that Eli is calling him and then after a couple of back-and-forth conversations, Eli realizes that the Holy Spirit is trying to get Samuel’s attention. That’s when Samuel says, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:9-10) That’s the heart of listening to the Holy Spirit. It’s preparing to listen. Wanting to listen. And being humble to listen.
