Original Song: He Still Speaks (click to expand lyrics)

I don’t chase fire, I don’t beg for signs
I just quiet my soul and wait for His time
Not in the thunder, not in the storm
But deep inside, His voice is warm

I don’t need lightning to know He’s near
It’s in the whisper I start to hear

He still speaks in a still, small sound
When the noise is high, I let my heart calm down
Not for the hype, not for the show
But for the One who speaks and helps me grow
He still speaks, and I know it’s real
Truth in my spirit I can feel

Visions at dawn or a word in the dark
Knowledge like fire that leaves a mark
I test each thought by the Word He gave
And trust the Shepherd who came to save

Not every feeling is holy flame
But peace will come when He calls my name
From dreams to silence, touch to light
He leads me gently through the night

He still speaks in a still, small sound… (etc.)

“Seek Him first… trust His voice… it’s closer than you think.”

Introduction

My aim here is to help you recognize the real ways God may already be speaking to you—and to distinguish His voice from false imitations. I’ll do this by showing how He has spoken to me and others. 

I do not come from a Charismatic or Pentecostal background, so this post will not be from that perspective. In fact, I do not speak from any particular view at all, other than my own. This is just how I am. But I absolutely know (firsthand) that God still speaks to His people. Jesus said so:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

So I am not going to get into the question of whether or not God speaks to His people—that is already a known, established fact. If you cannot take this as truth, then you still have some reading to catch up on from the Scriptures (many will be cited as we go). And if, after reading those Scriptures that discuss this, you still cannot wrap your heart and mind around it, then I’d encourage you to bring that concern directly to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to clarify this for you and grow your faith.

The 12 methods will be broken into 2 types: Internal and External—I’ll show 9 internal and 3 external. Internal is just that—something that occurs within me, and me alone. External is something that occurs outside of me. And while my internal experiences have only occurred within me, there is no reason why you cannot have similar experiences for yourself. It’s up to God what He does. But I must caution the reader to not simply seek the experiences—seek God first, and His righteousness, and then all these things will be added to you (as HE determines). For this is not something that the believer produces. It is something that God bestows upon us by His will. If you go seeking after spiritual experiences, without God doing the work, then you may quickly fall into mysticism, which God clearly forbids.

“Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body…” (Colossians 2:18–19)

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19–21) 

So, chasing after spiritual experiences is tantamount to living a licentious life. It is no better than being a hedonist, someone who chases after sex and drugs and a party lifestyle. This ought to be very sobering for you who think you are being spiritual for seeking angelic visits and dreams for the sake of the experience. This might even put you in the category of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8, even if you are not seeking to profit financially from your experiences. I say this because of how Paul categorized it with the other carnal sins in Galatians 5. And indeed, it is the flesh that seeks after such experiences simply for the experience. So be very careful with this.

What follows are the 12 ways that God has personally spoken to me or others throughout our life—and may very well speak to you, if you’re listening. Not all of these are commonplace. Some are experienced more than others. I am merely listing them, without saying that one should dominate the others. And if you never hear an audible voice from God, do not let that discourage you. Very few (strong believers) ever do. When we get to the section on hearing the audible voice of God, I’ll share the two times that I have, hearing three words in all. And if one method has dominated my experiences with God’s communications, do not expect that all believers should expect the same. 

I. Internal Communications

These are private—known only to me unless I choose to share them. They come from God and I receive them within myself: God’s Spirit to my spirit; God’s mind to my mind; or from God to my soul. 

Someone could be sitting right next to me or staring at me in the face and not know what is happening in my soul, mind, or spirit.  

1. Imagery (Still or Moving Pictures)

“Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions” (Joel 2:28 / Acts 2:17)

Call this “Visions”. It’s easy to assume that visions are reserved only for prophets or spiritual elites, but Scripture says otherwise. Joel and Acts both make it clear that in the last days, God will pour out His Spirit on “all people”—young and old, men and women, even the lowest in society. This means that ordinary believers like you and me can receive visions and dreams, not by striving, but by being available and responsive to God’s Spirit. You don’t have to be a prophet to be shown something by the Lord. You just need to belong to Him, listen, and be open to Him.

The Bible supports this with clear examples:

• Ananias (Acts 9:10–12): A regular disciple—not an apostle or prophet—received a vision and spoke with the Lord directly. God used him to minister to Paul.
• Cornelius (Acts 10:3): A Gentile and not yet a Christian, he received a vision that led to his salvation and that of his household.
• Joseph (Matthew 1:20): A working-class man, not a religious leader, received multiple dreams with divine instruction.
• All Believers (John 14:21): Jesus promised that He would reveal Himself to those who love and obey Him. That revelation can come in many ways—including visions.
• Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7–11): The Spirit gives gifts—including revelation—as He wills, to all believers.

These examples show that visions are not reserved for prophets. God speaks to ordinary people with sincere hearts who are open to His leading. And while the apostles walked mightily in the Spirit, performing miracles of all kinds (read Acts of the Apostles), we can know that whatever they could do, we can do as well. This is taught by Christ in John 14:12 – 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

Notice that He said, “whoever believes in Me”. This is not accompanied by a time slot, or limitation in position, place, or person. It is clearly for YOU, if you believe in Jesus for your salvation. And how do we know what He wants us to do? He tells us, since we know Him and can hear His beautiful voice. Do not limit yourself where Christ gives you freedom. He deserves your trust in this and all of His promises. 

When I am awake, not sleeping, God sometimes shows me a picture (vision) in my mind. It may be a still image, like a photo, or something more like a short video. It can be central or peripheral, small or large, clear or faint. My eyes may be open or closed. At times, it overlays what I’m physically seeing with my eyes. This is often what people usually call a “vision,” and, again, it happens while awake—not asleep and dreaming. But it happens in our thoughts, soul, or spirit.

 “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’” (Jeremiah 1:11-13)

“When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams” (Numbers 12:6)

 “The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God” (Ezekiel 1:1) 

 “Daniel had a dream and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed” (Daniel 7:1)

Personally, I have received many visions. They can be like my own thoughts or they can be clearly something from God, given directly to me. I’ll share some examples of the visions I have had over the years in just a minute. But first, I must caution the reader about the visions we have. In doing so, I’ll also discuss very briefly what visions may or may not be. 

THOUGHTS: Some people are visual thinkers—they think in pictures. I can do this but I also think in other ways as well, such as words or concepts. Some can be very abstract, while others are very real. 

CAUTION: Not all thoughts can be trusted. There are three sources (in my experience) where thoughts can come from:

1. Myself—My mind (brain), spirit, or soul.
2. The Enemy—Demons, fallen angels, or dark forces.
3. God—Including His holy angels. 

DISCERNMENT: How do we know which thoughts to trust and which to distrust or discard entirely? It’s not always easy to know, but here are 10 solid ways of knowing that something is not right with a thought or vision (this actually goes with everything else on this list):

1. If it does not square solidly with the revelation of Scripture, discard it immediately. God does not contradict Himself. His written Word is true and trustworthy. So don’t fall for anything at all that is not completely, 100% biblical.
2. If it is belittling to you or others. God is love. His messages are loving. He always lifts up, without demeaning. Now, He might come down hard on us from time to time, but that is not done in a demeaning manner. He very well might tear down what you believe, if incorrect, but not you as a person. Think of a loving father correcting his son for believing a lie. He corrects the son’s thinking, without demeaning him. 
3. If it distracts us from our mission of serving God and others. One of the enemy’s most common tactics is to distract us from what we know God would have us do.
4. If it encourages laziness or idleness. This is not really any different from distraction, but it deserves its own mention.
5. If it inspires hatred, selfishness, or dilutes forgiveness. Clearly, these are not of God.
6. If it leads toward fear, rather than faith. God often reminds us not to fear, so anything that builds fear without purpose should be scrutinized. This is not to say that a vision may not be frightening—it might—but the vision will build up our confidence, not tear it down. 
7. If it feeds pride or self-exaltation. Even true revelations can be twisted into arrogance. Stay humble. Whatever puffs us up artificially is not of God. 
8. If it causes confusion rather than clarity. God may not tell you everything, but when He does speak, it won’t leave you lost.
9. If it turns your focus inward for too long. God cares about our inner healing, but His voice pushes us outward—toward love, action, worship, and mission. We do not obsess about our own feelings, position, or ego. Pride is a sin. 
10. If it doesn’t bear spiritual fruit. Does it produce peace, patience, kindness, clarity, conviction, direction, or anything else in line with the fruit of the Spirit? It must, if genuine. 

2. Dreams (Sleep-State Visions)

“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings.” (Job 33:14–16)

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)

Distinct from waking visions, dreams come while I’m asleep (unconscious). Some are clearly from God—distinct in tone and content. They may include visuals, dialogue, or emotion. Not all dreams are divine, but some carry a spiritual weight that is unmistakable. Look back at the sources of visions and you will see the same sources at work in dreams: self, enemies, God. 

When I receive a dream from God, it carries a certain clarity and authority that other dreams do not have. I just know that it was God because the character of the dream was so intense and the Source was obvious to me. I usually do not forget these God-given dreams. They always have an impact for me or someone else.

3. Welling Up of Knowledge (Epiphany)

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

This is when understanding suddenly appears in my mind—fully formed or in seed form. One moment I don’t know something, and the next I do. I call it a “welling up of knowledge.” It often has that signature of truth: it doesn’t feel like something I thought up. It feels given. This is what happens to me as a result of my Gift of Knowledge that I have been given. Some want to split hairs and call this gift the Gift of Words of Knowledge. I see no difference in the distinction. It is knowing something that I would not normally know. It can come on me suddenly or through study. It can come while praying or reading the Word of God, or just sitting or lying down, or during any activity. There is no formula that I can point to, showing when these come upon me. I have even received them in my sleep (but not as a dream, per se). It might accompany dreams or visions, but does not need to.

Since I have the gift, knowledge has come to me in several different ways. There is no pattern that it seems to follow, other than one minute I don’t know, then I suddenly do. I usually do not forget this knowledge. It stays with me my whole life or for many years, at least. I have had some knowledge come to me that affects all mankind. When this happens, I usually write a book about it. For me, this is not about the private affairs of others. It is about a universal truth. So don’t expect me to say that I know something about you because God revealed it to me. That is not how He has gifted me, personally. It usually is about a doctrinal issue, like Eschatology (the End Times), Cosmology (the beginning), or Soteriology (salvation). I have also received knowledge about what I call the three realms of existence. One exception to this rule is a dream I received about my daughter. But she’s my daughter, so it’s not like knowing something about strangers or the brethren.  

I am not saying that the Gift of Knowledge cannot be about the affairs of others. I am saying that the way God has gifted me with knowledge is not about others’ lives. He gives His gifts as He pleases—not necessarily how we please. And although I have been given much knowledge about prophecies, I am not claiming the gift of prophecy. This is because the knowledge is more of a clarification of what has already been prophesized. One example of this is in my book called Sheep To Nations. Another is my book called End Times Made Easy. They are both about what has already been written in the scriptures, but in the light of what God has revealed to me about it. And even though they are about prophecy, they themselves are not new prophecy. They are words of knowledge. 

4. Visual Words or Numbers

Suddenly, they saw the fingers of a human hand writing on the plaster wall of the king’s palace, near the lampstand. The king himself saw the hand as it wrote, and his face turned pale with fright. His knees knocked together in fear, and his legs gave way beneath him. (Daniel 5:5–6) 

At times, people see words or numbers in their mind. They may scroll like a marquee, appear as on a page, or hover like text in mid-air. They don’t always make immediate sense, but they are distinct. This is not the same as hearing—this is seeing, inwardly. If I have received this kind of vision, it has been forgotten, so I don’t think that I have. It is usually a very short message, like a headline or a header in an article, or a magazine cover. Some people have said that seeing text in front of them, in the physical world, can trigger understanding beyond what they see. This can be similar to what happens when reading the Word of God. However it happens, it is supernatural and is an epiphany. 

5. Audible Words (Heard)

Then the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?”
He ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
This happened three times.
Then Eli realized it was the Lord, and instructed Samuel to say,
“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”
Then the Lord came and called as before:
“Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
 (1 Samuel 3:4–10)

This has only happened to me two times in my life, with a total of three words spoken, but it is unmistakable when it happens. These are actual heard words—not just mental impressions. Once it was like a wind-whisper. Another time, it was as if the Lord was right beside me, speaking into my ear. Rare, but incredibly clear. 

The first time had no vision or other supernatural event accompany it. I was in my bedroom and was really distressed about my failing health. I just blurted out, “what’s wrong with me?” I wasn’t really praying to God, just asking out loud. To my great surprise, my question was immediately answered with an audible whisper that sounded like wind. It came from in front of me and to the right. It was there, but it wasn’t there. The voice said “depression”. And indeed, that was my diagnosed condition going forward. 

The other time happened while I was driving to work. I suddenly had the most amazing vision come to me while speeding down the road. In the midst of this vision, which is too much to go into here, I heard two words in my left ear, “look left”. The male voice was quite low, like a baritone or lower. It was only in my left ear. It did not come from me or anyone else—just God. I was alone and the radio was off. The window was rolled up and I was going about 45 miles per hour. 

And those are the only two times I have heard the audible voice of God. And like Jesus said, when you hear the voice, you know it’s God. There is no confusion about it being any other being—at least, not for me. This does not mean that other people have not gotten confused. This is to say that I have never been confused who it was. 

Some people hear from the spirit realm and they confuse the voices with God’s. Others have a mental illness and hear voices that they may think are divine. This is unfortunate. And while this confusion has never come upon me, I know that it exists. So how does a person know if the voice they hear is God’s? They use the same 10 criteria as outlined above for visions. 

And while the Word tells us that Satan can masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), it does not say that he can masquerade as God Almighty. But there are some people who are so easily duped, he might have that power over them—making them think that he is God. But, again, look above in the section on Discernment, under Imagery, since the same 10 rules apply. 

6. Emotion or Spiritual Feeling

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. (Acts 16:6-7) 

This includes inner warning, peace, joy, sorrow, or dissonance. Sometimes called a “gut feeling,” it’s more than emotion—it’s spirit-level discernment. I might not know why I feel a certain way, but I know I need to pay attention.

I do not recommend allowing your emotions to rule your life. I recommend having a measured, level-headed approach to anything spiritual. However, even the most logic-based person can be affected by their emotions if God wants to touch them in that manner. 

Like all of the other manners that God communicates with us, this will have a character to it that exceeds the usual emotional state. It will be soft or hard, gentle or firm, loud or quiet. Usually, the recipient can ignore the feeling. This is not to say that ignoring it might be a good idea, just that God is usually gentle enough that He allows us to ignore His warning or input. Like most items on this list, the emotion or emotions might be accompanied by something else on the list. But it can surely be a singular event as well. 

When this happens to me (not all that regular), I usually take it as a confirmation of some other experience or message. If I am feeling down, angry, or other negative experience, it is usually a message that I need to seek Him more closely. If it is the opposite, happiness, joy, or rapture, it usually is confirmation that I have done the right thing. 

And like all of the things on this list, the 10 discernment points still apply. Use them religiously (funny, I usually tell people to avoid religion). 

7. Touch (Spiritual, but Physical in Sensation)

Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. (Daniel 10:10)

This is when I feel God’s touch—spiritual in source, but with physical senses. After receiving a vision about the Earth’s layers, I felt His hand on my head. It’s not imagined. It’s real, though not visible to others.

This is not an emotion. It is an actual feeling of being touched on the skin (on either side, inside or out). Or touched deep on the inside of your body (maybe your gut, soul, or spirit). 

For me, it is usually accompanied by one of the other methods of God’s communication. Once, I felt His hand on my head at the end of a vision, letting me know it came from Him. Another time, I felt His Holy Spirit inside and outside of my body (that was the vision I had while going to work, discussed above).  

8. Physical Sensation (Heat, Pressure, Vibration, etc.)

After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)

All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. (Exodus 19:18)

This goes beyond touch—temperature, pressure, trembling, weight, or electricity. It often accompanies moments of deep presence or spiritual activity. I treat this carefully. Not every sensation is divine. But some clearly are.

The idea of this method is that God can change the very atmosphere surrounding you. I experienced this as well while getting the vision in my vehicle going to work. The air became very thick, as if I was breathing in and breathing out love, peace, joy, satisfaction, and contentment. It was quite physical, but I knew that it was spiritual as well. It isn’t a touch, like the one above, but it is surely felt in one way or another. 

God is not the only one who can give this change of atmosphere. So can His holy angels. The enemy can produce this experience as well. I liken it to being surrounded by a bubble of some kind that changes your surroundings or the air around you. It changes your perception of the temperature, pressure, or some other aspect of your immediate personal space. You’ll know it when you feel it. 

9. Presence (Relational Awareness)

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Sometimes I just know He is near. No words, no image—just Him. It may come with stillness, awe, or a simple awareness. I’ve experienced this enough to know it matters. His presence communicates without content—yet says everything.

This may or may not come with any other experience. It is more of an awareness that you are not alone. But there is no mystery as to who it is that is in your presence. This might be the most difficult to explain, but it is just as recognizable as any of the others. You just know that He is with you in that moment, in that place. 

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And that rounds out the internal communications that come to us from God. Next, we turn to the external methods of communication that He uses with us. 

II. External Communications

These come from outside of me: through the world, through people, or through the written Word. There are basically three categories of external sources that God uses to communicate to/with us. 

10. The Bible (His Written Word)

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (Hebrews 4:12)

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

No surprise here. The Bible is alive. It speaks. Passages I’ve read a hundred times suddenly leap out with precision and clarity. God often uses His Word to confirm, correct, or direct me. 

This is the one method that we judge all other methods by. If we do not, we are opening up ourselves to being overrun and confused by the enemy of our souls. No matter what you hear, feel, see, touch, or experience in any other manner, you MUST compare that experience with what the Word of God teaches us about it or its message. 

If what you have seen by way of vision or dream or even heard aloud does not agree with what the Bible teaches, then that message must be discarded for good. Each and every time. If the Bible is silent on that particular message, then scrutinize it through the 10 methods shared above, under discernment. And always be careful to listen to any other clues that are clearly from God about it. 

11. Other People (Human Vessels)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. (Proverbs 27:17) 

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. (1 Corinthians 14:3)

God may speak to you through someone else—sometimes intentionally, sometimes unknowingly. They might offer encouragement, a challenge, or simply say something that cuts to the heart. I don’t put weight on who says it—but whether the Spirit confirms it.

The person speaking the message (or writing it) may not have any idea they are being used by God to speak into your heart or situation. But then, they very well might. They may say that it’s from God but it may not be. As in all of these things, I refer you again to the 10 methods of discernment already given above. Heck, God spoke to a guy through a donkey once (Numbers 22:21-39). And Jesus once said that if the people hadn’t praised Him then the stones would have done it (Luke 19). So, don’t get too hung up on who the message comes through. It could be literally anyone—even nonbelievers.  Just use that discernment I keep mentioning. 

12. Shared Word or Manifestation (Corporate Experience)

“Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him. Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. (John 12:28–30)

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. (Acts 2:1–4)

Occasionally, others experience what one person does—a shared audible word, a sensed presence in the room, or a moment of collective awareness. These are rare, but when they happen, they add weight to what’s being revealed.

A couple of examples of this are when Paul (called Saul up until that point) was knocked off his horse while on his way to Syria to persecute Christians. Another was in the upper room at Pentecost. There are more in the Bible, like a thunderous voice heard when Jesus had His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, or when He was baptized. Another was when the Israelites were in the desert with Moses (and they couldn’t take it). But these are not so common. Maybe, as we get closer to the end of this age, God will perform more of these events. We will have to wait and see. 

Final Thoughts

These twelve ways cover the full range of how God has communicated with me and others personally (to my limited knowledge). I’m not claiming they are the only ways He communicates—but I do know these have been real, and they line up with Scripture.

Avoid hype. Avoid mysticism. Avoid presumption. Just try to listen—and obey. Don’t try to seek these things beyond simply asking for them. And never, ever, allow the enemy to fool you by some mystical experience. Use that discretion that God gives freely to us all. Know the Word as well as you possibly can, so that you will not be fooled. And trust in Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit to lead you. 

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

Try not to become jealous of those who are genuinely hearing from God in one way or another. God knows what you desire in your heart. But more importantly, He knows what He wants you to know. He knows how He wants to speak to you. Rather, make your requests known to Him in prayer, and like I said at the beginning here, seek Him first (and His righteousness) and all other things will be added to you as well. 

And remember that not all who claim to have received a message from God actually have. Use that discernment that I spoke of to decide if you are going to believe it or not. If they are trying to gain power or position or wealth, those are clear red flags of warning. Especially with authors and bloggers (like me). Test the spirits (whether in this realm or the next). And become so familiar with God’s Word (the truth), that any lies will stick out like a sore thumb. 

And always listen for that still, small voice inside that is gentle and powerful.

In Him, and for you, not against you,

Gary