Does God Speak to Us When We Pray, and How Can We Know It Is Him? Study #7:

[David]

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Have you ever been praying about something and suddenly a thought came into your mind that seemed important? Maybe you were asking God what to do about a job, a relationship, a decision, or someone you were concerned about, and then a thought came that seemed unusually clear. It is natural at that point to wonder, “Was that God speaking to me?” Christians sometimes answer that question very quickly. Someone may say, “God told me,” because a thought came strongly to mind while praying. But if we are going to say that God has spoken, we need to be certain Scripture gives us grounds for saying it.

The first thing we should understand is what the Bible actually shows us about prayer. Jesus taught His disciples, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). Paul wrote, “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Prayer is believers speaking to God. We praise Him, confess sin, thank Him, ask for wisdom, pray for others, and bring our needs before Him.

That may seem obvious, but it matters because prayer is sometimes treated as though we speak for a while and then become quiet so that God can place a message into our minds. Scripture never teaches us a method of emptying our minds, listening for an inner voice, and then assuming whatever thought comes next is from God. That does not mean God is distant or uninvolved in our prayers. It simply means we should not add a method of hearing God that Scripture itself does not teach.

There is no question that God has spoken directly to people. He spoke to Abraham, Moses, the prophets, the apostles, and many others recorded in Scripture. Hebrews says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). The issue is not whether God can speak. He certainly can. The real question is whether the Bible teaches us to identify thoughts and impressions that arise during prayer as God's voice.

This is where we have to be careful about the difference between God working in us and God giving us a message. Suppose you are praying for a friend and suddenly think, “I should call him.” There is nothing wrong with calling him. It may be exactly the kind and wise thing to do. But saying, “I thought I should call him,” is not the same as saying, “God told me to call him.” The second statement puts God's authority behind the thought.

That is why Scripture gives serious warnings about claiming that God has spoken when He has not. Jeremiah records God saying, “I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed” (Jeremiah 23:25). A few verses later He says, “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully” (Jeremiah 23:28). The immediate context concerns false prophets, so we should not automatically accuse a sincere Christian of being a false prophet because he says, “God told me.” But the passage does establish something important. There is a difference between what comes from a person's own mind and what God has actually said.

So where can we know with certainty that God has spoken? Scripture gives us solid ground. Paul wrote, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When Scripture speaks, we do not have to wonder whether the message came from God. It did.

Peter gives us the same kind of confidence in God's Word. After describing the glory of Christ that he personally witnessed, he wrote, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19). Experiences can be misunderstood. Feelings can change. Thoughts can be mistaken. God's Word is sure. That does not mean every decision we make will have a verse that tells us exactly what to do, but it does mean Scripture is the certain standard by which everything else must be judged.

What, then, about the Holy Spirit? Scripture clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit works in believers. Paul wrote, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). The Spirit also produces real fruit in the believer's life: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). We should never speak as if the Spirit is inactive in Christians.

At the same time, we have to read passages about the Spirit in their context. Jesus told His apostles, “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). He also said, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). These words were spoken directly to the apostles on the night before Christ's crucifixion. We should not take a promise given in that setting and automatically turn it into a promise that every thought occurring during prayer is a private message from God.

The Spirit certainly works in believers, but Scripture never gives us a rule that says a strong thought, an impression, or a feeling should automatically be called the voice of God. That is an important distinction because something can be wise and still not be revelation. A thought can agree with Scripture and still simply be a thought.

For example, suppose you are praying and suddenly become aware that you need to forgive someone. Scripture has already told you what to do. “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). You do not need to wonder whether God wants you to forgive. He has already spoken.

The same would be true if, while praying, you became convicted about sin. Scripture says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Again, God's Word has already answered the matter.

But suppose you are praying about whether to take a particular job. There may be no biblical command telling you to take that exact job. The job may be honest, lawful, and consistent with your responsibilities. Taking it may be wise. Refusing it may also be wise. In that situation, the fact that a thought came strongly to mind does not prove that God spoke.

This is where Scripture tells us to test things carefully. Paul wrote, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John wrote, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). Christians are not told to believe something because it feels spiritual. Everything must be examined in light of what God has already revealed.

If an impression contradicts Scripture, the question is settled. God is not telling someone to lie, commit adultery, seek revenge, abandon biblical responsibilities, or do anything else that contradicts His Word. God does not contradict Himself. But the reverse also needs to be understood. The fact that something does not contradict Scripture does not prove that it came directly from God. It may simply be a permissible or wise choice.

There is also another question that often comes up when we talk about thoughts during prayer. Can Satan put thoughts into someone's mind? Scripture shows that Satan can tempt, deceive, provoke, and influence people. John tells us that “the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him” (John 13:2). Peter asked Ananias, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” (Acts 5:3). First Chronicles says, “Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1). We should not be naïve about spiritual deception.

At the same time, we should not give Satan abilities Scripture never gives him. The Bible never says that Satan can read the human mind. Scripture reserves perfect knowledge of the heart for God. Solomon prayed, “For thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men” (1 Kings 8:39). David said, “Thou understandest my thought afar off” (Psalm 139:2). God says, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins” (Jeremiah 17:10). Satan is dangerous, deceptive, and experienced in tempting people, but Scripture does not say he possesses God's knowledge of the human heart.

We also hear Christians speak about being “led by the Spirit.” That is biblical language, but we should let the Bible define what it means. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The verse immediately before it says, “If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13). The context is living according to the Spirit rather than the flesh.

Galatians speaks the same way. Paul writes, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16), and then, “If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). In both passages, being led by the Spirit is connected with how believers live, particularly the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. These passages do not define Spirit-leading as receiving private messages about every personal decision.

So what should we actually do when we are praying about something and do not know what to do? Scripture tells us to ask God for wisdom. James says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). That is a wonderful promise, but James does not tell us that after asking, the next thought in our mind will be God's answer.

We should pray for wisdom, then allow Scripture to examine us. Sometimes the biggest problem in making a decision is not that God has failed to tell us what to do. The problem is that our own desires are clouding our judgment. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24). That is a good prayer when we are trying to make a difficult decision because it asks God not merely to show us a path, but to expose what may be wrong within us.

Then we need to bring the decision under the light of God's Word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” A lamp does not necessarily illuminate the entire road at once. It gives enough light to walk faithfully. In the same way, Scripture may not tell us which company to work for or which house to buy, but it gives us truth about honesty, stewardship, responsibility, contentment, family, work, motives, greed, wisdom, and faithfulness. Those truths help us make decisions without pretending we have received a private revelation.

What if the same thought keeps returning while you pray? You do not need to be afraid of it, and you do not need to call it God. Examine it. Ask whether it agrees with Scripture, whether it is wise, whether your motives are right, and whether you are ignoring any biblical command or responsibility. If, after praying and examining the matter carefully, you believe it is the wisest course, you can act on it.

There is nothing unspiritual about saying, “I have prayed about this, studied what Scripture says, and I believe this is the wisest thing to do.” In fact, that may be much safer than saying, “God told me,” when God has not given us a clear word from Scripture.

So does God speak to us when we pray? Scripture clearly teaches that God works in His people, gives wisdom, changes desires, convicts through truth, and directs our lives. But Scripture does not teach us to automatically identify inner thoughts or impressions as God's voice. When Scripture speaks, we can confidently say, “God says.” When we are dealing with our own thoughts, judgments, feelings, or circumstances, we should speak more carefully.

That does not make prayer cold or impersonal. It actually gives us something far more secure than trying to interpret every thought that passes through our minds. We can pray to a God who hears us, trust Him for wisdom, and then stand on what we know He has said.

Jesus prayed to the Father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). That is where our certainty belongs.

The next question naturally follows from this one. What do we do when we have prayed, searched Scripture, and still have two choices in front of us that are both biblically permissible? How do we make that decision without demanding a sign, waiting for an impression, or pretending God has revealed something He has not? That is where Study #8 will begin.