Do you want to know how to hear God when it's hard to hear God? Here's how; if you know what he said, you'll know what he is saying. You don't need a NEW word; you need a LIVING word.

What Is God's Word?

The word "word" is the Greek word, logos. It's where we get the word logic. Logos also refers to the character of the speaker of that word. God's logos is how he thinks, how he treats people, and how he organizes everything he does. It's his way. God has a way about him; that way is his logos.

The logos of God manifests in different ways. We have the written word, which is God's commandments, instructions, poetry, doctrine, and history. The written word reflects the logic and character of his being. The written word can be used to keep us grounded when we feel like we receive a new spoken word from God.

Another aspect of the logos of God is Jesus. Jesus is the Logos of God, made flesh. If you could squeeze God's way of thinking, how he behaves, and how he lives his life through time into a human being, that's Jesus.

Jesus is what it looks like for God to be human. And Jesus himself is dependent on the words that God has and is speaking.

Living On God's Words

When Jesus was tempted in the desert to prove his identity through external performance, he said: "man does not live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

Matthew 4:3 And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

Our immediate reaction to this statement is to think we need to be able to hear what God is saying, especially when we're in trouble. This statement sends us down the path of feeling like we have to be able to listen to what God is saying right now, at this moment. That's partially true, but it's not limited to that.

You may have noticed it's difficult to hear God when you're under pressure. It's hard to live from peace and hear God's wisdom and guidance when the world seems to be crumbling around you.

The good news is if you are intimately familiar with what God already said, you can know what he is saying and what he will say.

God repeats himself. God repeats himself. ;-)

God will not change; he will always be who he is. You can count on that. It doesn't matter if he said it 3000 years ago or 3 seconds ago, his word and his promises are still trustworthy.

Hearing Under Pressure

So it's pretty simple, if you're in trouble or under pressure, you can look at what God has said until it becomes alive in you now. You'll know the word is alive in you when it becomes believable. When it's believable, all things are possible.

When God's word is alive in you, you begin to see his options and hear his leading. The word of God can lie dormant in your intellect, but it's up to you to open your heart in such a way that it gets in your heart and connects with his living spirit.

Yes, God will speak to you. Yes, God can and will give you a new word, but it will always validate his written word.

Become Intimately Familiar with His Written Word

I started wrestling in 5th grade and continued through high school. In high school, we practiced 3 hours a day during wrestling season. We'd spend an hour on mat drills, then an hour on take-down drills, then we would wrestle for an hour. By the time we were in an actual match, we were so familiar with the moves they came naturally. I rarely had to think about which move to use. The position determined the moves. I had several options in my arsenal to choose from, no matter the situation.

The written word of God is like this. If we know it intimately, God has something to work with. He may or may not quote chapter and verse to you, but he will certainly speak a concept that is consistent with something that's already written.

Know the word. If you know his written word, you will hear his active voice more clearly. When the two come together is where you choose faith, open to his grace, and move forward.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (more on this in the full sermon above)

Notice the progression, the word starts in the spirit, makes its way to the place where the spirit meets the soul, then it works its way from the soul into the joints and marrow. The bone marrow is the innermost aspect of the human body.

The word of God is seeking to make its way into our entire being. It's up to you to yield to his word in your inner man. When you yield, it becomes alive and nourishes every aspect of your being. It becomes wisdom and guidance for specific things in your life.

When we engage the word at this level, it will hide in our hearts and our minds until we need it.

God's word, his logic, his promises, his character will work its way into our entire being and, at just the right moment, will spring forth and touch our lives in so many ways.

God is unlimited, he has infinite potentials to be God in our lives, but if we do not renew our minds in his logic, we will miss his leading and be limited to our best efforts.

Get In The Word

I want to encourage you to get in His word. Know scripture. I don't mean from a legalistic perspective where you have to read so many hours a day but know the concepts. Know the big picture of what Jesus accomplished and your identity in him. Then you can dig deeper into the nuanced instruction and wisdom.

You may not always understand what you're reading, but you're tucking away God's logic in your heart for him to breathe on it when you need it.

YouVersion has a great app. I recommend downloading their app and subscribing to the free Bible Project reading plans.