Activating the Voice of God

I don’t know about you, but the prophetic is one of those topics that can feel impossible to navigate. When we look at the Bible we can see many examples of how God speaks to humanity through the ages, but how does that help us, in hearing the voice of God, today?

The Bible, of course, has to be foundational in our prophetic journeys. Primarily it gives us the firm foundation on which to stand, meaning we need to hold scripture equally with revelation in any given moment. The two aren't mutually exclusive, in fact they can only co-exist because they are birthed from the same source - Jesus. Studying stories of how God spoke in the Bible opens our eyes to how He might speak to us today. It also gives us context which greatly encourages us to seek His voice in any given situation in our lives.

Why not look up these scriptures for a reminder of some of the ways in which God speaks to us? 2 Timothy 3:16 (scripture) 1 Kings 3:5 (dreams), Jeremiah 23:16 (visions), Psalms 19:1-2 (nature).

'The Prophetic'...

Wherever we might be in our understanding of the prophetic, it’s always good to step back at times and remind ourselves of the basics. I’m sure we would all agree that hearing from God is foundational to our eternal relationship with Him but what does hearing from God mean, and what is the difference between being prophetic and a calling of a prophet?

Biblically, prophets are called by God to equip others in hearing God’s voice and to give direction, insight and foretelling - but in all of that the whole point of the prophetic is to point to Jesus and His power and authority. We can weigh prophetic words offered by others by first taking that word to God and ask for His confirmation whilst simultaneously looking at scripture. Secondly we can ask ourselves - Does the prophecy point us to Jesus and our identity in Him, or does it perhaps point to something else or invoke feelings contrary to the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)? - Notable scriptures: Isaiah 8:20, 1 Thess 5:20-21, 1 Cor 14:29, Acts 17:11, Rev 19:10.

Using scripture as the guideline, prophecy is used to share what God is releasing in the future (foretelling). Alongside prophecy there are other gifts: these include words of knowledge, words of wisdom, discernment and interpretation (1Cor 12).The word ‘prophecy,’ however, is generally accepted in many church denominations as a word to describe all aspects of hearing from God. The Bible itself is prophetic in that it is the inspired word of God and full of testimonies of how God’s voice changes lives. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10), so all prophecy should point to Jesus or what He is doing in our lives. The majority of prophecy is edifying, encouraging and comforting (1 Cor 14:3); these are the primary functions of this gift.

As we practise hearing from God, we build greater trust in Him and our doubts start to dispel. We should always continue to weigh and discern God’s voice (especially when we are looking at making significant decisions which will affect our lives). However, as we journey with Him, our relationship with Him deepens and we become more confident in hearing His voice. We start to cultivate our own prophetic language – it is like having a set of prompts or a dictionary. Many of these prompts have biblical connotations; for example, the colour green typically indicates rest and safety (such as the reference to green pastures in Psalm 23), so God might highlight to you something like a green traffic light as a way of inviting you to find a resting place in Him. Of course this is an ongoing process, but over time we create for ourselves our own library of prophetic prompts. Numbers can also be a helpful activation tool in this respect: for example, God might highlight to you certain numbers that point to a specific verse in scripture.

Does God really speak to everyone?

The answer is yes. Perhaps the better question to ask ourselves is, am I intentionally listening to God? For me, this Smith Wigglesworth quote sums it up: “God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.”

I was speaking at an event recently; at one point I found myself feeling heavy and was struggling to continue with what I had prepared beforehand. Right at that moment a man with Downs Syndrome appeared next to me with a glass of water and gave it to me. In that instant the heaviness lifted and I was able to continue. On reflection, I realise that this is one of the most beautiful prophetic encounters I’ve ever had. He wasn’t able to communicate to me why he felt the need to do what he did, nonetheless his actions had a powerful impact on me: the Holy Spirit met with me in that moment and helped me to refocus on Jesus.

The reason I share this story is to demonstrate that the prophetic (supernatural converging with the natural) is for everyone - no matter what age or ability. I always find great joy in hearing stories of God speaking, especially in ways I’ve not encountered before.

What are activations?

‘Activations’ in this context simply means to intentionally connect with the voice of God through an activity. In scientific terms, the word activation means to make a substance active, so maybe think of this as God’s voice becoming active in your home. There are endless ways to actively connect with God’s voice, for example, through our imaginations (pictures or senses), or through physical activities such as going for a walk and asking God to highlight something to us from nature.

It’s incredible how simple it is to get a sense of what God might be saying through imagining a picture and asking a few questions. God often spoke to people in the Bible through their imaginations so the idea of activations is not new. A good example of this can be seen in Jeremiah 1:11-12. God asks Jeremiah “what do you see?” and Jeremiah sees an almond branch. This is Jeremiah connecting with the voice of God through an activation of his imagination. There are many other examples of how God spoke in this way; we can see that God often uses symbols and imagery in the Bible to give added significance and meaning. He is still doing the same today.

Here is a fun activation you can do with your children and young people or indeed with anyone!

Taste & See (& Smell) that the Lord is Good (Psalm 34:8):

• Place several different fruits in a bowl and pick one up for yourself or to give to someone else.

• Pick a fruit - taste and see (and smell) the fruit and ask God what He is saying to you through it.

1. Sight and touch: Choose a piece of fruit and look at it and feel the texture.

2. Smell: Break or cut open the piece of fruit you have, smell it.

3. Taste: Now taste the fruit.

Questions to ask each other:

1. What might God be saying through that piece of fruit - how it feels and looks?

2. What do you think God is saying through the smell of this fruit?

3. What might God be saying through the taste?

4. Is there anything else that comes to mind?

5. What scripture comes to mind? Perhaps look up if the fruit you picked is mentioned in the Bible.

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Matt Holman is a prophetic minister, pastor and speaker dedicated to helping individuals and families hear the voice of God. With a background in youth ministry and a transformational personal journey, Matt, along with his wife Laura and their two children, leads a vibrant life, inspiring others to embrace a prophetic lifestyle. Through his ministry (HearYourWay prophetic ministries) and writing, Matt encourages others to pursue an intimate relationship with God, grow in confidence in hearing His voice, encounter grace and experience the transformational power of Jesus.

Find out more! Follow him @hearyourwayministries or visit hearyourway.co.uk

Matt's book, Activating the Voice of God in Your Home, is uplifting and accessible, designed to encourage families to grow in confidence in hearing from God. Through teaching, Bible verses, supernatural stories and enjoyable activations, this book inspires readers to engage with God’s voice and develop a prophetic culture in the midst of everyday life.