What does the Holy Spirit sound like?

[ByTheSpirit]

So the question is exactly how it sounds. I intend this thread to help everyone understand a bit more on what the Holy Spirit's urging sound like or feel like.

If you have any experience or words please share them!

 

[ByTheSpirit]

So my experience has been a bit wide.

I have heard the Spirit speaking to my heart words of truth. Such messages are typically based on scripture but I know it is the Spirit speaking to my heart. (Visit my blog to read some such words I have received). The voice always results in a feeling of peace and assuredness, as in I don't doubt who spoke to me. Even when I was first learning this was the case.

A good way to cultivate our ability to hear is by asking the Spirit for advice on everything. What to eat, what to wear, what to say, what to do. At first it may seem a bit self defeating but many people have testified to increasing in hearing by taking everything to God and letting him direct their lives.

Another way the Spirit has spoken to me is through dreams & visions. When I pray I will listen more than speak. I have received many visions during my prayer times by calming my heart, emptying my mind and allowing the Spirit time and opportunity to talk to me.

 

[Tree of Life]

Can a non charismatic jump in or is that forbidden?

 

[Tree of Life]

Typically the voice of the Holy Spirit sounds like the voice of whoever is speaking God's word (Scripture) to me. Many times it's a preacher. Many times it's my wife. I've never heard an audible voice of the Spirit but I do know that he uses the audible voices of normal humans to speak the words that he inspired.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Can a non charismatic jump in or is that forbidden?

I am fine with it as long as the forum rules are respected

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Typically the voice of the Holy Spirit sounds like the voice of whoever is speaking God's word (Scripture) to me. Many times it's a preacher. Many times it's my wife. I've never heard an audible voice of the Spirit but I do know that he uses the audible voices of normal humans to speak the words that he inspired.

I have felt the Spirit's leading through others as well. Someone will say something to me and it might take some time but I will think back on it and realize the Spirit was speaking through them to me

 

[Tree of Life]

I have felt the Spirit's leading through others as well. Someone will say something to me and it might take some time but I will think back on it and realize the Spirit was speaking through them to me

How do you know that it was the Spirit speaking?

 

[Serving Zion]

This helps a lot of people:

 

[Serving Zion]

How do you know that it was the Spirit speaking?

We recognise Him as we learn to distinguish Him more and more (John 17:3, John 10:4-5, John 10:27).

 

[ByTheSpirit]

How do you know that it was the Spirit speaking?

Hard to explain. It usually speaks to a situation in my life I have been dealing with or praying about. My spirit also confirms such.

 

[W2L]

Im not charismatic but would like to share my understanding, if thats ok. The spirit sounds like the scriptures because he reminds us of what the Lord spoke (John 14) and the spirit speaks the language of love in our heart as we enjoy His comfort.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Im not charismatic but would like to share my understanding, if thats ok. The spirit sounds like the scriptures because he reminds us of what the Lord spoke (John 14) and the spirit speaks the language of love in our heart as we enjoy His comfort.

Good advice! The Spirit definitely speaks scriptures to us to guide us in a general sense.

My experience has been a bit deeper than that but scriptures are definitely a good starting point!

 

[Tree of Life]

Good advice! The Spirit definitely speaks scriptures to us to guide us in a general sense.

My experience has been a bit deeper than that but scriptures are definitely a good starting point!

What is deeper than the unfathomable depths of God's word in Scripture?

 

[Tree of Life]

Hard to explain. It usually speaks to a situation in my life I have been dealing with or praying about. My spirit also confirms such.

So you know it's the Holy Spirit if:

1. It has something to do with a life situation you're currently facing
2. You have a good feeling about it

Is this what you're saying?

 

[Tree of Life]

We recognise Him as we learn to distinguish Him more and more (John 17:3, John 10:4-5, John 10:27).

How do we learn to distinguish his voice from the countless others that are bouncing around in our heads?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

So you know it's the Holy Spirit if:

1. It has something to do with a life situation you're currently facing
2. You have a good feeling about it

Is this what you're saying?

Sort of, but not entirely. Feelings can be misleading. It mostly comes down to perspective. If I am not listening to people around me, I won't hear them regardless of how loud they talk or what they say. So I have to be listening actively at all times. I also have to know his language. Luckily we have the Bible for examples.

The prophets are the best place to learn this. God spoke to them openly, in visions, through nature, through other people. He speaks the same still today. His voice will never contradict his image. For example:

God is love - so his voice will always speak love. Not romantic love, but a fatherly love.

God is Holy - so his voice will never lead to sin.

So when someone speaks to me, often times if I am listening, the Spirit may use something they say to speak to a situation in my life and I can be like wow, the Spirit just used you to speak to me!

 

[ByTheSpirit]

@Tree of Life

It takes times to discern his voice for sure. But like any other thing we do, we start small and grow as we exercise.

Crawl
Walk
Run

Ask the Spirit to teach you what his voice sounds like and start listening everywhere.

Pay attention to your surroundings.

When I am out and about, when I see a pond or river I am reminded that Jesus gives Living Water to those who believe. So I thank him for that.

When I see a bush or farm I am reminded that Jesus is the Vine and I am a branch that depends on him for everything. So I confess to him my weakness and pledge my life again.

When I see a bird I am reminded of God's love that sees even a lowly sparrow fall, but his love for me is so much greater.

These are bland examples but all completely accurate in describing how the Spirit speaks. Get the basics down and he will grow you from there. Also must be obedient. If he tells you to do something but you don't obey, good chance he will stop talking until you either repent or do what he instructed.

 

[Tree of Life]

Sort of, but not entirely. Feelings can be misleading. It mostly comes down to perspective. If I am not listening to people around me, I won't hear them regardless of how loud they talk or what they say. So I have to be listening actively at all times. I also have to know his language. Luckily we have the Bible for examples.

You're speaking too abstractly and metaphorically for me to make sense of this. What do you mean by knowing the Spirit's language? Are you talking about a literal language with unique grammar and vocabulary? Or are you speaking in metaphor?

The prophets are the best place to learn this. God spoke to them openly, in visions, through nature, through other people. He speaks the same still today.

The only modes of revelation I'm aware of in the prophets (or elsewhere in Scripture) are:

1. Physical manifestation
2. Vision
3. Dream
4. Audible Voice

These I can understand. When someone says that God spoke to them audibly or visibly appeared to them or gave them a literal vision or spoke to them in a dream then I understand what they mean. But when people say: "The Spirit spoke to me through an impression" or something similar then I find no parallel in Scripture to this mode of revelation and I have no idea what it means other than "I just sortof felt this way" or "This idea popped into my head".

So when someone speaks to me, often times if I am listening, the Spirit may use something they say to speak to a situation in my life and I can be like wow, the Spirit just used you to speak to me!

I've had plenty of instances where people have shared things with me that communicate directly with a situation I'm facing but they are unaware of this. And I would say that God was using their words to communicate something to me. But I would not say: "this is the word of God" or "thus saith the Lord".

 

[Tree of Life]

When I am out and about, when I see a pond or river I am reminded that Jesus gives Living Water to those who believe. So I thank him for that.

When I see a bush or farm I am reminded that Jesus is the Vine and I am a branch that depends on him for everything. So I confess to him my weakness and pledge my life again.

When I see a bird I am reminded of God's love that sees even a lowly sparrow fall, but his love for me is so much greater.

This sounds to me like encountering God (and hearing him) through natural revelation (nature) combined with what you know of Scripture. This happens to me all the time.

These are bland examples but all completely accurate in describing how the Spirit speaks. Get the basics down and he will grow you from there.

I agree that God speaks through creation and through Scripture. This appears to be what you're describing in your examples above.

Also must be obedient. If he tells you to do something but you don't obey, good chance he will stop talking until you either repent or do what he instructed.

This is where I think your theology might get a little dangerous. I agree that we must obey the clear words of God in Scripture. But I've seen people use this line of thinking to do something like the following:

1. I got the strongest impression that God wanted me to wear a purple shirt today.
2. This was the Holy Spirit speaking to me.
3. I therefore must obey this urge. If I disobey then I have sinned against God and am growing distant from him, unable to hear his voice.

Unless it's an audible voice, vision, prophetic dream, or Scripture then I think it can be very dangerous to take a simple urging or internal impression to be God's word eliciting obedience or disobedience.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Ahhh but that purple shirt might have caught someone's attention and opened a door for you to share the gospel...

It is not false teaching to say we must obey the Holy Spirit. We are called to test all prophetic words and reject the bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21

So if a word is telling you to be disobedient or contrary to God's written word, then it is not the Spirit and not subject to obedience.

Bottom line is this if you know the Spirit is telling you to do something, and you disobey it is a serious thing and repentance must be had before the relationship can mature more.

Jesus put mud on someone's eyes after mixing with spit. Do you think that was a comfortable situation? Probably not but Jesus obeyed. Smith Wigglesworth was well known for punching people who were sick and they would get healed.

Sometimes the Spirit says do some things that are a bit abnormal to our world, but disobedience is disobedience. Chances are high though that only the very advanced in hearing will get such messages though.