Not hearing God's voice

I would suggest just keep praying and seeking God.The more you seek God and pray the more you will hear his voice.

Paidiske said:

Such a wound might inhibit someone's relationship with God. But I would be cautious about raising it as a possibility, absent other evidence of a wound. It may lead to a young Christian thinking they are "broken" when that is not the case, and going off on a wild goose chase. (I had a similar experience when some Christians tried to tell me my PTSD was demonic and I needed deliverance; no, it wasn't, and no, I didn't, but a lot of heartache went into figuring that out).

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I agree; one needs be cautious about telling ... suggesting ... to a person that they may be wounded, or 'broken'.

Years ago, a friend of mine was discussing the subject of mental illness in Christians. And she said that she was told by a person she respected that some persons are just 'broken' deep inside ... as if to imply they could never be healed. Like 'hopeless cases'. Well, that just didn't sit well with me, and I still believe her counselor was wrong.

Why? Because the Lord is our Healer. It makes no sense to me that there is anything He cannot heal. Granted, healing may come slowly. May take years. One may need to ask and seek Him for it. But as we continue to walk with God, healing ... transformation ... does continue. And if the Lord wants to heal one's brain ... or one's woundedness in their soul ... if that is what He knows is best for one of His children ... He can do it. He can make it happen. No one is hopeless, in the Lord.

In cases like we are discussing, the Lord may give a word of knowledge ... to the one doing the ministering ... to reveal if there is such a 'wound'.

Carl Emerson said:

That was not the topic of discussion - rather we were thinking about folks who had been on the road for a while - say years - and can not recall any personal communication from God of any kind.

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You know, depending on the church one may be attending ... the persons they associate with ... it is possible for some persons to not 'think' much ... often ... about 'hearing' from God.

Some churches do not talk much about 'hearing' God ...

It wasn't until I started listening to more charismatic/Pentecostal teachers and speakers that I became more aware of 'hearing' God. Prior to that, I was largely in fundamentalist, evangelical churches ... good, solid Bible churches ... but 'hearing' God was not stressed.

And, I don't think it really needs to be ... if one is consistently reading the Word and spending time in prayer with the Lord. They are 'hearing', whether they realize it or not. Least, I know I was.

Carl Emerson said:

Hi there,

If a new convert was to to say to you, that they cant hear God's voice, what advice would you give?

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If someone asked me how to better to listen to God, I would refer them to Isaiah 57:15
“I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite".

Whenever I approach Him humbly, honestly, whenever I pray without pretence or putting on "masks", I find that is the time I hear God speaking to me. I think God will speak to us if we truly want to hear Him and we approach Him with a contrite heart.

There have been many times when I have not been good at listening to God - too many to count! There have been times when I have resolutely chosen to do things my own way instead of His and that is when I find I can't hear Him. As soon as I change my mind and seek God, I am never met with judgement but always gentleness and forgiveness.

i see Gods voice in everything i am willing to see it in ...

Carl Emerson said:

That was not the topic of discussion - rather we were thinking about folks who had been on the road for a while - say years - and can not recall any personal communication from God of any kind.

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As @Paidiske said your op id not say that at all. Still I would give the same advice. Live your life

.

Carl Emerson said:

If a new convert was to to say to you, that they can't hear God's voice, what advice would you give?

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I would say they're in good company because Mother Teresa heard no word, nor felt the slightest glimmer of the Lord's presence, for virtually the entire five decades she was in India. His silence/absence caused the poor woman quite a bit of anxiety.

Every so often I encounter people on the internet who claim to hear God's still small voice in their heads during prayer, but generally go dark when I suggest they consult a mental health professional if perchance they are experiencing early onset schizophrenia; so let's not go down that road.
_

Brains are different. Some people think in a higher percentage of pictures and some in a higher percentage of words. Some are more emotional, some more detached. Some people are autistic, or are synesthetes, or are tone deaf. Some have PTSD, or sleep issues, or no sense of direction.

God and each person might have their own unique path of learning to relate.

Carl Emerson said:

Confession
Repentance
Renounciation
Cleansing
Healing
Indwelling

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Were you being specific in the 'order' that you gave these? (Like 'steps'?)

Maybe not, but if so, I would have placed Indwelling 'above' Healing ...
as it is the Indwelling Holy Spirit Who works in us to transform and heal us.

Carl Emerson said:

Hi there,

If a new convert was to to say to you, that they cant hear God's voice, what advice would you give?

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Hi Carl,
I will ask the new converts : have they recognized God have spoken to many people in many generations that is written in the Holy Scriptures?

If they said that they have recognized, I will ask what they have remembered what God has said and what they understand.

I believe we can discern if some who hear God based on the truth in the Holy Scriptures.

If they have not recognized, I will tell them that it is better that they get acquainted.



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“If they say I have been reading the bible but cant hear God's voice - what then?”

I will ask them that if they have seek the reasons that God doesn’t hear prayers.

I will ask them to meet the conditions that God has set to hear anyone’s prayer.



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“Some folks who have been in the faith for years report that they never hear God.

Any advice for them?”

Have you remember when Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman. You know the Samaritan have no dealing with the Jews. How all Samaritan had perceived to seek God, and hear God ? What did the Lord have said :
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. -John 4:22
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. -John 4:23

Do you know why Heavenly Father seek such people who seek Him in spirit and truth ? This is what we have heard Jesus have said :
God is SPIRIT , and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." -John 4:24

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. -John 6:63

Have you considered the words in the Holy Scriptures are Spirit and Life ? If not, repent wholeheartedly in true contrition.
Treasure His words that He has spoken in your hearts and meditate what He has spoken. Eventually, you will recognize that He speaks to you.



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“So should we explore this possibility that folks can be wounded or have a distorted Father image?”

Why are we wounded to begin with ? Is it not because of our transgressions? Why do we have a distorted Father image to begin with ? Is it not because of our unwillingness or inabilities and failures to release forgiveness to those who wrong us ? Have we not be so wrong to seek our strength or others to be healed from this wound ? Can God not give His strength to us, His people? This is what we have heard:
The LORD is the strength of His people; He is the saving refuge of His anointed. -Psalms 28:8
Oh, save Your people and bless Your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever. -Psalms 28:9

How can we gain His strength? Wait on His steadfast love and compassion that are new every morning. His faithfulness is great. Why many have not received God’s strength? Because many have not humbled themselves. This is what we have heard:
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to REVIVE the spirit of the lowly, and to REVIVE the heart of the contrite. -Isaiah 57:15

Do you recognize His voice ?
When we humble ourselves in true contrition, the Lord gives us strength to be revived.
If we live humbly before our God in true contrition! Do you still think that God doesn’t speak to you ? Why He would do that ! The question that we should ask ourselves: have we daily lived humbly before God in true contrition so that we can hear His voice and keep His commandments?

Carl Emerson said:

This is a good point you raise - respect and reverence for the scriptures is a key factor to focus on.

I always advise that folks ask for whatever they know they lack as He will surely answer prayers that align with His will and we know what He wants us to have.

I wouldn't be quite so hard on folks carrying a wound - they can be sinned against and quite innocently carry pain. This is where our body ministry should kick in as Paul said "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church." Col 1:24

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Hello Carl,

I don’t mean to be hard on those who are wounded and carrying pains but I am just emboldened to speak what is right that many may not be asleep but awaken to the truth.

This is what we have heard David have said:

Let a righteous man strike me'it is a kindness; let him rebuke me'it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. -Psalms 141:5

But Carl, those who lack ;
I am not so sure that many know what God wants to have. Why ? Because many have not considered carefully what apostle Paul have spoken in 1 Corinthians 2:9-16

It is true that many want to hear God speaks but many look for that for outward recognition and astray. Those who are led by the Spirit of God know that together we have to put to death the practices of the body, that is, the old nature. Also, we are called to renew the spirit of our mind and put on the new nature.

Why do we need to hear God ? Is it not for us to understand? What is that mean to understand ? It is for us to gain the knowledge of the Holy One. Why is it important for us to have the knowledge of the Holy One ?

This is what we have heard:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. -2 Peter 1:2

It is so that we receive the abundance provision of grace and peace of God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ through the Spirit of His Word.

Let those seek to hear God, consider the parable of the sower that the Lord have spoken.

I have been thinking bout this topic. I have been a believer for 40 plus years and never remember God speaking to me directly. Now God has done numerous things and miracles but never spoken to me in a way I can say God spoke to me! Quite like Mother Theresa and other Saints though I would not say I have a dark night of the soul like St. John of the Cross and many other Saints.