Do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Not every Christian feels confident that they do. There are many ways the Holy Spirit helps and guides Christians, and sensing or hearing a tangible voice is only one. If you want to share Jesus with your friends but hearing the Holy Spirit speaking to you is not your experience, you’ve come to the right place.
The first thing to recognise is just because you don’t feel like you hear the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. God chooses how He wants to communicate with you and He is free to communicate how He chooses. God is not withholding His voice until you’re ready to hear Him. Don’t get caught in the trap that you must perform for God in order for Him to bless you by speaking to you.
In the absence of a clear sense of hearing His voice, start with what is clear about the Holy Spirit. If you want to grow your trust in the Holy Spirit, start with what the Bible clearly teaches. When you grow confidence in the Bible’s promises about the Holy Spirit, you can grow in faith in areas which aren’t as clear.
Here are 5 foundational and clear truths about the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Bible.
1. If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit is with you.
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38
The Bible teaches that every Christian, once they repent and believe in Jesus, receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you love Jesus and have been saved by Him, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit lives in you.
2. The Holy Spirit is good, you don’t need to fear Him
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Luke 11:13
There is a lot of mystery around what is and what isn’t the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is good and there’s no need to fear a genuine exploration of who He truly is. Ask God to help you learn more about who He is.
3. The Holy Spirit is given as a gift to help you
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26-27
There are many ways the Holy Spirit will help you. He will bring you comfort, give you wisdom, work in your circumstances, bring healing, etc. The more you’re aware of His presence, the more you will see His helping work in your life.
4. The Holy Spirit reminds you of God’s words
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14:26
There are a few times in the Bible it mentions that the Holy Spirit will work supernaturally to bring things to your mind at the right time. This can be Bible verses, and also it can be simply the right words to say. Be prayerful when you are in a conversation about Jesus and take note and speak the things that come to your mind.
5. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit is for all Christians
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Ephesians 5:18
Being filled with the Spirit is not only about things like speaking in tongues and prophecy, it’s about His daily guiding presence in your life. It’s a daily presence He gives to you when you seek it. Don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from receiving the blessing of His presence. Ask for it and seek it every day.
If it’s not your experience to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, start by pursuing Him in the ways that have been made clear in the Bible. Commit these Bible verses to memory, seek the Holy Spirit daily, and rely on Him as you talk to your friends about Jesus.