This lesson will be helpful to those who still have not understood why they do not hear the voice of God. The “How to Hear the Voice of God” school was held at Father’s Blessing Church.
Lesson 3. Why Doesn’t a Person Hear God?
This lesson will be helpful to people who still have not understood why they do not hear God. It will also be helpful to mentors who are most often asked this question by others.
There are 10 main reasons that, in my opinion, may prevent a believer from hearing God more clearly.
1. A person does not know how God speaks
The Lord called to the boy Samuel three times, but he did not know that God Himself was speaking to him. “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him” (1 Sam. 3:7).
Then Eli the priest gave the boy valuable instruction: “Go, lie down; and if He calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place” (1 Sam. 3:9). After this, Samuel responded correctly to the voice of God.
This is a good example of how older and more experienced people help the young and inexperienced learn to hear God. And that is wonderful! An experienced potter or craftsman will teach a student to work with clay more quickly than the student could learn on his own.
Therefore, if you have a mentor or are surrounded by spiritually mature people, this is a blessing for you. They can teach you to hear God better. Personally, I am very grateful to my teachers for teaching me to build a close relationship with the Lord.
2. A person does not abide in the Word
It is important to understand once and for all that God has decided to speak to people through His Word. This is His principle, His rule. If we understand this, we will not separate God from His Word.
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant” (Josh. 1:1).
Now pay attention not to the fact that God spoke to a person, but to what He said to him:
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may carefully do everything written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will act wisely” (Josh. 1:8).
The Lord did not command Joshua to sit and wait for Him to say something. God Himself, not a preacher, told him: “Day and night, immerse yourself in the book containing My commandments, My Word, and you will prosper.”
This is God’s way. God made life easier for people by showing us that we can hear Him through the Word. So people who do not read the Bible every day deprive themselves of so much!
3. A Person Does Not Meditate on the Word
How many of you understand that systematically reading the Bible and meditating on the Word are two different things?! It is very important to understand this! Some people say, “I read the Bible several times a day, but I hear nothing; God does not speak to me through the Word.”
In fact, Scripture contains more answers to pressing questions than may seem at first glance.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching (by meditating on the Word, we can certainly learn something), for conviction (the Word can expose our hidden motives), for correction (in the Word we can find what will change us), for instruction in righteousness (the Word will show us what to do to become righteous), so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial to us because it perfects us, preparing us for every good work. Therefore, to receive the greatest benefit from Scripture, we need to study it carefully in order to find answers to the questions that concern us.
And this search will ultimately lead you to the point where “logos” (the written word) becomes “rhema” (the spoken word, revelation from the Lord) for you. The Word will begin to speak to you. Because if you seek answers to your questions, you will certainly find them in the Word of God. For God has ordained that we receive answers first and foremost through His Word.
4. A Person Does Not Remain in Proper Prayer
Everyone prays differently, and everyone’s results are different. Let us consider which prayers are improper in the context of hearing the voice of God.
These are selfish, hypocritical prayers filled with complaints and grumbling, judging other people. When you try to prove something to God, attempt to get or take something, bring a complaint against someone, selfishly demand something, talk a lot without listening to God, or simply care about praying beautifully so that people will praise you, these are improper prayers.
This style of prayer does not encourage God to speak to you; such prayers only irritate God!
Proper prayer in the context of hearing God is communication between God and a person, when the person takes a position of reverence and humility. Such an attitude disposes God to communicate with you.
When you communicate with God as with a person, yet with humility and reverence toward Him—asking, listening, laughing, and crying—you develop a living connection with Him. “I do not know or understand this. Help me with this, God! Open my eyes; let me see Your answers and Your blessings”—this is humility! God, as a wise Teacher, a good Father, and a strong Leader, will teach and guide you.
Much can be said about prayer. But Jesus Himself showed us how God’s children should pray. “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:6–8).
What does this brief instruction from Jesus begin with? With the advice to withdraw with the Father and communicate with Him. Because the essence is not in the words—the Father already knows everything! Build a meaningful two-way prayer life, and you will discover that God speaks to you. Hallelujah!
5. A Person Does Not Practice Praying in Other Tongues
Praying in other tongues is addressed directly to God. It is one of the most profound forms of prayer, in which our minds and our flesh are not involved.
“For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God…” (1 Cor. 14:2)
This is the case when a person speaks neither to himself nor to other people, “because no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries” (1 Cor. 14:3).
If you speak directly to God rather than to an audience, believe me, you truly have many opportunities to receive an answer from God. I mention an audience because people can genuinely fake it, put on an act, and pray for show. Sometimes a person speaks to you in one tone, but when they begin to pray, suddenly a dramatic, affected manner appears from somewhere…
Pray in tongues more often—it increases your chances of hearing God!
6. A person does not want to hear God
Some people are afraid to hear God, realizing that they are not ready today to do what He will say. When you approach them and ask, “May I pray for you?” they answer something like this: “I recently met an unbelieving man, and I dream of starting a family with him. Please don’t prophesy or say anything to me. Let me live the way I want!”
Of course, I am exaggerating, but the point is clear. There really are cases when people hide from or run away from God, like Jonah, and do not want to hear Him.
They want to hear only what they like and nothing more. So, like snails, they hide in their shells and say, “Everything is fine with me, and I don’t want to change anything! Leave me alone!”
7. A person does not consider it necessary to hear God
A person may have their own opinion and decision regarding certain things. If someone is convinced of something, has made up their mind, or reached a decision, God may speak to them through dreams, preachers, and the Word, yet they still stubbornly insist: “No! That’s not true! I know what is right!”
This is how different denominations came about. Each denomination wrote down its tenets—that is, what it believes—and put a period at the end. If there had been a comma, they would have remained open to something new from the Lord. But a period implies no further development, which is why denominations still exist that, for example, not only do not believe in healing but even consider it to be from Satan.
Some denominations do not believe in tongues, others in divine healing, others in spiritual gifts, and still others in prophecy, and so on. God speaks to them, but they do not hear Him because they do not consider it necessary to change anything in their doctrines.
“They made their hearts as hard as stone, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 7:12).
The Lord was angry with the people because they rejected the prophets whom God sent to them with words of truth: “Go away, go away from here! We know what to do. We know everything ourselves.”
Remember that it is important to always remain open and never close yourself off to the new things God has prepared for you. Do not miss Jesus if He appears in a form unfamiliar to you! For often, people who prayed for an outpouring of the Spirit missed it because they expected revival in different clothing—the clothing worn by their denomination.
If you are not ready to change and not ready to receive something new from God, the Holy Spirit may indeed be grieved and quenched, and may stop speaking to you.
8. An Unsuitable Atmosphere or Setting
The atmosphere in which you find yourself can positively or negatively affect your ability to hear God.
Your surroundings can either help you hear God or distract you from hearing Him.
“...Call for me a harpist.” And when the harpist played, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha, and he said, “Thus says the Lord...” (2 Kings 3:15)
Elisha was not a self-proclaimed prophet. He had received Elijah’s mantle from his teacher and was a prophet anointed by the Holy Spirit. But the setting and atmosphere in which Elisha found himself did not help him receive the Word from the Lord. So he said, “I need a harpist.” And when they found a harpist and he began to play, the hand of the Lord touched the prophet, and he began to prophesy. Thus, the atmosphere directly affects a person’s ability—even that of someone highly anointed—to hear God!
When musicians praise God and intercessors pray, it affects everyone present because the spiritual atmosphere changes. Where is it easier to hear God? Where an atmosphere of praise and honor toward the Lord has been created!
“Now Moses took and pitched his tent outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tent of meeting; and everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp” (Exodus 33:7).
Why did Moses pitch his tent far from the camp? Because there were about a million people and many domestic animals in the camp. Just imagine the noise there: bleating, mooing, and children shouting! That setting certainly did not help anyone hear God.
And I want to tell you not to think this way: “God is everywhere. He will speak to me wherever He wants.” This may be permitted or allowed, but it is not the rule. Many Christians have indeed settled for this level—they do not take time to create the right setting and atmosphere, contenting themselves with a “while running” or “on the go” relationship with God. As a result, their connection with heaven is very poor.
Imagine this: you are riding in a vehicle, people are pushing you, doors are slamming in front of you, or you are turning the steering wheel and looking at the navigation—and at the same time listening to the Lord. How much will you hear in such a setting?!
Find a secluded place and create the right atmosphere—and be consistent in doing so. Then, believe me, you will often have to tell people, “God told me this and that.”
I have experienced this many times in my life. I am constantly concerned with God’s work and ministering to people. It would seem that God should speak to me day and night. But I noticed this: I heard God clearly only when I was in the right place—in times of solitude, on trips, at retreats—and in a peaceful environment.
So it is not God who hides from us; rather, we clutter our minds so much that it becomes difficult for us to hear heaven. We need to learn how to become still. Moses did the right thing when he set up his tent far away from everyone so that nothing would prevent him from seeking solitude with the Lord.
Once, something funny happened to me. I remember sitting at home and asking, “Lord, give me a word, give me a word…” Then I heard my wife’s voice: “Dima, come and have lunch!” Well, there is your word!
9. A Person Is Under Demonic Influence
Demons really can be the reason a person does not hear God. More precisely, demons can give a person false thoughts that he or she mistakes for the voice of God.
I remember one man telling me, “God told me to sleep with this woman who has a family.” Even when something clearly contradicts Scripture, people are willing to believe that God said it to them when it benefits them. Unfortunately, even Christians who once believed the Word can fall under such deception. We need to be very careful!
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some shall depart from the faith (which means these people were believers, not pagans!), giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). Apostasy is the result of people listening to false voices and thoughts and accepting false teachings.
How can we fight this? It is very difficult! If a person is convinced that what they hear is from God, then even if dozens of people gather around them and try to convince them otherwise, they will not accept their correction. The only thing that can help in such a situation is remaining in God’s family—the Church—under guidance, with spiritually mature Christians nearby who care for that person and speak the truth to them: “Look, this is contrary to the Bible! This has brought destruction into your life!” Then the person agrees: “Yes, this is not from God!”
Also, if these voices lead you against Scripture and bring destruction into your life, command them to leave, because they are false voices.
If any of you hear voices like these, be sure to find a living church where spiritual gifts are active, so that you can receive help discerning whether they are from God or not.
10. A Person Is Living in Sin
There is a great difference between a person who has sinned, repented, and abandoned sin, and a person who lives in sin.
A person who has compromised and lives in sin becomes hardened; their heart grows like stone and becomes insensitive to the voice of God.
Do you remember the story of King David’s sin? He was a man who had a close relationship with God, and the Lord spoke to him many times. The Bible says, “And the Lord said to David…” and “And the Lord spoke to David…”
But after the king sinned with Bathsheba, God said nothing to him for almost a year. Although the Lord may have spoken to him with conviction, David was so occupied with concealing his sin that he did not want to listen to God. He was devising a wicked plan to kill Uriah.
When Uriah died and the days of mourning for him had passed, David took Bathsheba as his wife, and she bore him a child. Only then did the prophet Nathan come and confront David. He came to the king with God’s judgment, and if David had not repented, death would have awaited him. It turns out that for almost a year David was unable to hear God because sin had made him deaf to God’s conviction.
Conclusion
We have considered why a person does not hear God. And I think all these reasons should be taken into account when someone comes to you and says, “I don’t hear God.” You should not immediately say, “Come on, try again!” Instead, talk with the person, ask questions, and find out the reason for their “spiritual deafness.”
Let us pray:
Lord, take us in Your hands and cleanse our hearts so that we may hear You better and more often. Show us why we do not hear You as You desire.
May an immense desire arise in us to put an end to every sin in our lives, so that we will not hide from You but listen to You boldly and without fear. May we not be afraid to hear what does not meet our expectations. Let fear leave and trust in You come, in the name of Jesus Christ!
Every spirit of seduction and deception that disguises itself as God, be gone in the name of Jesus Christ! May our hearts and spiritual ears be opened to hear the Lord.
May ideas come from You about where and how we can best withdraw. Give us a passionate desire to withdraw, as Jesus did—to leave the crowds, find quiet places, close ourselves away in the secret place, and remain there with You, because You are waiting for us in the secret place. And when You see us in the secret place, You will reward us openly.
Holy Spirit, give us hunger and a desire to abide in the Word of God, to study it, meditate on it day and night, and clearly hear You through this Word.
Text prepared by Marina Serkova
