Have you ever had a hard time discerning whether something was from God?
In a recent episode of The Jack Hibbs Podcast, Pastor Jack Hibbs tackled a question that resonates with every believer at some point: How do you know when God is speaking to you? Drawing from personal experience and the authority of Scripture, Hibbs offered insight, humor and conviction on how to discern God’s voice in a noisy world.
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One of Hibbs’ central points is that God speaks primarily through His Word. “God will never, never ever contradict His Word when He speaks,” he explained. Citing Psalm 138, he reminded listeners that God esteems His Word even above His name, underscoring the trustworthiness of Scripture in helping believers discern God’s direction.
He referenced Psalm 23 and Psalm 32 to emphasize how God leads His people: “The Lord is my shepherd… He leads me beside still waters” (Ps. 23) and “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye” (Ps. 32:8).
Hibbs encouraged believers to train their spiritual ears: “Please make my heart sensitive, connected to my ears, that I might hear You when You speak.”
But how does this play out in everyday life?
Hibbs shared a personal example of reading the book of Acts and then being reminded of a verse later in the day while walking through a mall. “Out of nowhere… the verse comes to my mind instantly… ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,’” he said, after seeing a Tesla display promoting “connection to power.” For Hibbs, this wasn’t coincidence but confirmation: “Guess what? I’m useless until I’m powered up.”
Hibbs challenged the notion that a “good feeling” is enough to claim God’s direction. “Can you imagine if SpaceX said, ‘We’ve got a really good feeling about this’ before a launch?” he asked.
Instead, he stressed the need to align decisions with God’s Word and character, warning believers not to rely on emotional impulses alone.
He also highlighted the importance of daily time in Scripture. “This is probably the number one area where Christians cause themselves to be anemic on a daily basis,” he said. “We didn’t consult the Lord in the morning—and then we wonder why the day has been so tough.”
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God still speaks, but we must slow down, open His Word and train our ears to hear. It is only by sticking close to the still waters of God’s voice through our time of prayer, reading and meditation on the Word of God that we can expect God to move in miraculous ways.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
