God Speaks Through People — Are You Listening?

Have you been so focused on hearing God's voice directly that you've been ignoring the people He's already speaking through?

Maybe you've been waiting for a dream, a vision, or a booming voice from heaven while God has been trying to reach you through your pastor, your spouse, a friend, or even a broadcast like this one. Today I want to show you why relationships with godly people aren't optional — they're one of the primary ways God speaks.

Prophecy came through men moved by the Holy Spirit.

For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:21 NKJV

God's Word itself came through men. Not because they made it up — but because the Holy Spirit moved on them. And if God used men to deliver His Word to the entire human race, why would He stop using people to speak into your life today?

Now, it doesn't have to be a prophet. God spoke wisdom to Moses through his father-in-law Jethro — a man who wasn't even part of Israel. God has spoken to me through my wife's wisdom, through Jeff saying something at dinner that ministered right to my heart, through a worship song written by Charlie and Jill LeBlanc that reached down into my spirit. God uses all kinds of people when you're in relationship with them.

My pastor showed up when I needed God's voice most.

Let me tell you a story. Years ago I was lying on my bed crying — and yes, I was crying. It had been a terrible day. A friend had betrayed me, tried to take advantage of me, and I was wrecked.

My pastor called. He'd just landed in Miami from Peru and was supposed to preach that night in Jacksonville. He could tell something was wrong in my voice. I said, "I'm all right."

He said, "Where are you at?" I told him. He said, "You don't move from that spot. I'll be there in two and a half hours."

He canceled his plans for that night and spent the entire day with me. He encouraged me. He loved me. And God spoke to me through that man.

Another time, I didn't know anything about the love of God. My pastor said something I disagreed with. I said, "You still love me, don't you?"

He looked at me and said, "Make no mistake. There is nothing you could ever do to keep me from loving you, because my love for you is my choice, not yours."

I'd never heard anything like that. But God spoke it through a man, and it changed my life.

If you reject the man, you might be rejecting God.

Paul said something bold about this.

Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 NKJV

Paul had just given the church instruction. Then he said plainly — if you reject what I told you, you're not rejecting me. You're rejecting God.

That should make us pause. Because a lot of people don't put any priority on church, on pastoral relationships, or on being taught by other believers. They say, "I don't need that to be a Christian." Fine. You can be saved and go to heaven without ever darkening the door of a church. But you will never become everything God created you to be without godly relationships.

Paul himself said he wanted to see people face to face so he could "perfect that which is lacking in your faith." Jesus said shepherds keep you from being wearied and scattered. The local church is called the pillar and ground of the truth. If you cut yourself off from all of that, you're cutting yourself off from one of God's primary delivery systems.

You need people ahead of you — not just people who agree with you.

Find godly people who are beyond where you are spiritually. People who can correct you. People who love you enough to tell you the truth even when it stings.

I don't submit myself to everybody. I once had a woman walk up and say, "I have a word from God for you." I said, "No, you don't." She pushed back. I told her straight — "God knows that if He was going to speak to me through someone, He wouldn't pick you, because I don't respect your walk. I've got people around me who love me and who I trust. He'd use them."

That sounds harsh. But it's true. The people God uses to speak into your life are the people you're in genuine relationship with — people of character, people who walk with God, people whose fruit you can see.

Now, don't wait for them to be perfect. I listen to Andrew Wommack — I'm sure he's not perfect. I listen to Brother Copeland — I'm sure he's not perfect. I listen to my wife — I'm sure she's not perfect. I listen to myself — and I know for a fact that guy isn't perfect. But I'm looking for people who want to walk after God, not people who've already arrived.

The inward voice is more common than all the others combined.

Now let me introduce the way God speaks that you'll use more than any other.

Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."

Acts 8:29 NKJV

The Spirit said it. But nobody else heard it. It wasn't audible — if it had been, the Ethiopian in the chariot would have stopped and looked around. This was an inward voice — the Holy Spirit speaking directly on the inside of Philip.

Philip obeyed. He ran to the chariot, explained the Scriptures to a man searching for answers, and that Ethiopian went home and brought Jesus to an entire nation.

This is how God speaks most often. Not through dreams and visions. Not through angels and audible voices. Those are real and they happen. But the bread and butter of hearing from God is the inward voice — the Spirit speaking on the inside of you where no one else can hear it.

And by the way — did you notice that Philip was sent to a desert where there were no people, right in the middle of a successful city-wide meeting? Quit trying to reason out what God tells you to do. If He's speaking, you move. He took Philip from changing a city to changing a nation — but it looked like a demotion at first.

Get in relationships. Get in church. Get listening.

You cannot serve God and refuse to be around His people. You can't say, "I serve God, not man," and then ignore every person God sends to speak into your life.

I'm writing this blog today not for me. If I had my choice, I'd be doing something else. I'm here because the God I serve is in love with you, and I want you to hear from Him. That's serving you. And serving you is serving God.

Get a pastor. Get in a church. Get in relationships with people who can sharpen you. And when God speaks through them — don't blow it off.

Open your ears to the people He's placed around you. Fight To Win.