Ways God Speaks 5

We have been looking at ways God speaks to us. In our last few posts we examined God speaking through His written word and other people. Today we will look what the Bible calls the “still small voice.”

This term, “the still small voice” is first found in 1 Kings when God spoke to the prophet Elijah on Mount Horeb. This happened after Elijah challenged the false prophets of Baal to prove their god was the true God. After their miserable failure to get any type of response from Baal, Elijah called upon the God of Abraham, Issac, and Israel who responded by fire.

Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 1 Kings 18:38

God vindicated His servant Elijah proving He was the only true and living God. When news of this reached the idolatrous, wicked, manipulative, and immoral queen Jezebel, she immediately threatened to slay Elijah.

This caused Elijah to become quite despondent to the point of asking God to take his life.

1) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword.  2)  Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." 

3) And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 

4) But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" (1 Kings 19:1-4)

After receiving strength from an angelic visitation, Elijah rose up and went on a forty-day-and-night trek to Horeb.

5) Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 

6) Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 

7) And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8) So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. 1 Kings 19:1-8

Even though the angel spoke to Elijah, it was not the directive of the Lord regarding his seemingly dire situation. Elijah wanted to hear from God directly.

Here is where the narrative becomes even more interesting.

9) And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 

10) So he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life." 

11) Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 

12) and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13) So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:9-13

Yes, this is what Elijah, the great prophet of Israel experienced. He felt the wind and the earthquake, and saw flames of fire, but understood the Lord remained silent. Though these visible and tangible signs may have been manifestations of the Lord’s Presence, Elijah recognized He had not spoken.

But then, suddenly, Elijah heard a “still small voice” and realized it was the Lord. The Lord God of heaven and earth chose to speak to His servant in a still small voice, not lightning and thunder. How tender, gentle, and kind is our God! (Matthew 11:28-30; 12:20)

After Elijah heard from the Lord, he was able to go back to fulfill his final mission before he was translated to heaven in a whirlwind and fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:9-11).

The Father and the Lord often speaks to us in a “still small voice” as well, and we must pay attention, so we will not dismiss it as our own thoughts. This could be easy to do, because the still small voice seems to suddenly float or bubble up within our spirit with no warning.

How can we tell it is the still small voice of God, and not our own mind or spirit? Good question.

The voice of God is authoritative (Genesis 1:3-29; Psalms 33:6; Psalms 29:3-9). It is pure (Proverbs 8:8), peaceful and gentle (James 3:17). It is always in line with His revealed will in scripture (Isaiah 8:20). His voice is full of life (John 6:63), even when correcting us or telling us things of a serious nature. His voice always speaks truth (Deuteronomy 32:4; John 8:32; 14:6; 16:13; 17:17; Proverbs 12:22).

The “still small voice” of God is only one of the ways He speaks to us, but as with Elijah, it is usually to build our faith for some difficulty or challenge ahead. It gives us assurance we have clearly heard from Him, and can therefore continue in faith and confidence. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God (Romans 10:17).

A few years ago, we were praying about moving to Florida. This continued for some time, as we made plans. Then one night, while in prayer (about other things) and worship, the Father spoke to me the name of a city in another state, and I immediately knew it was where He was leading us.

Knowing my wife had no desire to move to this state or city, I asked Him to speak to her also, which He did. Days later she shared how He revealed the same message to her heart, and she was willing to give up her dream of living in Florida to obey His directive.

Ask the Father to open your spiritual ears to hear His voice. Learn to be sensitive to what He is speaking to your heart. Fellowship with Him. Tell Him how much you appreciate His goodness, Word, Presence, kindness, mercy, and grace. Communicate with Him regularly, and you will become more increasingly sensitive to His voice (John 10:2-4, 27).

We will continue to look at other ways God speaks in our next post. Until then, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless and keep you!

James Brown CST

06/23/2025