How Do I Hear God? 25 October 2026
25 10 26 Filed in: Sermons | He Promises
How Do I Hear God?
He Promises
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
October 25, 2026
John 10:2-4
Series Description: Maybe you’ve heard what Jesus has done for others. You want to believe He can do the same for you, but you're not sure it's even possible. Jesus made several promises in the Bible—but what do they mean today?
Big Idea: God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, I meet with a group of men and ask them two questions:
1. What is God saying to you?
2. What are you going to do about it?
Take a moment and think about how you would answer them.
Today we’re continuing our new series He Promises. Last Sunday we said God loves you even when it doesn’t feel like it. Today our subject deals with listening to God.
It’s often said Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God. Relationships require two-way communication. I can talk to a tree, but I can’t have a relationship with a tree because it cannot communicate. I can text you every day, but if you never reply, we don’t have a relationship.
Sometimes we pray, and it seems like God didn’t get the message. He’s not ghosting you.
God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
I admit that a relationship with God is different than one with a person you can see, hear, and touch. I recently asked a friend if she had a relationship with her dog, and she said, “Absolutely.” The way they communicated with one another was different than a human-to-human interaction, but they have a unique and special bond. In a way, the same can be said about our relationship with God.
When I ask, “What is God saying to you?” I’m making two assumptions:
1. God is speaking
2. You can discern what He is saying
God promises His presence. The book of Matthew ends with Jesus saying,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
God never promised that we would always hear His voice, but He is always with us.
How do I hear God?
God speaks in a variety of ways, both in biblical times and today. 1 Samuel records one incident where God spoke in an audible voice. Samuel was a young boy serving under Eli the priest.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. (1 Samuel 3:2-5)
Samuel didn’t recognize God’s voice.
Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” (1 Samuel 3:6)
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Samuel 3:7)
A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:8-9)
The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)
Samuel needed Eli to help him discern the voice of God. We need wise counsel in our lives to help us discern God’s voice sometimes, too.
If I called you on the phone for the first time, you might talk for a while to be polite, but eventually you’d ask, “Who is this?” When I call my kids, they never ask that because they know my voice. The more time I spend knowing God through prayer, obedience, and studying the Bible, the better I know God and can discern between His voice, my wishful thinking, and the enemy’s lies.
In the tenth chapter of John, Jesus tells his friends,
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:2-4)
I’ve never heard the LORD speak audibly to me, but I do pray those words Samuel declared: Speak, for your servant is listening.”
There are those who have heard God’s voice. Others have had dreams and visions, which can be from God. Extraordinary circumstances are just that…extraordinary. God can use the ordinary to speak through people and circumstances. For example…
On October 19, 2023, I received a phone call from Lance Finley inviting me to apply for the lead pastor role at College First Church of God. I was so surprised! My first response was that it would be crazy to leave a great church in Toledo. I didn’t want to move, but then my primary question was, “God, is this Your will?” I spent months praying, studying Scripture, and seeking wise counsel before becoming convinced that God was leading us to College First.
Discernment is essential in hearing from God. Whether it’s an audible voice, dreams, or circumstances, it’s often helpful to seek wise counsel. Samuel had Eli. I have Heather, our church staff, and Elders, among others. I’ve heard people claim some wild things they believe God spoke to them that were clearly not from God. How do I know?
The primary way God speaks is through the Bible. This is why it’s so important to read and study it. The Bible helps us discern truth from the lies of our culture. It reveals His will for us, His character, and His wisdom. It doesn’t tell us what job to take, what color socks to wear, or what car to buy, but it offers timeless instructions for godly living. I especially love reading the Gospels and studying the life of Jesus, my hero, my role model.
What’s God saying to you? If you can’t answer, perhaps you need to spend more time in the Bible because the primary way God speaks is through the Bible. Ask Him to show you through the Scripture what you need today…your daily bread.
Time Matters
God rarely speaks on demand. We can study the Bible, pray, seek wise counsel, and still not get an answer. This is when faith kicks in. God’s timing is perfect, and it’s not usually the same as ours! It’s easy to get impatient with God.
If that’s you, don’t give up. He is with you. He promised! Keep seeking His will. Some of you have spent months or years seeking a job, a spouse, or some other decision. Sometimes God is silent. He feels distant. It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. God is always up to something. Be patient. He sees you. God’s presence is a promise, not a feeling.
Do you want God to speak?
It’s one thing to hear God and quite another to obey. Jesus responded to a woman,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
Perhaps you don’t want God to speak because you’re afraid of what He might say. What if He says, “Sell everything and give to the poor,” as Jesus said to the rich young ruler? What if He wants me to be a missionary in the jungle? What if He says I need to change my behavior, my attitude, or my career?
What if He does? He loves you. He knows best. He can be trusted. I promise!
So What?
You were created for a relationship with God, your Creator. All relationships require time, attention, effort, and intentionality for them to be healthy and growing. God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
What is God saying to you?
If you don’t know, have you asked Him to speak? Are you engaging the Bible? Studying it with others? Seeking wisdom and discernment from others?
Are you quiet enough to hear? That’s where I struggle. I love to be busy, and that makes it hard to listen. The psalmist wrote,
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:10-11)
This was written in the midst of chaos and turmoil, not unlike our world today. The LORD Almighty is with us.
God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
What are you going to do about it?
He Promises
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
October 25, 2026
John 10:2-4
Series Description: Maybe you’ve heard what Jesus has done for others. You want to believe He can do the same for you, but you're not sure it's even possible. Jesus made several promises in the Bible—but what do they mean today?
Big Idea: God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, I meet with a group of men and ask them two questions:
1. What is God saying to you?
2. What are you going to do about it?
Take a moment and think about how you would answer them.
Today we’re continuing our new series He Promises. Last Sunday we said God loves you even when it doesn’t feel like it. Today our subject deals with listening to God.
It’s often said Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with God. Relationships require two-way communication. I can talk to a tree, but I can’t have a relationship with a tree because it cannot communicate. I can text you every day, but if you never reply, we don’t have a relationship.
Sometimes we pray, and it seems like God didn’t get the message. He’s not ghosting you.
God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
I admit that a relationship with God is different than one with a person you can see, hear, and touch. I recently asked a friend if she had a relationship with her dog, and she said, “Absolutely.” The way they communicated with one another was different than a human-to-human interaction, but they have a unique and special bond. In a way, the same can be said about our relationship with God.
When I ask, “What is God saying to you?” I’m making two assumptions:
1. God is speaking
2. You can discern what He is saying
God promises His presence. The book of Matthew ends with Jesus saying,
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
God never promised that we would always hear His voice, but He is always with us.
How do I hear God?
God speaks in a variety of ways, both in biblical times and today. 1 Samuel records one incident where God spoke in an audible voice. Samuel was a young boy serving under Eli the priest.
One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the LORD called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. (1 Samuel 3:2-5)
Samuel didn’t recognize God’s voice.
Again the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” (1 Samuel 3:6)
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. (1 Samuel 3:7)
A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:8-9)
The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)
Samuel needed Eli to help him discern the voice of God. We need wise counsel in our lives to help us discern God’s voice sometimes, too.
If I called you on the phone for the first time, you might talk for a while to be polite, but eventually you’d ask, “Who is this?” When I call my kids, they never ask that because they know my voice. The more time I spend knowing God through prayer, obedience, and studying the Bible, the better I know God and can discern between His voice, my wishful thinking, and the enemy’s lies.
In the tenth chapter of John, Jesus tells his friends,
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:2-4)
I’ve never heard the LORD speak audibly to me, but I do pray those words Samuel declared: Speak, for your servant is listening.”
There are those who have heard God’s voice. Others have had dreams and visions, which can be from God. Extraordinary circumstances are just that…extraordinary. God can use the ordinary to speak through people and circumstances. For example…
On October 19, 2023, I received a phone call from Lance Finley inviting me to apply for the lead pastor role at College First Church of God. I was so surprised! My first response was that it would be crazy to leave a great church in Toledo. I didn’t want to move, but then my primary question was, “God, is this Your will?” I spent months praying, studying Scripture, and seeking wise counsel before becoming convinced that God was leading us to College First.
Discernment is essential in hearing from God. Whether it’s an audible voice, dreams, or circumstances, it’s often helpful to seek wise counsel. Samuel had Eli. I have Heather, our church staff, and Elders, among others. I’ve heard people claim some wild things they believe God spoke to them that were clearly not from God. How do I know?
The primary way God speaks is through the Bible. This is why it’s so important to read and study it. The Bible helps us discern truth from the lies of our culture. It reveals His will for us, His character, and His wisdom. It doesn’t tell us what job to take, what color socks to wear, or what car to buy, but it offers timeless instructions for godly living. I especially love reading the Gospels and studying the life of Jesus, my hero, my role model.
What’s God saying to you? If you can’t answer, perhaps you need to spend more time in the Bible because the primary way God speaks is through the Bible. Ask Him to show you through the Scripture what you need today…your daily bread.
Time Matters
God rarely speaks on demand. We can study the Bible, pray, seek wise counsel, and still not get an answer. This is when faith kicks in. God’s timing is perfect, and it’s not usually the same as ours! It’s easy to get impatient with God.
If that’s you, don’t give up. He is with you. He promised! Keep seeking His will. Some of you have spent months or years seeking a job, a spouse, or some other decision. Sometimes God is silent. He feels distant. It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. God is always up to something. Be patient. He sees you. God’s presence is a promise, not a feeling.
Do you want God to speak?
It’s one thing to hear God and quite another to obey. Jesus responded to a woman,
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)
Perhaps you don’t want God to speak because you’re afraid of what He might say. What if He says, “Sell everything and give to the poor,” as Jesus said to the rich young ruler? What if He wants me to be a missionary in the jungle? What if He says I need to change my behavior, my attitude, or my career?
What if He does? He loves you. He knows best. He can be trusted. I promise!
So What?
You were created for a relationship with God, your Creator. All relationships require time, attention, effort, and intentionality for them to be healthy and growing. God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
What is God saying to you?
If you don’t know, have you asked Him to speak? Are you engaging the Bible? Studying it with others? Seeking wisdom and discernment from others?
Are you quiet enough to hear? That’s where I struggle. I love to be busy, and that makes it hard to listen. The psalmist wrote,
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46:10-11)
This was written in the midst of chaos and turmoil, not unlike our world today. The LORD Almighty is with us.
God is present even when you don't hear his voice.
What are you going to do about it?