Five More Ways God Speaks to You

I’ve been learning a lot lately about the many ways God can speak. I used to think he had to talk to us like movies portray him speaking, with a deep, booming voice that sounds like thunder. Later, I realized he often sounds like my own voice inside my head. Now I’m discovering there are countless ways he communicates with us, and I’m probably only just beginning to scratch the surface. But over the past few months, he’s been showing me that he speaks in more ways than I’m aware. He’s almost always trying to get my attention and yours; we just don’t always realize it because he isn’t speaking how we expect him to.

A few months back, I listed five ways God speaks to us (inspired by Havilah Cunnington’s awesome Prophetic Personalities course, which I highly recommend!), but since making that list, I’ve discovered that there are more ways God communicates than just those five. Here are five more ways God can speak, plus a bonus one!

1. He puts a song in your head. Do you ever wake up with a song in your head you haven’t heard in months? Or does a certain melody pop into your consciousness seemingly out of nowhere? This has happened to me for as long as I remember, and I only recently realized that it’s oftentimes actually God who placed those songs there. And don’t for a second think I’m just talking about hymns! Sometimes they’re worship songs. But God uses Taylor Swift lyrics and old-school Céline Dion ballads to speak to me just as often. Really listen to the words of the song you’re hearing, and ask God if he’s trying to tell you something.
2. He releases a scent. This can be positive, negative, or straight-up random. Oftentimes he gives you a sweet scent when his presence is near or a rotten, unpleasant smell when there is demonic activity or oppression nearby. Pay attention if you smell something unusual or out of place.
3. He puts a taste in your mouth. A lot of people taste honey when God is signifying something “sweet” or revealing himself. You can also get a bitter taste in your mouth at times when God’s trying to tell you something is from the enemy and not of him.
4. He gives you a physical sensation. This is especially common when people are getting healed or praying for someone to get healed. A person being healed often feels warmth in the place in their body where the healing is taking place, and people praying for others to be healed often report a sensation of electricity or power in their body (especially in their hands) while they are praying.
5. He speaks through other people. Whether a friend is encouraging you, a prophetic person is speaking over you, or you’re reading something in a book that really resonates with you, God can use other people’s words to give you a much-needed message. This also can happen when you’re reading the Bible – something just jumps out at you and you understand it in a new way. This is called a “rhema” (RAY-ma) word.
6. BONUS: He speaks through a recurring theme. Is there ever a phrase that seems to appear over and over in your mind, in things you read or hear, and in your life in general? Many times that’s not just a coincidence; it’s God trying to get your attention. “Breakthrough” is one of those recurring themes for me right now, as is “restoration.”

God can speak in so many different ways that it’s probably impossible to count them all. If you see, hear, feel or sense something and you’re wondering if it may be from God, ask him! He’ll confirm it if it’s of him. Just know he may not speak to you in the way you expect him to! I, for one, have begun to realize he’s speaking all the time; I’m just not always tuned in to his words or the method he’s using to get my attention.

What other ways does God speak to you? How do you hear him best?