When people ask me what they can do to hear from God, I have to point them to God’s Word. I have never heard from God so clearly as when I am spending time in His Word, and following the instructions in Proverbs 4:20-22 (NASB): "My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body." Not only does following this spiritual "formula" enable us to receive revelation from heaven for our lives, but it can minister life and health to every fiber of our being when we practice it faithfully.

First, this divine formula says to give attention to the Word, and to incline our ears to it. We can do this by listening to good, sound teaching and preaching on TV, radio, the internet, or on CD or tape. We must discipline ourselves to replace less edifying listening media with programs that build our faith and renew our minds to God’s truth. By doing this, we give the Lord numerous opportunities to impart His revelation to us when we need it most. We can also hear God’s Word by speaking it out of our own mouths in the form of faith declarations or prayers. There are times when nothing is more powerful than hearing the Word coming from our own lips. I’ve discovered this to be one of the best spiritual pick-me-ups that I’ve ever experienced. Sharing God’s Word with others can also be a powerful way to keep it going into our ears. Sometimes, when I’m ministering to others, I receive revelation for my own life that is nothing short of life-changing for me.

Second, we’re told not to let God’s Word depart from our sight. There is simply no substitute for reading and studying the Word of God for ourselves. There are times when the Holy Spirit has something profound to share with us, and He will cause a Scripture or a passage to virtually leap off the page into our hearts. Then we can make notations in our Bibles that will not only illuminate our minds and hearts at that moment, but also in the days to come. I never start my day without opening my Bible and asking the Lord to speak to my heart through His Word. I do this with an attitude of expectancy, knowing that I can’t receive from Him if I approach Him with a doubtful mindset. (James 1:6-7) I discipline myself to get still before Him, and I listen for His still, small voice. And He rewards my efforts by imparting revelation to me that never disappoints me. Another way we can keep the Word before our eyes is to post it in places in our home where we will see it often. Surrounding ourselves with the Word in this way can be a powerful reminder of the promises He has spoken to our hearts.

Lastly, we are told to keep God’s Word in the midst of our heart. The Bible says that we should "lay up" or "hide" the Word in our hearts so that we can obey it and apply it to our lives. (Psalm 119:11) A good way to do that is to memorize it. Perhaps you think it’s beyond your ability for some reason, but let me assure you that it’s not. Years ago, I heard a godly man say that we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us to memorize the Scriptures. I took this man’s advice, and I have found that God is eager to help us to remember His Word, and to store it in our hearts. He wants us " meditating" on the Word "day and night" so that we can "do it" and "prosper and succeed" in all we do. (Joshua 1:8) When life’s unexpected circumstances "ambush" us very suddenly, we shouldn’t have to whip out our Bibles to get revelation and direction from God on the spot. Making regular deposits of God’s Word in our hearts will enable us to make divine "withdrawals" when we need them most.

If you have put your trust in Christ as your Savior, then you have the ability to receive divine revelation on a regular basis from the Spirit of the Most High God. Decide today to put His Word to work, and receive all of the privileges of a child of the King!

Prayer: Lord, teach me how to pay attention to Your Word with my eyes and my ears, so that I can plant it deeply in my heart and have it ready on my lips at all times. Grant me revelation from heaven that I can apply to my life and share with others in life-changing ways. Thank You for the supernatural life and health that will be ministered to every fiber of my being as a result!