When prayer feels uneven or quiet, remember that God is not grading you—He is inviting you. Scripture shows that God often speaks in response to prayer, meeting people right in their asking. If you want to hear Him more, talk to Him more; simple, honest conversation is the doorway to deeper guidance. And when He answers, it’s often bigger than what you asked for, because He is able to do beyond what we imagine. Bring your desire, bring your confusion, bring your hope—and expect Him to meet you with more than enough [28:31].
Luke 1:13–17
The angel told Zechariah, “Don’t be afraid—your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John. He will bring you joy and many will rejoice. He will be great before the Lord, live set apart, and be filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth. He will turn many hearts back to God and prepare a people ready for the Lord.”
Reflection: What prayer have you let go quiet that you sense God inviting you to pick up again, and when will you set aside ten unhurried minutes today to bring it to Him?
Sometimes God sends a word before the change arrives, not to spark debate but to prepare your heart. Mary received a promise before her body changed, so that when new realities came, she would not be shaken. God’s advance word is a mercy—He steadies you so you can walk faithfully into a season you did not plan. Receive what He speaks, write it down, and let it shape your posture even before there’s evidence. Say yes to the assignment and trust that His word will not fail [35:11].
Luke 1:26–38
God sent Gabriel to Mary with this message: “You are favored. You will conceive and bear a son, Jesus. He will be great, called Son of the Most High, and receive David’s throne, reigning forever.” When Mary asked how this could be, the angel said, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you; nothing God speaks will fail.” Mary replied, “I am the Lord’s servant—let it happen as you have said.”
Reflection: Where do you sense God preparing you ahead of time, and what small act of obedience can you take this week before you see any visible results?
There can be a stretch of time between what God says and what others see, and that in‑between requires courage. Like Mary, you may carry what God spoke while others don’t yet understand, but His word is designed to sustain you through tension and misunderstanding. Go back to what He said; rehearse it, pray it, and let it anchor your emotions and your choices. The promise doesn’t remove adversity, but it gives you something solid to grip until the path clears. Return to the word, and let it return you to steady hope [46:23].
Isaiah 55:10–11
As rain and snow come down and water the earth so it produces life, so it is with God’s word. What He speaks goes out with purpose, accomplishes what He intends, and does not come back empty.
Reflection: What specific Scripture or promise once carried you through a challenge, and how will you bring it back into your daily rhythm this week (for example, setting a noon reminder to recite it and pray)?
God can use others to speak to you, but He also invites you to ask Him directly for clarity. If someone says, “God told me to tell you,” bring that word to the Lord and listen for His confirming peace or His gentle “no.” You do not have to rush, fear, or guess—ask, seek, knock, and trust Him to open what should open. He is not trying to trick you; He is training you to discern His voice. Let prayerful testing protect your steps and free your heart [20:23].
Matthew 7:7–8
Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will open. Everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door is opened.
Reflection: Is there a recent “word” or direction you’ve received that needs prayerful testing, and how will you ask God about it today—and then sit quietly for five focused minutes to listen?
God often weaves confirmation through community—Mary went to Elizabeth, and joy leaped in the room. The Spirit’s presence in shared spaces can steady your faith, affirm your assignment, and refresh your courage. No one in God’s story is insignificant; different perspectives help us see the fuller picture of what He’s doing. As you serve and bless others, you’ll find God entrusting you with more because He knows it will flow through you. Lean into community, honor each voice, and let shared joy strengthen your “yes” [38:23].
Luke 1:39–45
Mary hurried to Elizabeth’s home. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child in her womb leaped, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She exclaimed that Mary was blessed, and blessed was the child she carried. She affirmed that Mary believed what God had spoken, and that the Lord would fulfill His word.
Reflection: Who in your faith community do you need to listen to or encourage this week, and what is one concrete way you will honor their voice or serve them?
This Advent, we leaned in to hear God’s voice by holding Matthew and Luke side by side—two angles on one holy story. Matthew, writing for a Jewish audience, places Jesus in the line of Abraham and David, tracing Joseph’s role and showing continuity with Israel’s story. Luke, writing to a broader Gentile audience, opens space for Mary’s voice. That matters. Mary is the one whose body carries the promise; what she hears from God is as essential as what Joseph hears. We honor Scripture better when we honor both perspectives, and we honor one another better when we recognize every person in the story has a voice God can use.
Luke then frames John the Baptist’s conception as a parallel thread: God hears Zechariah’s long-standing prayer and answers in abundance. That moment teaches us something simple and weighty: if we want to hear God more, we talk to God more. Often God’s speech is a response to our seeking.
When Gabriel visits Mary, the timing is crucial. Before anything is visible, before morning sickness, before public scrutiny, God sends a word to prepare her. God is not obligated to give us a heads-up, but sometimes he does—and that advance word is not for debate, but for anchoring. Mary receives her calling before Joseph does, then leaves to be with Elizabeth for about three months. Imagine the tension when she returns showing, holding a word Joseph hasn’t yet received. Two people, same God, different timetables. That is real life with God.
The lesson for us is clear: when God speaks, hold on to it. When the season gets hard, go back to what he said. A true word from God will carry the weight of your tomorrow before tomorrow arrives. Ask God to confirm what others speak over you; he is faithful to affirm or correct. And when he confirms it, stand firm. In every season—launching new work, serving our neighbors, facing uncertainty—his word steadies our feet and shapes our obedience.
We've been studying through this hearing God's voice series and as we've taught at every junctureIt's we learn to hear God's voice so that we can hear it ourselves and whenever and I want you to write this down Whenever God is doing something in your life He will speak to you Whenever God is doing something in your life He will speak to you
[00:20:16]
(34 seconds)
#GodSpeaksWhenHeActs
While God may at different times Tell different people things for you Words of prophecy a prophetic utterance into you If you've ever been in a service or been around a someone who has the gift of prophecy They may prophesy a word to you But I believe that even when a word is prophesied to you God will speak to you in such a way to confirm or reject itOne of the things we must always be aware of Is that whenever there's a word of prophecy on our lives There should be something that confirms it
[00:20:56]
(42 seconds)
#ConfirmProphecy
One of the things you'll listen for in your lives If persons ever come to you and sayThe Lord told me to tell you Or I have a word from God for you You listen in and then you see God and you can even ask And so if you receive a word You can ask God Lord is this from you?And if God says no Then you run the opposite direction But if God says yes You have your word of confirmation
[00:21:55]
(34 seconds)
#ConfirmHisWord
If you Want to hear More of GodTalk to God More The more You talk To God And write This down The more You talk To God The more God will Talk to You The more You talk To God The more God Will talk To youOne Of the Realities Of the Christian Journey Is that We all Go through Seasons Where Our Communication To God Goes up And down I want To give Somebody Release Today Don't Feel as Though You are A bad Christian A bad Person Something's Wrong With you If you Don'tTalk to God As much As others Do
[00:29:02]
(60 seconds)
#TalkToGodMore
They get So much More Because God will Do Exceedingly And abundantly What we Can ever Ask Imaginal Think They prayed For aChild God said Not only Am I Going to Give you A child I'm Going to Give you A child Who's Going to Do Great Things And be The one Who prepares The way For the Lord
[00:30:48]
(20 seconds)
#GodGivesMore
Contextually Though And This Is Where We Put On Our Scholar Hat As Well As Hear This Our Common Sense HatThough Matthew Is Before Luke In The Canon Of The Bible The Angel Comes To Mary Before The Angel Comes To JosephSo I Want Somebody To Write That Down The Angel Comes To Mary First The Angel Comes To A Woman First And The Angel Comes To Mary With This Word
[00:33:32]
(37 seconds)
#MaryReceivedFirst
And This Is The Next Piece And It Was So Important That Mary Held On To Her Word Regardless Of What Was Going On Around Her When God Gives You A Word BeforeSomething Happens He Does It For You To Hold On To It When Times Get ToughGod Gives Us A Word So That We Have Something To Hold On To When Times Get Tough The Word Comes To Mary The Angel Comes To Mary With The Word So That When People Start Looking At Her Funny When They Start Talking About Her When Things Start Happening When Her Body Starts Changing She Has Something To Hold On To
[00:43:36]
(50 seconds)
#ClingToTheWord
Whenever Things And I Want You To Write This Down Take Your Pen Write This Down Write This In The Chat Post This Out Make It A Text Post On Your Story Put It On Threads Wherever On Facebook Put It Everywhere Whenever Things Are Tough In Life Go Back To The Word God SpokeWhenever Things Get Hard Go Back To The Word He Spoke Because The Word He Spoke Has In It What You Need To Carry You Through The Challenges Ahead
[00:45:02]
(37 seconds)
#BackToTheWord
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