Hearing From The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14)

Sermon on 30 March 2025 by Reverend Lynette Goh

Romans 8:14 - “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

Hearing from the Holy Spirit is to be led by the Holy Spirit. Do we actually hear a voice when we hear the Holy Spirit? Many expect to hear a voice and when they don’t hear a voice, they assume they don’t hear a Holy Spirit. It is not an audible voice that you can hear. Very few people hear the audible voice of the Holy Spirit. What we hear is in our spirit.  As sons of God, we can hear from the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. In Christ, God sees His children all equal. We are alive unto God because we are born again. If we cannot hear God, means we are dead to Him. The Holy Spirit doesn’t live in us. Why then do many of us hear wrongly? We need to know the word of God. When we know the word of God, it becomes a good standard to evaluate what we hear from the Holy Spirit.

What the Holy Spirit says cannot oppose the word of God. It will be the same as the word of God. When we read the word of God, it reveals who our Heavenly Father is. The mirror of the word of God also reflects our ways and helps us correct ourselves. When we learn to hear from the Holy Spirit, it’s like an experience.

What does the Holy Spirit tell us? The Holy Spirit tells us of things to come.

John 16:13 - “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

He tells us all the truths. We need to know the truth then know what to do. The truth from the Holy Spirit will be aligned with the truth in the Bible. God will tell us what to come, but it’s up to us to decide what to follow based on what the Holy Spirit guides us. God already has a plan for you. Even before we were made in our mother’s womb, all our days were already written out. It is very reassuring when you know God’s plan. When you know it is the will of God to be somewhere, or do something, His grace will see you through it. Do not give up. When the Holy Spirit tells you things to come, it hasn’t happened yet. We have to receive it with faith. When we pray, we begin to hear of things to come. We wait to receive it.

John 16:8-11 - “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.”

Who does He convict about sin? He convicts non-believers. What about believers? When God sees us, He doesn’t see us as our own righteousness as it is filthy. He sees us as righteous in Jesus Christ that’s why we can boldly come to His grace. We are no longer in the kingdom of darkness so we won’t be judged together with Satan. We are in the kingdom of light so our works are judged. There is no more conviction of how sinful we are as God sees us as righteous. That doesn’t mean that we can sin however we want as the Holy Spirit shows us righteous ways.

Romans 8:1 - “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Being in Christ means we walk after the Spirit and not the flesh.

1 John 3:20 - “Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.”

When we commit a sin, our hearts convict us. It’s like our conscience pricking us so we know that we are doing wrong. It’s not the Holy Spirit’s judge. The Holy Spirit illumine the word to us so our hearts will make the right changes.

1 Corinthians 2:9-12 - “That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

Romans 8:16 - “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”

We have the Holy Spirit in us so we will know the plans of God. We will know what God has already given to us in Christ Jesus. He speaks to us by bearing witness with our spirit. It’s an inner knowing. Those who are absent in the body will be present with the Lord.

How does the Holy Spirit speak to us?

Galatians 4:6 - “And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.””

From your spirit, you already understand the relationship you have with God. As you say Abba Father, there is an inner witness inside of you. God speaks to us by the word of God and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit and the word are one. When we read the word, the Holy Spirit is our help. Be more conscious of how He is speaking to you. He helps you even in daily life. When we read the word of God, our mind understands the words but spiritual truths are understood by our spirit with the help of the Holy Spirit.

John 5:19 - “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit and communed with the Father. Whatever He saw His Heavenly Father do, He did in His earthly ministry.

John 14:10 - “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.”

Spend time with our Father then we will hear and do. Don’t set conditions for God. Many of us are not sure about the prompting in us and just dismiss it. Instead of dismissing it, begin to take it and ask who is it for. You are ready to do what God tells you to do. The ball is in God’s court and the Holy Spirit will reveal to you. When He shows you things, there is joy and peace.

How do we position ourselves to hear from the Holy Spirit?

Psalms 46:10 - ““Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.””

We need to relax and be calm. You will then follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 50:4 - “The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.”

We need to come to Him with an expectation to hear. He has already given us wisdom. Paul shows us in his epistles that His Holy Spirit dwells in us.

How do we know we are hearing from the Holy Spirit?

Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

God’s word is so powerful like a laser. It differentiates our spirit from our soul. Our spirit is where we hear from the Holy Spirit. Our soul comprises of our thinking and emotions. When we know the word of God, we are able to differentiate what is from the Holy Spirit and what is from our own emotions and thinking. It also reveals our inner thoughts and desires. It makes adjustments in our character so that we can serve and hear Him better. Hear the Holy Spirit in the midst of joy and peace.

Romans 14:17 - “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Isaiah 55:12 - “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!”

When you hear from the Holy Spirit, you are led by peace. Everywhere you go is with joy. In spite of circumstances you might be facing, know that you are led by the Holy Spirit. Make sure that you are hearing from God in your endeavours. There will be joy that emanates within you. There will be incomprehensible peace that guards your mind and heart. Stay your ground when the Holy Spirit speaks to you no matter what is happening.

The love of God doesn’t need to be earned. He created you and loves you with an everlasting love. You have to be assured in His love. We want to do things that please Him. Continue to hear from the Holy Spirit and obey what He tells you to do. He takes great delight in you.

Amen.