4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice Session 1

Summary

The session presents Mark Virkler’s approach to learning to hear God’s voice. He describes a long period of trying prayer, Bible reading, fasting, and formal ministry training without sensing that God was speaking to him. He eventually devoted a year to studying and practicing the subject. He says a retreat led by two Catholic charismatic priests helped him discover a practical approach.

Virkler emphasizes being willing to learn beyond one’s usual theological assumptions and practicing a new skill without expecting to do it perfectly at first.

The Four Keys

Virkler draws the four keys from Habakkuk 2:1–2, where the prophet watches for what God will say and records the vision.

1. Stillness: Quiet yourself before God

   • Find a place and time to become quiet and attentive.
   • Virkler argues that stilling the mind is biblical, citing Psalm 46:10 and David’s calls for his soul to be silent before God.
   • He says fear that Satan will take advantage of a quiet mind can prevent people from listening, and encourages trusting the Holy Spirit instead.
   • In his view, stillness helps a person become receptive rather than relying only on deliberate, analytical thought.

2. Vision: Look with the “eyes of the heart”

   • While praying, ask God for insight and remain open to mental pictures or scenes.
   • Virkler says visualization is not inherently wrong because the Bible includes dreams and visions. He cites Numbers 12:6 and Acts 2:17.
   • He encourages readers to picture biblical scenes and, if appropriate, place themselves in them while reflecting.
   • As an example, he pictured Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and imagined himself in the scene. He says a thought came to him to respond to a rebellious girl in his care with unconditional love and attention to her insecurity, rather than focusing only on her behavior.
   • He stresses that Christians should assess practices by Scripture rather than reject them simply because other groups use them.

3. Spontaneity: Recognize thoughts that arise

   • Virkler describes God’s voice as often coming through spontaneous thoughts or impressions rather than as an audible or dramatic voice.
   • He contrasts this with analytical thinking, which he describes as more deliberate and structured.
   • He connects this inward “flow” with the Holy Spirit, citing John 7:37–39, and says it may appear as flowing thoughts, images, or emotions.
   • He suggests noticing this flow during prayer, worship, or everyday activities.

4. Journaling: Write down the impressions

   • Record the thoughts and images that come during prayer. Virkler calls this “two-way journaling” because he wants the process to include listening as well as speaking.
   • He recommends letting the writing continue without interrupting it to question every sentence. Afterward, review what was written and test it against Scripture.
   • Journaling, he says, helped him stay receptive for longer instead of immediately doubting and stopping the process.
   • He points to biblical examples of people recording visions, messages, and prayers, including the prophets, Moses, the Psalms, and Revelation.

Virkler condenses the method to stillness, vision, spontaneity, and journaling, and urges listeners to use all four together. He also cautions that if impressions conflict or remain unclear, it is better to wait rather than act on either one immediately.

Journaling and Practice

In the closing Q&A, Virkler says journaling need not happen at the same frequency throughout a person’s life. He initially journaled most days, later focused on living in God’s presence throughout the day, and at other times returned to more intensive writing. He says he sometimes revisits journal entries and uses material from them in his books.

He acknowledges that an analytical temperament can make the process difficult. His advice is to practice the method, address fear and doubt, and test what is received rather than assuming every impression is correct. He describes his own learning as involving experimentation, feedback, and repeated practice.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Unnamed host or introduction speaker: Introduces the event and Mark Virkler, and describes the planned video series and its intended international reach.
• Mark Virkler: Main teacher and speaker; also answers questions during the Q&A.
• Audience members: Ask about how often to journal, how to respond to conflicting impressions, and how analytical thinking or emotional difficulties may affect journaling.
• Biblical sources cited by Virkler: Habakkuk 2:1–2; Psalm 46:10; Hebrews 12:1–2; Numbers 12:6; Acts 2:17; John 4; John 7:37–39; Ecclesiastes 5:1–2; and passages in John about Jesus following what he sees the Father doing.