What are God’s Signs, and Why Does He Use Them?

How do we listen and respond to God’s signs? Many believers and seekers are curious about how God speaks to His children and how they can recognize and respond to His signs. God is not silent. He says to us in various ways, but we should tune in to His frequency and pay attention to His voice. In this article, let us explore some ways that God speaks to us through signs, how we can discern them from our thoughts or feelings, and how we can respond to them in faith and obedience.

A sign is something that points to something else. It is not the thing itself but a representation or a symbol of it. For example, a traffic sign is not the road but tells us something about the road, such as its direction, speed limit, or condition.

God’s Word as a sign: A Bible open to highlighted verses, symbolizing divine communication through Scripture. — God uses Scripture to guide, teach, and reveal His will, making the Bible a powerful source of divine signs.

God uses signs to communicate with us because He wants us to know Him better. He also uses symbols to guide us in His will, confirm His promises, and warn us of danger. Similarly, He uses them to encourage our faith or show us His love and power. His signs are never random or meaningless; they are intentional and purposeful.

The first sign can be seen through nature. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He reveals His glory and majesty through His creation. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1). God can use natural phenomena such as rainbows, stars, sunsets, flowers, animals, or seasons to speak to us about His character, covenant, plan, or presence.
Secondly, it can be seen through Scripture. His Word is the primary and most reliable way He speaks to us. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16). God can use specific verses, passages, stories, or characters in the Bible to speak to us about His truth, wisdom, commands, or His promises.
Thirdly, through the people. The Lord formed us in His appearance and likeness. He loves us and wants us to love one another. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16). He can use other people as family members, friends, mentors, pastors, teachers, strangers, or even enemies to speak to us about His love, grace, correction, or His guidance.

God’s signs through people: A group of people engaging in a meaningful conversation, symbolizing divine communication through others. — God speaks to us through the people around us, using conversations and interactions to deliver His signs.

Fourthly, by the events. God is sovereign and in control of everything happening in the world and our lives. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. “In all things, God works for the good of those who love him.” (Romans 8:28). He can also use events such as miracles, blessings, trials, challenges, opportunities, or coincidences to speak to us about His power, provision, protection, purpose, or His presence with us.

Life events as signs: A person experiencing a significant life moment, symbolizing God’s guidance through events. — He uses events in our lives—both blessings and challenges—to reveal His purpose and presence.

Fifthly, through our dreams and visions. The Lord is not limited by time or space. He can reveal Himself to us in supernatural ways that transcend our senses. “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17). God can use dreams and visions to speak to us about His plans, warnings, revelations, or His invitations.

Dreams and visions as signs: A person sleeping with ethereal light, symbolizing God’s communication through dreams. — Also, God reveals His plans and warnings through dreams and visions, offering divine insights.

These are some common ways that God uses signs to speak to us, but they are not the only ones. God can use any means He chooses to communicate with us, as long as it is consistent with His Word and character. The key is to be open and attentive to His voice and to seek Him with all our hearts.

How do we discern God’s signs from our thoughts or feelings?

While God speaks to us through signs, we should also be careful not to mistake our thoughts or feelings for His voice. Often, we can be influenced by our desires, fears, biases, or assumptions and can be deceived by the enemy or the world and think they are from God. But how can we know the difference between His signs and our thoughts or feelings?

Test them by the Word of God. His Word is the ultimate authority and standard for truth. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16). Any sign that contradicts or goes against the Word of God is not from God. We should study the Scriptures and compare them with the signals we receive. If they are in harmony with the Word of God, then they are likely from Him.
Check them by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God guides us into all truth and reveals His will to us. “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13). Whatsoever inspired by the Spirit of God will produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The Bible says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). If a sign leads us to love God and others more, have more joy and peace in our hearts, be more patient and kind with others, do good deeds and be faithful to His promises, be gentle and humble in our attitude, and have more self-control over our actions and emotions, then it is likely from God.

Discerning God’s signs: A person reading the Bible, symbolizing the importance of reflection and discernment. — To discern God’s signs, we must align them with His Word and seek guidance through prayer and the Holy Spirit.

Examine them by the counsel of godly people. God does not want us to live in isolation or rely on our understanding. He wants us to be part of a community of faith and seek wisdom from those who know Him and His Word. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22). Any sign confirmed by the counsel of godly people who have our best interest at heart and are mature in their faith is likely from God.
Assess them by the peace of God. Our Lord is not the author of confusion or anxiety. He is the source of peace and clarity. “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). Whatever gives us peace and assurance that we are doing the right thing is likely from God. But whatsoever that causes us to feel restless, doubtful, fearful, or guilty is not from Him.

These are some of the principles that can help us discern His signs from our thoughts or feelings. However, we should remember that discernment is a process and a skill that we should practice and develop over time. We may not always get it right, but we can learn from our mistakes and grow in our relationship with Him.

How do you respond to God’s signs in faith and obedience?

Once we have discerned God’s signs from our thoughts or feelings, we need to respond to them in faith and obedience. Faith is trust in God’s character and promises, even when we don’t see or understand. Obedience is following His commands and directions, even if difficult or inconvenient. Some of the ways that we can respond to His signs in faith and obedience are as follows;

First, we need to thank Him for His signs. God does not owe us anything. He speaks to us out of His grace and love. We should be grateful for His character and acknowledge His presence and involvement in our lives. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is His will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We should thank Him for His signs and praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness.
Next, ask Him for His wisdom. He sometimes gives us clear or detailed instructions on what to do next. Sometimes, He gives us general principles or guidelines that we should apply with wisdom and discernment. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5). We should ask Him for His wisdom on how to interpret and apply His signs in our specific situations and circumstances.

Responding in faith: A person praying with arms raised, symbolizing obedience to God’s signs. — Our response to God’s signs should be in faith and obedience, trusting His guidance and following His will.

Then, let us follow Him in faith. Surprisingly, God does not always give us easy signs. Sometimes, He gives us signals that challenge, stretch, or require us to step out of our comfort zone. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). Let us follow Him in faith, trusting that He knows what is best for us and that He will be with us every step of the way.
Finally, obey Him in love. Similarly, God does not always give us convenient signs. Sometimes, they go against our preferences, plans, or expectations. But as the Bible says, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15) . We should obey Him in love, not out of fear or duty, but out of gratitude and devotion. We should follow Him because we want to please and honor Him.

In short, God is speaking to us through signs. He wants us to know Him better, to guide us in His will, confirm His promises, warn us of danger, encourage us in our faith, or show us His love and power. God is speaking to you through signs right now. Are you listening? How do you respond to Him?

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