I Heard from God. Now What? What to Do After Receiving a Word from God

Have you received a word of God? Receiving a word from God can be exciting and motivating as it could be just what we need to feel encouraged and pursue God’s plans for our lives. However, what we do after receiving a word from God can be very important. Below are my top tips for what to do after receiving a word from God.

In summary, after receiving a word from God, we should be prayerful and wait, get confirmation, remember what God said, pray in agreement, and get started on doing what God has called us to do. Want to learn more? Keep reading!

Tip #1: Be Prayerful and Wait After Receiving a Word from God

There are times when receiving a word from God can be exciting and we feel eager to go out and pursue what God has spoken to us. However, in our zeal to get to the good things God has for us, we may rush or make unwise decisions that could lead to sin.

Abraham and Sarah’s story in the Bible is one of the best illustrations of this unfortunate truth. God promised that they would have a son to inherit the land He was giving them. While waiting for God to provide a son, Abraham and Sarah decided to have a son through their own means (Genesis 16:1-4). This decision later caused some heartache for Abraham and strife in the family. God eventually provided Isaac, their promised son (Genesis 21:1-7). It turned out that they didn’t need to try to make God’s promise happen on their own.

The story of Abraham and Sarah shows us that it may be a good idea to pray and wait on God for further direction. If we rush ahead of God, we may find ourselves making bad decisions that can turn into painful circumstances later in life.

Tip #2: Get Confirmation for What God Spoke to You

It’s okay to ask God for confirmation of His word. By doing this, we can be sure that we heard God clearly. In the book of Judges, we see an Israelite who asked God for confirmation of His word—Gideon (Judges 6:33-40). Tasked with leading the Israelites in warfare against their enemy, Gideon asked God for a sign. God honored Gideon’s request and it strengthened Gideon’s faith.

Tip #3: Remember What God Said

It’s important to document God’s word to us for future reference. Whether we decide to commit it to memory, write it down, or find some other creative way to document God’s word, it’s important to find a way to remember it.

There are examples of this all throughout scripture, however, one of my favorite examples of this principle can be found in Mary’s story in the Gospels. After Mary gave birth to Jesus, she was visited by shepherds who revealed that angels appeared to them and told them about Jesus. The shepherd then shared the message that the angel gave them about Jesus. In Luke 2:19, it says “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” She may not have had paper and pen, but Mary did choose to remember the word of God that was shared through those shepherds by keeping them in her heart.

Documenting what God speaks to us can be a healthy part of our faith walk, especially when we have to wait for God to fulfill His promises. Remembering God’s word can help encourage us in our faith when life’s circumstances become difficult.

Tip #4: Pray in Agreement with God’s Word to You

Not only can we pray in agreement with scripture, but we can also pray in agreement with God’s promises. I love praying in agreement with God’s word! It helps to build my faith as I know that God already plans to do what He has said.

King David prays in agreement with God’s word in 2 Samuel 7:18-29. God promises to establish David’s kingdom so that an heir will be placed on Israel’s throne from David’s descendants. This promise meant that God supported David’s family line ruling forever. In response, David asks God to do as He has promised! In fact, hearing this promise from God emboldened David in prayer.

After receiving a word from God, we can also be bold in our prayer life.

Tip #5: Get Going Once You’ve Received a Word from God!

This tip is easy! If we feel as if God is calling us to act right away, then we should go for it. While this tip may seem to contradict tip #1, it doesn’t. This is because we feel convicted to act and have the opportunity to act without compromising our faith.

 The life of Josiah, a righteous king who ruled over Judah, provides a great example of someone who immediately felt convicted to act after receiving a word from God. During Josiah’s reign, a lost book of the law was found. When it was read to the king, he began to grieve. He realized Israel was not in compliance with God’s law (2 Kings 22:11-20). When Josiah realized that Judah was on a path to destruction because they were not obeying God’s commands, he immediately did everything within his power to make things right. He felt convicted and knew that it would please God to act right away (2 Kings 23:4-25). 

If we feel convicted and if we have the means to act on God’s word in a way that doesn’t violate God’s command to live righteously, then we should go for it!

Hopefully, this blog helps with knowing what to do after receiving a word from God. Not sure if you’re hearing from God? Check out some of my other blogposts about hearing the voice of God. Have your own tips to share? Please leave them in the comment section below!