Mark Batterson’s Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God is easily one of the top books that I’ve read over the last few years. First of all, if you’ve never read anything by Batterson, read this book and then go back and read all of his other ones. You will feel like you’ve discovered gold.
As a pastor, I’ve had so many people over the years express frustration in hearing God’s voice. They want to be led by the Holy Spirit but they really have no idea where to start. As one comedian said, “When we talk to God, we are praying. When God talks to us, we are said to be schizophrenic.” Whisper is written to take some of the mystery out of discerning the voice of our Heavenly Father.
One of the great stories from Scripture that Batterson delves into is the story of Elijah. It is in one of the prophet’s encounters with God from where we get the idea of God speaking through “a still, small voice.” Elijah did not find God’s voice in the tornado or in an earthquake. Instead, Yaweh spoke to his servant in a whisper.
Pastor Mark asks why that would be God’s chosen way of speaking. As God, he could speak loudly to get our attention. Instead, he chooses to speak in such a way that we can miss it if we are not listening.
“Whispering is typically employed for the sake of secrecy. No form of communication is more intimate. And it seems to be God’s preferred method. The question again is why. And I won’t keep you guessing any longer.
“When someone speaks in a whisper, you have to get very close to hear. In fact, you have to put your ear to the person’s mouth. We lean toward a whisper, and that’s what God wants. The goal of hearing the heavenly Father’s voice isn’t just hearing His voice; it’s intimacy with Him. That’s why He speaks in a whisper. He wants to be as close to us as is divinely possible! He loves us, likes us, that much.” (Pp.9-10)
After discussing why God speaks to us in a whisper, Batterson takes the reader on a journey of discovering the various ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to us. God communicates in different ways in different settings. Pastor Mark actually provides seven different ways in which the Holy Spirit speaks.
Whisper is packed with great teaching, stories, and amazing illustrations. It is help you begin to hear God’s voice more clearly!
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