Hupakouo: Growing in Our Ability to Hear and Obey God
God is always speaking. The question is—are we really listening?
The Greek word hupakouo means “to obey”, but at its root, it signifies intensely hearing—to super-hear. It is the kind of hearing that leads to action. This is the word used in Hebrews 5:8-9 (NLT):
"Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him."
True obedience comes from truly hearing—not just with our ears, but with our hearts. That’s the essence of hupakouo, and it’s the foundation of a growing relationship with God.
Hearing God’s Voice: A Lifelong Journey
Many believers struggle with recognizing God’s voice. Some wonder if He even speaks to them, while others may have heard Him but struggle to discern His leading consistently. Yet, Scripture makes it clear:
“My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27, NASB)
“Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21, NASB)
Our goal as disciples is to grow in awareness and recognition of God’s voice so that we can obey Him more fully.
The Hupakouo app is designed to help believers practice listening to God daily. It provides a simple yet powerful way to:
✔ Ask God intentional questions.
✔ Journal what you sense Him saying.
✔ Share insights with others.
✔ Develop a habit of listening to Him throughout the day.
If we want to increase our ability to hear God, we must train our spiritual ears—and questioning God in the right way is a great way to do that.
Is It Okay to Question God?
Some people feel uneasy about asking God questions, thinking it might be irreverent or a sign of doubt. But questioning God can actually be one of the most worshipful activities we engage in—as long as our motives are right.
When we ask questions in order to:
✔ Better understand God’s heart
✔ Align ourselves with His will
✔ Respond in obedience
… then our questioning is an act of humility and surrender, not rebellion.
Our response to God’s answers reveals our hearts. If we listen and adjust our actions accordingly, we demonstrate true devotion and a willingness to obey.
The Power of Spiritual Questions
The questions we ask reveal something about our hearts. A great way to start spiritual conversations with others is to ask:
“Assuming there is a God, and you could ask Him anything, what would you ask?”
This simple question can open the door to deep and meaningful discussions about faith, purpose, and God’s involvement in our lives.
At the same time, we must remember that God is not obligated to answer every question we ask. There are several reasons why He might withhold an answer:
Some things are not for us to know. (John 21:20-23)
We may not be ready for the answer. (Spiritual maturity takes time.)
We may not be willing to obey what He reveals. (God entrusts wisdom to those who will steward it well.)
We may be asking the wrong questions. (Sometimes God redirects our focus to something more important.)
If we truly want to hear from God, we must position ourselves in a way that increases our ability to recognize His voice.
Three Ways to Hear God More Clearly
If we want to grow in our ability to hear and understand God’s voice, we can focus on three key areas:
1. Radical Submission to God
The more we surrender every aspect of our lives—our relationships, possessions, and plans—to God, the more He can entrust us with His voice.
Jesus said, “If anyone wants to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God or I am speaking from Myself.” (John 7:17, NASB)
When we approach God with a heart already committed to obeying, we position ourselves to hear more clearly.
2. Saturation in Scripture
The more we soak ourselves in God’s Word, the more we will:
✔ Understand how God speaks
✔ Recognize His character
✔ Discern His ways throughout history
God will never speak in contradiction to His written Word. The more we know the Bible, the easier it is to filter out distractions and lies that might try to compete for our attention.
3. Living in Constant Conversation with God
Instead of only talking to God at designated prayer times, we can cultivate a continual dialogue with Him.
✔ Asking Him what He thinks about situations we face.
✔ Inviting Him into our daily decisions and interactions.
✔ Looking at life through the lens of His perspective.
The more we practice moment-by-moment awareness of God’s presence, the more natural it becomes to hear and recognize His voice.
Using the Hupakouo App to Build a Listening Habit
If you’re new to asking God questions, the Hupakouo app is a great way to start.
Here’s how you can use it effectively:
✔ Ask God at least one question each day.
✔ Spend a few moments in silence, listening for any impressions He gives.
✔ Journal what you sense Him saying.
✔ Share insights with a trusted friend or mentor.
✔ Set an alarm to remind yourself to pause and listen to God throughout the day.
With time and practice, your conversations with God will become second nature—not just something you do occasionally, but a way of life.
📌 Download Hupakouo for free via the website or on Google Play or the App Store.
Additional Resource for Hearing God’s Voice
If you need more guidance on how to hear and recognize God’s voice, I encourage you to download a free copy of my book:
This book contains an entire section devoted to developing spiritual ears and growing in confidence in hearing God’s voice.
A Challenge for You
1️⃣ Download the Hupakouo app and commit to asking God at least one question per day.
2️⃣ Be intentional about listening—write down what you hear.
3️⃣ Immerse yourself in Scripture to better recognize His voice.
4️⃣ Invite others into the journey—discuss what God is showing you.
God is speaking. Are you ready to listen?
By developing a lifestyle of hearing and obeying, we move beyond just being hearers of the Word—we become doers (James 1:22).
Let’s commit to super-hearing—to hupakouo—and watch how God transforms our lives!