About Hupakouo
Hupakouō is the Greek word for listening attentively that results in responding in obedience. For example it is the word translated as “obedience” in Hebrews 5:8-9 which says, “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. (NLT)
God is always speaking to His people. Our life-long goal should be to continually grow in our awareness and recognition of His voice and to live accordingly.
Questioning God is considered by most to be irreverent or rebellious. It need not be so. In fact, questioning God can be one of the most worshipful activities we undertake.
Obviously, motive matters. As long as we are asking in order to better understand and align with the Lord’s intentions and will, it is a wonderful thing. Our response to what He shows to us will reveal our hearts. If we change our minds and adjust our actions to conform with what He tells us, that demonstrates our devotion and commitment to Him.
Since the questions people ask of God reveal something about their hearts, we can gain insights about others’ spiritual states from their questions as well. Someone recently shared the following question with me as one to use as a spiritual conversation starter. It can serve as a helpful diagnostic tool as well. “Assuming there is a God, and you could ask God anything, what would you ask?”
Naturally, God is not compelled to answer our questions. There are multiple reasons why He may choose not to do so. It may be that we are asking questions which are essentially none of our business (e.g. John 21:20-23). It may be that we are not prepared to deal with the answer in terms of our understanding or maturity or strength. It may be that we do not have the level of commitment or devotion to steward the answer well, so the Lord is protecting us from greater responsibility which we are unprepared for. It may be we are asking the wrong questions.
There are at least three ways we can increase the likelihood that the Lord will speak clearly to us in response to our questions. The first of these is the degree of our submission to Him. The more fully we give Him complete authority over our lives, relationships, and possessions, the more He can entrust to us. The second thing we can do to hear Him more clearly is to become saturated with Scripture. That gives us a deeper sense of how He thinks and works throughout history. Finally, we can hone our awareness of His presence by living in a constant state of conversation with Him in our minds, continually seeking to see things from His perspective.
One can have a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord without having a habit of asking Him questions. Being constantly alert for and aware of His voice and guidance is a perfectly wonderful way to live. Asking Him questions, however, demonstrates an eagerness for more in the relationship which I believe is healthy and pleasing to the Lord.
I suspect that many people do not have much experience in asking God questions and may not feel comfortable doing so. With that in mind, I suggest you consider using this app as a resource to ask the Lord at least one question each day.
When you ask the Lord a question, be sure to spend some moments in silence, listening for any impressions He may give you and respond to any guidance He provides. If you need a bit more instruction on how to hear and recognize God’s voice, you can download a free copy of my book “The Only One” at https://TheOnlyOneBook.com. It has a section devoted to that topic.
Specific Questions and Examples of How to Use Them
Note that it is possible to ask many of these questions from a corporate perspective as well as from an individual perspective. I suggest waiting in silence for a period of time after asking a question to listen for impressions from the Lord.
For example, if the question is, “What should I add to or subtract from this plan?” it can also be considered in a group setting by substituting “we” for “I”. Also, many of the questions are generic, such as “What is happening in the spiritual realm in this situation?” That could be used in a myriad of circumstances. It could be as broad as events in the geopolitical realm or as specific as a child asking for permission to attend a certain event. I suggest setting aside a certain amount of time by using the timer. If you set the timer for five minutes, stay focused on thinking about the question and listening for impressions from the Lord for at least that duration.
If there is a question you want to share with others you can click on one of the social media buttons or the text button or the email button and it will post to the appropriate target. If you wish to advance to the next question then click the forward arrow button. If you wish to take notes on what you heard from the Lord, click the journal button. Use the alarm function to set the frequency and timing of how often questions pop up.