Java with Jen: Hearing God's Voice in Everyday Life | Holy Spirit, Spiritual Warfare, Prophetic Word

How do you know if you’re hearing God’s voice—or simply hearing your own thoughts? How can you discern God’s voice, recognize the Holy Spirit’s leading, and know when something is actually confirmation from God rather than coincidence? In this episode of Java with Jen, Dr. David Chotka shares practical, biblical ways to hear God more clearly and recognize the surprisingly personal ways He may already be speaking to you. David tells an incredible story of following what seemed like a simple inner prompting that led him to a complete stranger’s home—and shows why hearing God often looks far less dramatic than Christians expect. We unpack some of the biggest questions believers wrestle with around hearing God: How can you tell the difference between God’s voice and your own thoughts? What does the peace of God have to do with discernment? Can conviction actually be one of the ways you recognize God speaking? Does God use repetition, patterns and confirmation to get our attention? How do you know when something is a sign from God versus coincidence? What does David mean when he says God will sometimes “speak you to you”? Can your own desires make it harder to discern God’s will? And can we become so afraid of “missing God” that discernment actually turns into paralysis? One of my favorite parts of this conversation is David’s explanation of Colossians 3:15 and the idea of allowing the peace of Christ to act like a referee when we’re trying to discern God’s leading. We also talk about the beautifully personal ways God communicates—using things that carry meaning specifically to you—and why learning His voice is less about finding a magic formula and more about growing in relationship with Him. If you’ve ever prayed, “God, I just wish I knew if this was You,” this episode will give you practical tools to test what you’re sensing without becoming fearful or obsessive about getting it perfectly right. SHARE THIS EPISODE: If you know someone who loves God but constantly second-guesses whether they’re actually hearing Him, send this episode their way. About Dr. David Chotka: Dr. David Chotka is the founder and director of SpiritEquip Ministries and served for more than 20 years as chair of the Alliance Church in Canada’s national prayer-equipping team. An author, pastor and international conference speaker, David has spent decades equipping Christians in hearing God’s voice, prayer and healing ministry. GET HIS BOOK: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1777678137?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_TAQ4CQRDZF5DKA1P3QX0&bestFormat=true In this episode: hearing God’s voice, how to hear God, discerning God’s voice, Christian discernment, Holy Spirit, knowing God’s will, recognizing God’s voice, God or my thoughts, confirmation from God, signs from God, hearing the Holy Spirit, biblical discernment, prayer, spiritual discernment.

So… if you’ve been wondering why there haven’t been new episodes for the last couple of weeks, it’s because I had to hit PAUSE on the podcast while I spent nearly three weeks filming a movie. 😳🎬 Yeah. That was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card. In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I unexpectedly ended up playing Marilyn Cross in the feature film Giant Killer—and honestly, the story started long before I ever knew a movie was coming. About 18 months ago, God gave me a dream that one week later was interpreted by Kris Vallotton from the stage at UPPERROOM Church in Dallas. At the time, I had no idea what it meant or how literally parts of it would eventually play out. I’m sharing: the bizarre story of how this opportunity happened, the little ways God showed up throughout the process, what it was like walking onto a movie set for the first time, my favorite scene to film, and some of the things I learned while doing something that felt completely outside my normal world. More than anything, I wanted to give you a peek into my own wild ride of following Jesus when obedience takes you somewhere unexpected, scary, and very different from what you thought your life was going to look like. And hopefully, my story encourages you to pay attention to the things God may be preparing you for—even when you don’t understand them yet. I hope you enjoy this little glimpse behind the scenes. ❤️ 🎬 FOLLOW The GIANT KILLER Movie ⭐️ Giant Killer on IMDb:⁠View Giant Killer on IMDb⁠ 🎥 Giant Killer Movie Hub — cast, BTS, updates + more:⁠Giant Killer on Milkshake⁠ ☕️ STAY CONNECTED WITH JAVA WITH JEN & See the BTS: 📲 Instagram: Highlights --> "Movie BTS"⁠https://www.instagram.com/javawithjen⁠ ❤️ Support Java with Jen on Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/javawithjen⁠ If you enjoyed this episode, would you take a second to follow the show, share this episode with a friend, and leave a rating or review? Those simple things make a huge difference in helping new listeners find the podcast.

Tired of waiting on God's promises? If your hope feels deferred and your heart is getting sick, this episode is for you. In this conversation, we walk through the process to the promise — that hard, hidden middle where God feels silent but is actually at work. In this episode you'll discover: •Why waiting on God's promises hurts, and what Proverbs 13:12 teaches about guarding your heart in the process. • How years in the pit and the prison prepared Joseph for the palace, and what that means for your own delay. • Trusting God's promises when the fulfillment looks impossible and the timeline makes no sense. • Why the long way is often the faithful way, and what God was building in Israelites before the promised land. • Practical ways to keep your faith strong and your perspective right while you wait for God's promises to come to pass. If you're weary in the wait, this is your reminder: the process is not punishment. It's preparation. ☕️ Grab your coffee and let's chat about hearing God's voice in the waiting. -------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH US! 💥 Loved today's episode? Email Jen: [email protected] 👏🏼 Learn to hear God's Voice in just 5 days! Grab this FREE 5-day email devotional series! https://heargodseries.subscribepage.io/ 👀 Find Tiffany's Show, Resources, Author Coaching and More: www.TravisandTiffanyTombre.com 💌 Let’s Stay Connected 📲 IG: @javawithjen | 🎧 Merch Store ☕️ Patreon | 💸 Venmo @JavawithJen 💵 CashApp $JavawithJen 💖 Give on PayPal

I had a season where God felt silent. Even as Pastors, we hit the same hills and valleys you do in your walk with Jesus— so I'm sharing the honest truth because I know some of you are in that exact season right now, wondering if He even hears you. A quick note: I was the guest on this one! I sat down with Julie, host of "Everyday Miracles", for her show — and the conversation was so good, so real, and so needed that I had to bring it home to you too. We talk about what it actually feels like when God goes quiet, what gets in the way of hearing Him, and how to move from "I can't hear Him" to recognizing His voice every day. In this episode, we talk about: Why a season of silence from God isn't a sign of failure or distance How to hear God's voice clearly, even when your mind feels loud and busy The difference between God's voice and your own racing thoughts How to discern God's voice using scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit Signs God is speaking to you, even when it doesn't feel like a "voice" at all What the "still small voice" of God actually sounds like in real life How to pray when God feels distant, and what to do while you wait Practical ways to recognize the whisper of God in your everyday moments How prayer journaling can help you track and remember when God speaks What it means to feel God's presence again after a dry season Biblical discernment — how to know if a thought, impression, or nudge lines up with God's Word Why "hearing God" doesn't always look the way we expect it to Quick answers if you're searching for this right now: Why can't I hear God? Most of the time it's not about distance from Him — it's about noise, timing, or expectations of what His voice "should" sound like. We unpack this in detail in the episode. How do I know if it's God's voice? We talk through practical, biblical ways to test what you're hearing against scripture and the character of God — not just a feeling. What if I've prayed and heard nothing? You are not alone, and it doesn't mean God has gone silent forever. This episode walks through exactly what to do in that waiting season. This was a guest-host episode — full credit to Julie Hedenborg and the "Everyday Miracles" podcast for having me on and letting me share this conversation here with you too. Resources mentioned in this episode: 5-Day Hear God Email Series — Start hearing God's voice in 5 days, free → https://heargodseries.subscribepage.io 30-Day Hearing God's Voice Devotional — Ready to hear God every single day → https://a.co/d/0bIBXDTj Work With Me — Podcasting help and coaching → [email protected] Everyday Miracles Podcast — Go check out Julie's show → https://www.youtube.com/@everydaymiraclespodcast1395

Jeri Hill was born out of rape, raised on drugs, and swept up in a 75-person drug bust. Then God spoke to her in a jail cell — in her mother's voice, from 25 miles away. This is the story you didn't know behind the Brownsville Revival. Jeri and Steve Hill — saved just 8 days apart in 1975 — went from jail cells to evangelists, ministering in 80+ countries before history was made at Brownsville in 1995. If you've ever wondered, "Does God still speak to someone like me?" — this episode is for you. He spoke to Jeri in a jail cell, on a billboard, in a dream, and in the silence after losing her husband and her son. KEY TALKING POINTS Born Out of Rape: shame, identity, and God's plan Drug Addiction and the Drug Bust: 75 arrests, one jail cell Hearing God's Voice in Jail: her mother's voice, 25 miles away The John 3:16 Billboard: "For I so loved you" — not the world, you The Persistent Pastor: two years of knocking, one divine appointment Saved 8 Days Apart: Jeri and Steve's back-to-back salvation in October 1975 Praying for Her Future Husband: before she ever met him From Jail to Evangelists: 40 countries, 8 churches, one heartbeat The Brownsville Revival: unplanned — and heaven came down Losing Steve: the dream about the vow and the angel wings Losing Ryan: tears of loss turned into tears for the lost "I Am the River in the Desert": how God carried her the whole time 💥 Start hearing God's voice in 5 days: heargodseries.subscribepage.io ☕️ Grab your coffee, subscribe, and join the Java With Jen family — new episodes every week. 👉🏼 Connect with Jeri: https://www.togetherintheharvest.com/ #BrownsvilleRevival #HearingGodsVoice #ChristianTestimony #SteveHill #GodStillSpeaks