Make No Mistake About It God is Still Speaking: Can Christians Hear the Voice of God, Part 7

Recently I had a friend call me for counsel about a problem at their work. A few days later they called me to tell me that God had told them how to handle the matter, which was different from my biblically based counsel. I said to them, "Oh really, tell me about that." The person then described a restless night full of dreams, through which they said that God had redirected them. This is an experience all too common in pastoral counseling. People believe that God directs them through an encounter rather than through conforming their lives to God's Word. How do we hear the voice of God? Does God speak to us today?

The scripture is clear that God directs and often redirects our experience:

        [3] He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness.

for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3ESV)

[9] The heart of man plans his way,

but the LORD establishes his steps. (Proverbs 16:9ESV)

[7] “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. [9] Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? [10] Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [11] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7–11ESV)

[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5ESV)

It is clear that God promises a relationship with believers that includes personal guidance. So how does God communicate with believers today. As Jesus prepared his disciples for his bodily departure, they were anxious and confused about how their relationship with Christ would continue after he was gone.  The Upper Room Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus (John 13-17) is his explanation of how we have a relationship with Jesus in his bodily absences. One of the themes of that discourse and prayer is how Christ will continue to reveal truth in his absence. Jesus explained how we would hear his voice. 

In response to Thomas's question that the disciples neither knew where he was going nor the way to follow, Jesus responded with this long teaching pericope, and then a high priestly prayer (John 13-17). At several points he tells them how he will guide their lives:

[25] “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. [26] But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. [27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:25–27ESV)

The Experiencing God Movement teachers often refer to 14:26 as a promise that the Holy Spirit will brings truth to the mind and heart of a believer who is seeking him. To understand this teaching, we need to understand to whom Jesus refers to with the second person pronoun "you." And unfortunately, as is often the case, my EGM friends, seems to ignore or miss the context of the verse.  Verse 25 makes it clear whom Jesus is addressing when he compares what he has said while in their presence to what the Holy Spirit will convey to them after he is gone. Jesus' audience for this passage is the disciples and others gathered in that room. While all scripture is applicable to us, to understands its application demands that we understand its significance to those who heard it contemporaneously. From that historic perspective we draw the application to our  setting.

This promise was an assurance given to the disciples who were expecting Jesus to institute a new utopian political order to replace Rome that he was going to bring a non-political peace. Jesus explains that the Holy Spirit is going to bring peace, but not "peace as the world gives," in other words, not a political or relational peace. The Holy Spirit is going to give the disciples new truth to bring peace that he never would have been able to bring to the world, because his teaching was limited to his physical location. So they need not be anxious, or let their hearts be troubled by his departure, because the Presence of the Spirit would reveal his truth to them, the disciples. 

He elaborates further on how this revelation that the Spirit gives will assuage their grief and fear over his departure.

[4] But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. [5] But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ [6] But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. [7] Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:4–7ESV)

Once again it is clear that his primary audience is the disciples assembled with him in the upper room and their anxiety over what is coming to pass. He is instructing them on how the teaching of the kingdom will go forward:

[12] “I still have many things to say to you [a reference to those in the room], but you [those expecting his political triumph] cannot bear them now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you [those in the room] into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12–15ESV)

Henry Blackaby quotes versus 13- 15 as Jesus promise that the Holy Spirit will guide every believer into specific truth in all life's circumstances. Is that how the apostle's would have understood this? As a promise for Jesus to guide all believers. Was that the subject at hand, or is that reading into the text, more than is there? Verse 12 makes it clear that this is a promise that he is making in reference to his followers in the Upper Room. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would provide a new and broader revelation to his initial followers. Through that new truth the Spirit would work in the lives of those who believed that revelation to give a peace, apart from and above any political peace, that the world could never give or know.

Paul addressed the same issue later, when he compared the "wisdom of the age," meaning human knowledge and culture with the "hidden wisdom of God's glory." He claimed to have special insight into the knowledge of God's glory to impart to his readers, which he says ways given to him by God:

[12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [13] And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:12–13ESV)

Paul claims the Holy Spirit gave him a revelation of God's glory and wisdom, and then gave him both the thoughts and the words to express that spiritual truth to his readers. He is describing the inspiration and illumination of Scripture. It is through this spiritual truth, the revealed Word of God, given that those who have the Spirit that believers know and apply that truth to their lives. A spiritual person makes judgements about how to live, because they have the mind of Christ, because the Holy Spirit illuminates the revealed truth God has given the Apostles. Paul's word and Jesus' words, in the Upper Room Discourse, confirmed that the Word of God, the 66 Books of the Bible, is the voice of God. 

At the end of Jesus' discourse, Jesus prays that God would complete the work that he began in his disciples, and through them in us. This completed work would be fulfilled through the revealed Word that he was to give. 

[16] They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:16–19ESV)

Jesus prays that the disciples would be sanctified, that is that they would be "set apart" from the world, and his work completed in them. This sanctification, this distinct way of living Jesus said would be realized through God's word. 

The Word of God answers all of life's conundrums and mysteries. Peter said it was all that we need for "life and godliness." Paul went on to explain that the truth given by the Holy Spirit to apostles, completed the truth given the Old Testament prophets.

[4] When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (Ephesians 3:4–5ESV) 

The Word of God is our complete sufficient, final authority. Where there are differences and questions, we are admonished to find answers in the Bible and not to rely on confirming experience. No where does the scripture teach that do know the mind of God about a matter that we "look for what he is doing and join him." In the Church at Corinth Christians seemed to be dividing themselves based on the teachers who had influenced them for Christ and began to look to the insights of these various teachers for their guidance. Paul cautions against seeking confirmation from the experiences of people:

[6] I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written [italics mine], that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. [7] For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 4:6–7ESV)

"Do not go beyond what is written...what do have that you did not receive?" No one's experience can add or subtract anything from God's revelation. Paul says it well, when seeking to hear God's voice on any matter, we can't rely on impressions, or circumstances, or open and closed doors, or dreams we do not go beyond what is written, because to do so put "favor[s]"... one "against another". It makes one person's experience more significant than another based only on that very experience. 

As was true of the Old Testament believer it is also true of the New Testament believer we hear the voice of God, when we obey the word of God.

[1] And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. [2] And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2 ESV)

When a person has an experience that through which they claim to have heard God's voice, I often ask how they know whether the hand of God was directing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It is seldom the content or principle from the Word of God. The EGM teachers state that at times we can hear the voice of God, and mistake what it means, or that God's prophetic actions in our lives are somehow not always accurate.  Yet prayed that the Holy Spirit would sanctify us "in truth," not in uncertainty. God's Word is certain. When God speaks it is reliable. The EGM teaching that we can rely on experience, except for when we are wrong and then expect God's mercy, because his truth is incomplete or can be misunderstood is denying his promises and diminishing is character. It is an affront to Him. Rather than living our lives searching for direction and affirmation we can live sanctified lives in any situation by having our minds transformed (Rom12:1 &2) through the precious Word of God. 

This is why statements like Priscilla Shirer's that the Bible is "hand me down revelation" is disturbing! Or statements like Blackaby's that the Word of God is one resource that we look to see what God is doing among us. Those kinds of statements diminish the sufficiency of the Word of God. They deny that God is fully faithful to His word.  Recently a friend of mine who is committed to EGM principles joked that I never knew whether God was speaking or not. I said, "Oh, know, quite the contrary, it is you who have to constantly look for what God is doing and join him." I am always certain that I can open the Word and hear his voice. 

When the prophet Samuel anointed Saul King of Israel he knew that the new King would face many conundrums over what God would have him do, and advised him on how to hear the voice of God in each case:

[6] Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. [7] Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. (1 Samuel 10:6–7ESV) 

When faced with the many challenges of leading a nation, the prophets advise was to be filled with the Spirit, hear the Word of the lord, and then act in the way that seems best at the time. As we correctly understand and apply the word of God in our situation, we are hearing the voice of God.