GOD'S VOICE: How do we hear God's voice?

YWAM’s third value states, “We believe that everyone can hear from God and has a vital role to play in our corporate understanding of what God is saying.”  At first, I was uncomfortable with this teaching.  Yes, we all hear from God through the Bible.  That’s a fundamental belief to the Christian church.  However, do we all hear what God is saying currently?  Is he always talking to us, as the YWAM staff claims?  I’ve always considered “hearing from God” something that comes from specific giftings, which we see listed and explained in Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12.  In these passages, we learn of specific gifts such as the APEST of Ephesians.  (Some are given to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, or teachers.)  In 1 Corinthians and Romans, we are told that everyone has different abilities granted by the Spirit and we should not covet one another’s gifts, because God grants them as he wills.  Does everyone hear from God currently, then?  Does God speak to us outside of the Bible and the teaching of the Bible?

As Christians, we believe that God loves us (shown most profoundly in Christ’s death on the cross), in addition to the fact that God is personal and active.  After all, according to John 14, Christ left us his Holy Spirit after leaving earth.  In verses 15-27, Christ explains that we will personally know the Spirit of truth.  According to John 16, the Spirit will speak to us and make truth known to us.  Also, when we ask of the Spirit, we will receive of the Spirit and our joy will be made complete.

Clearly, the Spirit is always speaking and teaching.  According to 1 John 2:20-27, the Spirit’s anointing will teach us, and Hebrews 3:7-18 (as well as 4:7-16) says that we should listen to his voice.  In Hebrews 12:18-28, we learn that we must not refuse him when he speaks.

Also, Romans teaches us about our relationship to the Spirit.  Romans 8:9-17 says that the Spirit has made us his children by which we may call him “Abba” (Father).  Later in verses 26-27, we learn that he even intercedes on our behalf, like a good father standing up for his children.  Galatians 4:1-9 speaks that we are not only sons but heirs.  2 Corinthians 6:16 tells us that the Holy Spirit walks among us.  He is personal to us, like a father or a friend walking with us.

Further, the Spirit’s teaching is specifically about his will.  According to Ephesians 5:15-21, we should be filled with the Holy Spirit and not wine.  I find this passage interesting because, within context, the wine part follows after the command, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what God’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  We were given the Spirit as a gift, so why is it commanding us to be filled?  I believe that it is because we can ignore the Spirit, God’s will, and his teachings.  We can choose a life controlled by self, our own will, and abuse of substance.  However, if we choose the Spirit instead of things like alcohol or other selfish gains, we choose to learn God’s will.  The Spirit teaches us his will.

Thus, we all have different gifts from the Spirit for ministry.  However, we also know from the Scriptures that the Spirit:

       1.       Is always speaking and teaching.

       2.       Has made us children with personal relationship.

       3.       Shows us God’s will.
    

 Does the Spirit teach us only through the Bible, then?

Absolutely, the Spirit teaches us through the Bible!  However, I would like to challenge that he uses other means, as well.  According to 1 Corinthians 14:24-25, a whole church can be prophesying together.  This is beautiful, according to Paul, and he says that we should be “eager to prophesy” in verses 39-40.  In fact, we should always be asking for more from the Holy Spirit.  Luke 11 tells us that God will not deny us more if we persistently ask.  Paul says we should be eager for these gifts and communication.

Clearly, hearing from God should still be happening in our churches.  Prophecy is even open to more people than I had previously thought!  With this knowledge, though, we must be careful.

Hearing from God, although we should be eager to have it, must be tactfully used.  Throughout chapter 14, Paul also outlines some main rules that should followed for orderly worship.  For example, prophecy within the church should be to build up and encourage, according to verse 3.  It may also lead to repentance according to verse 25.  Also, we know that when we share something that we believe is from God, that we need to teach wisely and in love.  According to Ephesians 4:15-16, we learn that all truth should be taught in love, so this includes knowledge given by the Holy Spirit.  After all, we know that our words are powerful (Proverbs 18:21), so we should always be careful with the attitude in which we convey truths.  Also, we should do everything in discernment, so words from God should also be checked with the Bible, biblical council, and precautionary prayer. 

How do we hear from God, then, apart from just reading the Bible?  Perhaps we learn new things from daily life, parables that we recognize in movies or books, advice from others, or pastoral teachings.  We may even experience an audible voice, dreams, visions, or seeing angels.  As a Bible-believing Christian, how could you ever call these experiences impossible?  We also are guided by the Spirit with convictions and peace from the Spirit.  According to Romans 9:1, our conscience confirms our understandings in him. 

Let’s eagerly desire the voice of God and seek out time to spend with him alone and in quiet.  We need to ask for more knowledge from the Spirit, more guidance and more teachings.  I love the book of Habakkuk because the prophet asks God “Why?” and God responds.  If we have the Spirit living inside us today, and the Bible teaches us the following three truths, how much more will he respond to us when we try to converse with him.  God is not just a listening God.  He speaks!

   1.       The Holy Spirit is always speaking and teaching. 
   2.       The Holy Spirit has made us children with personal relationship.
   3.       The Holy Spirit shows us God’s will.

NOTE:  Although some churches believe that this gifting has “passed” once the Bible was completed according to 1 Corinthians 13, I would argue that the reference of these gifts passing exists within a context of how long love with last and not the ceasing of spiritual gifts which are affirmed in other scripture.  After all, the entire passage is dedicated to love and emphasizing how it is more important than any other value or ability.  In addition, I don’t believe the reference of “that which is perfect” means the Bible.  Instead, I interpret the concept that prophesy and tongues will cease when “that which is perfect has come” to mean that they will cease when Christ returns.  However, love will endure forever.  Again, this passage is not emphasizing gifts or doctrine about gifts, but instead love.