Does God speak? Some say yes, but think hearing God’s voice is as simple as “following your heart.”
Others say no, God did all His speaking in the Bible. After all, the Bible is some 1,500 pages—there is a lot there. You can study the Bible and follow its principles and live a life of obedience and blessings and bear fruit that will last eternally. Those who argue this view are often intelligent and quite logical about it, and use big words, calling anything you claim to have heard from God “extra-Biblical revelation,” and thus, error.
The idea is that God revealed all of Himself in the Bible, so anything you think He revealed to you personally is “extra” or in-addition to the Bible, and we are forbidden to add to the Bible—thus the alleged error.
I believe the wisest answer may be in the middle.
God speaks. But probably less often than some would say. TV preachers will quote entire conversations they have had with God, as though it were an audible dialogue like the one Moses had at the burning bush. I am skeptical.
Moreover, I believe MISATTRIBUTION to be a grievous error, a serious sin. Never attribute to God something you are not 100% certain God said. There is no more serious way of using the Lord’s Name in vain than by claiming He told you something that He did NOT tell you.
But I am also skeptical that God would give us His book—as amazing as it is—but not also give us the voice of His Spirit to guide us, first in understanding His book, but second, in applying its wisdom to some of our more challenging circumstances.
God may not speak to me about every decision. But when taking a job, buying a house, choosing a mate or business partner, I expect to hear from God. (Honestly, I expect to hear from Him daily in little and big things—but I do not hear from Him daily.)
But I know He speaks.
“My sheep follow Me because they recognize My voice…. My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me” John 10:4,27.
Here’s two KEYS—First, you must LEARN HIS VOICE by hearing Him more—and that happens when you READ HIS WORD.
Second, He will not speak until He knows you are truly WILLING TO OBEY, no matter the sacrifice.
Read John 10.
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