“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then the voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” – 1 Kings 19:11b-13.
Many of us have grown up watching “The Ten Commandments,” the biblical epic by Cecil B. DeMille. When the voice of God speaks to Charlton Heston as Moses, we hear a deep, resonant bass that clearly has a “godlike” sound to it. But is that what God really sounds like? Can we hear Him when He speaks? Does He speak to us today?
God Speaks in Numerous Ways
The short answer to the question is, “Yes, God speaks to us today.” The problem is we fail to listen or to recognize the voice of God speaking to us. In John 10, Jesus presents one of His “I Am” statements, this time saying, “I am the gate for the sheep” (v. 7) and “I am the good shepherd” (v. 11). He says that His sheep follow Him because “. . . they know His voice” (v. 4). He also says He has other sheep and claims . . . they, too, will listen to My voice” (v. 16).
Jesus also teaches in the Gospel according to John that one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (14:26) and that “. . . He will guide you into all truth” (16:13).
The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “For the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12a). Paul wrote Timothy that, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching. Rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
All this is to say that God speaks to us today through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and through the Bible, the written Word of God. Because God is faithful (1 Corinthians 10:13) and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), we know that we can gain an understanding of God’s will as we allow His Holy Spirit to direct us to all the truth and all that Jesus has said through the Scripture.
But How Can I Know That God is Speaking to Me?
I believe God speaks to us today, and when He speaks to us, it’s usually through one of two ways.
The first way is through other followers of Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (1:3-4). It’s not unusual to find a fellow believer who God can use to speak to us His truths, His comforts, His wisdom. It’s not unusual to hear someone after worship say how God spoke to them through a hymn, special music, the sermon. God uses His people to speak to us if we are listening.
He also speaks to us in our thoughts. When I was 16 years old, I came to the realization that I was a sinner in need of salvation through Jesus Christ alone. In the Baptist church, we have a time of invitation at the conclusion of the worship service to allow someone to come forward and seek counsel, join the church or proclaim their faith in Christ. That Sunday morning, I knew I needed to make a decision. I went forward at the invitation to speak to the preacher, and I asked him if he could come around my house that afternoon to talk with me. He said he would, and I returned to my place at the pew. As I stood there, I still felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I thought to myself, “If I make this decision to follow Christ, my friends will laugh at me.” Immediately, a thought came to me, saying, “All your friends are standing around you. Most have already made this decision. They won’t laugh; they’ll rejoice.” And so I confessed my sins there and Christ to be my Savior and Lord.
It was years later that I realized God had spoken to me at that time. It was a thought within me that was contrary to the way my mind was going. And that’s how I can know that God is speaking. I may be praying, asking God for one thing, only to realize that I’m asking for the wrong thing.
God has spoken to me a handful of times in this direct way. (I explain in more detail in Chapter 12a of my blog.) Once I was praying for my mother. Another time was when my dad died. Still another time was when I was wanting to know where God was sending me and my family. There have been other instances as well. In the first instance, the voice of God was similar to when I was 16 years old. A thought came into my mind that was contrary to where I was going and allowed to realize that my way was not consistent with God’s way. The other times, God spoke to me by reminding me of a Scripture or passage that brought me the assurance I needed at that time. In every instance, though, I was genuinely seeking Him and His answer (cf. Jeremiah 33:3). Even when I needed to change course in my way of thinking and praying for my mother, God reminded me of a Scripture that confirmed what He was telling me.
Each time God has spoken to me, it has been with honesty, with tenderness and with the love that only originates from Him Who is Love itself. I can honestly say that the voice of God has left me uplifted, assured and stronger. Even His reproofs are gentle, prodding reminders of His expectations for me. Even though I have let Him down more times than I can count, I have sensed neither His disapproval nor His disappointment. He doesn’t hide that I’ve fallen short; neither does He berate me.
God speaks to us today because He is involved in our lives. He wants us to draw close to Him, to be aware of Him, to hear His voice. Think of a parent and the child. The child seems busy, caught up in his or her own life, but the parent loves the child and rejoices in demonstrating love for the child. God the Father is the ultimate loving parent, and we are blessed to be His dearly loved children.
Conclusion
God does speak to us today in a very real and present way. We must be listening patiently and quietly, expectantly, trusting that He will use His Spirit to direct us and show us His will. That will will be consistent with the Scripture, because God does not contradict Himself. Once we learn to hear the still, small voice of God, we will find answers and comfort when we need them most.
© 2017 Glynn Beaty