Hearing God's Voice: What Does It Mean?

There are books on the Christian marketplace and even on the social media that promote hearing God's voice. For example, there is a popular book entitled, "Hearing God Voice" by Henry Blackaby a Southern Baptist promotes the idea of having a personal and intimate relationship with God by hearing clearly what God is saying to a person. Blackaby goes on to say that there are "ways" by which people can hear God speaks to them, but, He also says that to hear the voice of God does contravene that of God's Word: that of the "revelation" of the will of God. As I begin to examine Blackaby statement is contrary to the clear teaching of scripture as well as a contradiction. It is impossible to promote hearing God's voice and at the same time claiming that such "revelation" does not contravene that of the Bible.  The apostle Paul warns that of believers to not "be tossed and where and there by every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. (Eph. 4:13) Whenever the church neglect studying God's Word that they are prime targets of being deceived by which it is due to that of biblical illiteracy. There is also spiritual "indifference"  within the church when it comes to sound biblical theology. Many professing believers would whether be "selective" of false teachers who will tickle their itching ears by telling them what they want to hear in regards to God's Word, but, what they need to hear what "thus saith the Lord." Postmodernism, pragmatism, personal prophecy, and spiritual "revelation" is the norm among many professing churches today. The remedy for spiritual apostasy is God's divine judgment concerning those who will reject the truth of God's Word. (Jud. 8-10)

  Throughout this article, I will begin to address the subject, "Hearing God's Voice: What Does It Mean? by which it is important for the Church to have such clear knowledge and understanding of this particular subject matter.  It is unfortunate that there are many professing believers who reject the truth of God's Word in favor of hearing God's voice within there own human spirit by which it goes against what is taught clearly in scripture. When it comes to that of the character and nature of the scripture is that God's Word is true and reliable by which it makes a person wise unto salvation. When it comes to the reliability of scripture that the Church can trust in what God's Word says. Also, when it comes to the Bible making a person wise unto salvation in Jesus Christ is that based upon the written Word of God it gives sufficient evidence of God's plan of salvation. (Rom. 10:9-10) There is no such thing as salvation through a "personal" relationship with God based upon the mystics understanding of salvation, but, that "true" biblical salvation is based upon trusting Jesus Christ alone in regards to saving faith in Christ. (Eph. 2:5, 8-9)

  First, the biblical meaning of hearing God's voice is for the "truly" saved to anticipate hearing the truth of God's Word. (Jn. 3:29b) According to John 3:29 Jesus declares, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends to the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice." The church is the Bride of Christ by which believers attentively hear the truth of what God says in His Word. (Jn. 18:37) For believers to listen attentively to scripture is to pay close attention to that of what God's Word says. Everything that the Church needs to know is what is already revealed in scripture. What the church has in her possession is the written Word of God. The problem with many professing Christians today is their dissatisfaction of the written Word, but, they want something more than the Word of God. I have always said that "whenever the church "substitute" God's Word for such inward voice of the spirit so as to receive some "newer" truth or spiritual revelation that is outside the boundaries of scripture are traveling down the dark path of theological mysticism. The apostle Paul warns against mysticism in the church today. (Col. 2:18)  There are Christian "knowist" who claim to know what is God's divine mysteries also claim to have seen something when they ain't seen nothing. Such "Christian" knowist or mystics claim to possess such "special" knowledge or "gnosis" so as to demonstrate such humility, but, is based upon such "false" humility. They also entertain the worshipping of angelic personage, by dabbling into the spirit world and claiming to have seen something when they ain't seen nothing. Many false spiritual leaders have convinced the church that they can experience the "presence" of God by mystically and intuitively knowing and sensing what is in the Spirit. In so many words many professing believers can claim such "special" knowledge that is beyond the "mere" words of scripture and to sense such divine "presence" within his or her own spirit. It is Spirit communicating with a person's spirit by which many of God's people are out of touch with the real world. According to mysticism is that in order for people to understand the "things" of the spirit is to be in the spirit by which God by-pass the mind to get into a person's human spirit. The spirit is the candlestick by which God gives Revelation knowledge. The Church possesses such "true" spiritual knowledge; mystics in the professing church possesses such "fleshly" knowledge. (Col. 1:9-10 in contrast Col. 2:18, 19) For the Church to hear God's voice is to anticipate hearing the truth of God's Word. The depository of the truth of God's Word is disclosed in His written Word. (2 Tim. 3:15, 16; 2 Pet. 1:19-21) As Jesus declares in John 18:37 by saying, "Everyone that is on the side of truth hears my voice." The "truly" saved are the recipients of hearing the truth of God's Word; not professing Christians who reject the truth of what God's Word says. (John 18:37a)

  Secondly, what are some of the characteristics of the "truly" saved hearing God's voice? First, the characteristics of the "truly" saved hearing God's voice or hearing the truth of God's Word is their eagerness and desire want to know the Word of God. (Acts 17:11) The apostle Paul made mentioned about the noble character of the Bereans in that "they searched the scripture daily to see if those things were so." Many of the Berean Christians were not easily influenced by the charismatic personality of the speakers nor such oratory, but, they were skillful in the scripture. They followed with what the apostle Paul was saying to see if what he was saying was true. There are so many professing Christians who are spellbound by the charismatic personality of their own leaders that they lose sight of what is being taught by which they become so emotionally caught up in such frenzy praise and worship. The praise and worship of the church are more important than what is the biblical content of truth. (2 Tim. 4:3-4) Also, secondly, that the "truly" saved who are born of the Spirit are given understanding concerning God's Word. (Jn. 14:26)  There are professing Christian teachers in the church today who receive spiritual light, but, reject divine life in Christ. (Heb. 6:10ff) In so many words there are professing believers who know enough of God's Word to come to faith in Jesus Christ, but, refuse to accept Jesus Christ in their hearts. (Heb. 2:1)  Many of these professing Christian teachers are ignorant and blinds towards spiritual truth. (1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:3-4)  They claim to know the truth of God's Word by promoting "newer" truths and spiritual "revelations" that are outside the boundaries of God's Word, but, they reject what is the written Word. (2 Tim. 3:16) They claim to believe in the authority and inspiration of the Bible, but, they also say that God's Word is "incomplete" without any further or additional "revelation." Those who would add or take away from what God's Word says are going to experience God's divine judgment. (2 Pet. 2:1; Jud. 8-10) Therefore, thirdly, the student of the Bible properly apply God's Word to their everyday lives. (2 Pet. 3:18) In order that God's people can live a life pleasing to God is to have such proper knowledge and understanding of God's Word. The reason for the proliferation of cults and heresies is its misquoting, misinterpretation, and misapplication of God's Word. (Matt. 4:1-11) Those who are within the church today distort that of biblical truth to misapply God's Word. They will contend that in order for the Church to experience hearing God's voice is to step outside the "box" of theological constraints or religious "traditions" so as to have a "higher" knowledge and understanding of God's Word. Many of false teachers will also contend that in "order to understand this Word you must read "beyond" the mere words off the page of scripture to get a "revelation" of God's Word." They expect something to jump out of the Bible as to the mystics mystical interpretation of the Bible by grossly making such "improper" application of scripture. (Jer. 1:1; Isa. 1:1)  Interpretation must come first, then the application. The problem with many professing believers is their misapplication of the Bible without properly interpreting scripture. The apostle Peter calls such men as "ignorant and unstable" as they do also the other scripture unto their own destruction. (2 Pet. 3:16) Whenever there is a distortion of biblical truth it will, in turn, impact the lives of God's people as well as others. (2 Tim. 3:13)

  In summary is that the true biblical definition of hearing God's voice is to listen to the truth of what is already revealed in scripture. (2 Tim. 3:16) The "truly" saved are the recipients of hearing or listening to the truth of God's Word; not the unsaved who reject what is the truth of God's Word. (Jn. 18:37 in contrast to Heb. 6:10ff) Whenever the church "substitute" God's Word in place of what is revelatory knowledge border on the path of mysticism. (Col. 2:18, 19)  The Bible is complete without any additional nor revelation of the spirit. (2 Pet. 1:19-21) If in fact, God's Word is "incomplete" then there is no sufficiency whatsoever. Everything that the Church needs to know is disclosed within the canon of scripture, by which is God's complete revelation. (Heb. 1:1-2a)

  The characteristics of the "truly" saved hearing God's voice is their eagerness and desire to want to know what God's Word says. (Acts 17:11; 2 Pet. 1:19)  There are many "sincere" believers whose anticipation of hearing the truth of God's Word is their desire, understanding, and applying the truth of God's Word to their everyday lives. In order for the Church to live a life pleasing to the Lord is to have a proper knowledge and understanding of scripture. (2 Pet. 3:18)  There are many professing believers who reject that of the propositional truth of scripture by paying attention to deceiving spirits and doctrines taught by demons in regards to personal prophecy, spiritual "revelation," and "inward" voice of the spirit that goes contrary to the clear teachings of the Bible. (2 Tim. 6:3-5, 6) The remedy for apostasy is God's divine judgment. (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jud. 8-10)

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is the president of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" Darryl