Introduction: Hearing God's Voice: God's Written Revelation

The consensus within the Church today is that God does speak and continue to speak today through God's Word, but it is within a person's [human] spirit; not through the sensory of man's intellect. If in fact God does speak through that of a person's [human] spirit than what is the basis by which a person judge spiritual truth? It is quite ironic that people today make decision based upon there emotions; not what is good sound judgment. There is a risk in colliding between Reason and Faith. The contention that Reason have nothing to do with Faith nor Faith with Reason. The truth of the matter that Reason and Faith are bedfellow nor do they have a "hate and love" relationship with each other. If anything Reason and Faith compliment each other whereby they cannot work independently with one another. Also it must be pointed out that Reason alone cannot possibly understand the revelation of the Bible without a person's reasoning facilities being illuminate by the Spirit of God.  The tragedy of "blind" Faith can lead people to commit "intellectual" suicide at the expense of discarding their reasoning capabilities in critically thinking things through so as to make good sound judgment.

   Throughout this article I will give a introductory in regards to hearing God's voice throughout the Old and New Testament. There are Gnostics within the professing church today who will have the Church to believe that the prophets of the Old Testament (e.g. "Elijah") even though they experience God speaking "directly" to them that they too can experience God speaking "directly" to them as well.  Many of the Old Testament prophets whom God had spoken to "directly" that there message was consistent with what God had given to them (Deut. 13:1-2ff). The discrepancies that occurs in the professing church today by false spiritual leadership is that of prophecy, prophetic utterance, and what is revelatory that are diametrically opposed to the clear teaching of scripture (2 Pet. 1:19-21). The proliferation of cults and heresies is proportionate to the ignorance that is occurring in the Church today:  that of the flagrant arrogance and hypocrisy of pseudo teachers who disguise themselves as messengers of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:3, 4, 13-15).

    There were also biblical characters like Peter, Saul, and the apostle John whom God had spoke to them, but they were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20).  Even though they were under the Spirit's guidance they came from different culture and religious backgrounds by which God did not take away their style and vocabulary, they were not stenographers, and they were able to express their feelings as the apostle Paul (Rom. 10:1, 2).  What the apostles wrote what God intended for them to write but they were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was a message to the Church as a whole; not for a "select" few who claim some "new" found truth or "spiritual" revelation.

   Hearing God's voice in the Old Testament is quite different from hearing God's voice in the New Testament. That God spoke "directly" to the prophets in the OT to give the message to the people of Israel, but in the New Testament the Church have God's Word as it pertains to life and godliness (2 Tim. 3:15, 16). The canon of scripture ceased with that of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20) whereby Jesus Christ is God's Final revelation (Heb. 1:1, 2a).  There is no need for any further revelation or revelation of the Spirit. For anyone to add or take away from God's Word is to incur God's divine judgment (Rev. 22:18-19).

    Even though God spoke in a way that it would be impossible for many professing believers to withstand because of the awesome power of His voice. God spoke to Elijah in a still small voice, that of Adam and Eve who heard the sound of the LORD as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, God spoke to Moses by answering him as well as Ezekiel the prophet describe God's voice roaring as the rushing waters is what many of the Old Testament prophets experience. Such an experience is not for Christian in all times. There is an historical and cultural gap between what the prophets experience by hearing God's voice than with the Church today that of having the depository of God's written revelation of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:15, 16). 

    The elect of God who are predestined, call, and chosen by God's election of grace will hear what God says based upon what is already written within God's Word (Jn. 18:37; 1 Jn. 4:6).  Such apostate individuals within the professing church today will reject God's Word in favor of what is mystical, and revelatory truth (Col. 2:18, 19).  As God's elect we must be careful that we are not carried away by the error of ungodly men to fall from your own steadfastness (2 Pet. 3:16, 17).  Professing believers are like spiritual junkies who look for the "similar" highs for the latest "spiritual" revelations but are frenzy as to their relationship with God. For apostates to continue on a "binge" for "spiritual "highs" to get more spiritual "revelations" tragically lead them down a cliff of deception and hallucination (1 Tim. 4:1).

    The Church today need spiritual discernment in spiritually deceptive times we live in. Whenever the Church become "indifferent" towards spiritual truth and the things of God is very much well on its way out the door. Spiritual apostasy is running rampart in the church today; the remedy for apostasy is God's divine judgment (Jude 10).

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is founder & Lead pastor of Contending for the Faith Church of Atlanta, Georgia. He is also the president and CEO of Darryl Miller International Ministries and travel extensively throughout the United States and the continents. Darryl is bestselling author, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From: Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" As a apologist, senior researcher/editor and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."