Maybe it's the way I read things. Who knows...maybe I have predetermined that a lot of people simply don't embrace the reality of God's voice. I know that I was always taught to question people when they say that they heard from God. I remember hearing people say "The Lord spoke to me..." and then they would give the disclaimer "...it wasn't an audible voice." How did we get to this point? Why is it that we put so much emphasis upon the recorded Word of God but cast so much negativity upon the spoken Word of God? If the same Author is at work, shouldn't we be giving both equal importance?
I realize that there has been a lot of shameful things done by people who say they heard from God. However, responding in fear doesn't fix the problem. Responding in discernment does. The place where you and I need to get to is a place where we are sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit that we know the difference.
Now...I understand that some people will read this and think that I'm not honoring the Bible. That's not in my heart. I love the recorded Word of God. I believe it to be inerrant and infallible. I believe that it is Divinely inspired. I believe it is the truth without any mixture of error. What I do not believe is that God stopped speaking to His people because a book was put together. And I don't believe that God stopped giving us revelation about Himself because we own a Bible.
Look at it this way: We know that communication is vital to any relationship. It's important for parents to speak to children, spouses to speak to one another, etc. If this is true in every other relationship then how is it possible that we have created a belief system that doesn't embrace God speaking into our lives? Some would argue that God does speak to us - He speaks to us through the Bible. I agree. God does speak to us through the Bible. But...what if all you had from your earthly father was a series of letters? Would that be enough? Wouldn't you want to hear His voice?
The Bible is foundational to our lives. It's what we build our lives upon. I'm a firm believer that it's hard to know how God will speak to us if we don't know what He has already said. God has spoken and it's imperative that we get His Word into our lives. Jesus told the story about the foolish man who built his house upon the sand and the wise man who built his house upon the rock. The point He was making is that when we take His Word and build our lives upon it then we are like the wise man whose house endured because of the strong foundation. So...I'm not arguing the necessity of the Bible. I'm simply saying that reading His Word is not the same as hearing His voice. And hearing His voice will always trump my understanding of what He has spoken.
With all that being said, there are people who are so addicted to revelation outside of the Bible that they really don't have a foundation. I mean some people are simply moving from revelation to revelation rather than moving from glory to glory. What's the difference? The difference is what we do with what has been revealed. God wants to speak into our lives. What we have to understand is that everything God speaks has a purpose - everything that God speaks has life in it. If God is speaking to you it's because He wants to create something in you. What you and I have to discern is whether or not what we are hearing is consistent with His nature. And His nature has been revealed to us in Christ.
Here's some tips for you (because I like to be practical):
1) Read the Bible, Meditate upon it, Hide it in your heart, Build your life on it.
2) Ask God to speak to you specifically through it. Let it be alive and active.
3) Train yourself to hear the voice of God. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice."
4) Trust the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. He will always lead you in truth.
5) Allow God to confront any mindset that keeps you from hearing His voice.
Above all else...Enjoy the journey. God wants to speak into your life. It's one of the greatest joys of relationship.
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