Does God Still Speak Audibly?

During a recent Question and Answer night in our college ministry, one student wanted to know if we can expect God to speak to us with an audible voice. It’s a good question, and here is what I said.

Can we hear God’s voice audibly? The short answer is possibly, but…

Possibly

This is one of those questions that I simply don’t feel entitled to answer with a blanket yes or no. Is God able to communicate to us through a supernatural, disembodied voice? I see no reason why not. In fact, we have several examples of something very much like that in the Bible:

• In Exodus 3:14, Moses hears God’s voice speak to him from the burning bush.

• In 1 Samuel 3:4, God calls out to Samuel in an audible voice that Samuel mistakes for Eli.

• In 1 Kings 19:9-18, God speaks multiple times to Elijah as he hides in a cave.

• In Acts 9:4, Jesus speaks to Saul on the road to Damascus.

 In each of these cases, God speaks audibly and without a messenger.

But…

Though it is clearly within God’s power to communicate this way, there is a ‘but’ that follows. God CAN speak to us this way, BUT we should not rely on the hope of direct communication for the growth and validation of our faith. We have several reasons from Scripture why God may not speak audibly to us, and why we should continue to trust His Word anyway.

First, we do have a Word from God. Second Timothy 3:16 instructs us that “all Scripture is inspired by God.” Since we have this Word from God, we do not need to depend on an additional, audible Word from God in order to establish our faith.

Second, this Word is ALL the Word we need from God. Hebrews 1:2 tells us that “In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” Additionally, 2 Peter 1:3 teaches us that in Jesus, God “has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” The Word we have from God is entirely sufficient for life and godliness.

Third, if God did speak to us audibly, He would certainly not contradict His Word. “God is not a man, that He might lie, or a son of man, that He might change His mind,” Numbers 23:19 tells us.

Given these reasons, we ought to seek to know God’s Word, given to us in the Bible. We should seek to know it intimately. God may speak to us audibly if He wishes, but He has spoken clearly already through this Word.

 If we will primarily seek to know God through His written Word, then…

• If God does not speak audibly, we will still grow in faith through the reading and understanding of His Word.

• If God does speak audibly, we will recognize His voice:

“The gatekeeper opens [the gate] for [the Shepherd], and the sheep hear His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out … My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:3, 27.

So could God speak to His people with an audible voice? Certainly He could. Should we expect it? In most cases, probably not. The best pastoral advice if you seek to hear from God is summed up by Justin Peters:

“Want to hear God speak to you? Read your Bible. Want to hear God speak to you audibly? Read it out loud!”

Can a Christian Experience Inner Trials?

Can a Christian experience “inner trials”?  

I was recently asked this question from one of the  students at Emmanuel Baptist Church’s weekly college gathering, Harbor.

I took this question to mean “Can a Christian experience turmoil or trials in their inner life? In other words, in their mental, emotional, or spiritual life?” And I think the answer biblically and experientially is ‘yes.’

James 1:2-3 exhorts us to consider it joy when we experience various trials. The word various tells us that we may experience trials in many different forms. I would not hesitate to include trials that come in the form of mental, emotional, or spiritual turmoil. When we experience trials like this, James calls us to endure, so that we may mature in our faith.

Trials in our inner lives come from three places:

The World – Romans 12:2 warns us that the spirit of our culture wants to press us into its mold. But we must resist this, and strive not to be conformed to this age.

The Flesh – Romans 7:14-25 talks about a law that works in the members of our body, waging war against what we know to be true, and leading us into sin. This means that sin has affected us in deep ways in our body, so that our desires, emotions, and other inner realities are primed to lead us towards sin and away from faith in Jesus.

The Devil – In Acts 5:3, Peter asks Ananias why he has listened to Satan, who has “filled his heart” to lie to the Holy Spirit. So our enemy, Satan, is willing and able to bring temptation right into our inner life.

God has not left us without help. Most immediately, when we place our faith in Jesus, we receive the gift of His Holy Spirit, so that the presence of the all-powerful, triune God is constantly with us. He is an ever-present help, as Psalm 46 teaches us. We can fight temptation and pursue endurance through inner trials in three specific ways.

We Take Every Thought Captive

Second Corinthians 10:5 teaches us to “take our thoughts captive” in order to obey Christ. Given what we have seen above, we take our thoughts captive to know where the thought comes from. Is this a thought that comes from God and from His word? Then this thought brings to me something good and godly. It helps me obey Christ. Is this a benign thought? “Almost time for lunch.” We have many thoughts that probably don’t have a deep spiritual aspect, for good or bad. Or is this a thought from the enemy? Is this a thought that tempts me to disobedience or mistrust of God? We can take every thought captive and determine, is this a good and helpful thought? If so, let me dwell on it. Or is this a tempting and dangerous thought? Let me dispel it right away.

We Renew Our Mind

Romans 12:2 warns us not to be conformed to this age, as we have seen, but it also gives us the alternative. We must seek to renew our minds. We do this by reading and meditating on God’s Word. We rely on His Word and His Spirit to help us “discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” As our mind is renewed, we receive the endurance we need to persevere through inner trials. And this perseverance strengthens and matures our faith.

We Put On Spiritual Armor

Ephesians 6:10-18 teaches us how to “stand against the schemes of the devil,” including his temptations and attacks in our inner life. God has given us spiritual protection in His truth, in His gospel, in our faith, and in our salvation. In all of these things, we take hold of them through prayer in His Spirit, and so we can endure through trials of many kinds.

Christians face trials in many ways. They don’t always come from difficult circumstances or external problems beyond our control. They may originate right in our mental, emotional, or spiritual life. They come from the influence of the world, our sinful flesh, and our enemy. In every case, God has not left us helpless, but calls us to honor Him by enduring trials of all kinds. Thankfully, we have everything we need to accomplish this and arrive at a mature faith.