In the first two parts of this discourse on how to pray, we have seen that prayer is not a memorized script, but is a conversation that is achieved only through developing an intimate relationship with God. It begins with praise and worship and puts our personal requests in the latter part of the conversation, ending with a request to protect us from temptation and deliver us from evil, and asserting that God’s kingdom, power, and glory are eternal. Most would agree on these points in prayer, but many differ widely on their views about hearing God’s voice conversing with us in response.
Does the Bible actually teach that God speaks to us? If so, how does He speak to us? And through what “ears” do we hear His voice? And finally, why don’t we all hear Him?
Does the Bible teach that God speaks to us?
This question has often been asked, particularly by those new to the faith, but also from those who have been believers for many years, and the answer may surprise you. Yes, the Bible teaches that God speaks to us. The main reason this question is so often asked and is sometimes perplexing, even to students of the Bible, is that the scriptures on this topic have not been widely taught. The late Charles Spurgeon said, “Holy Scripture requires searching—much of it can only be learned by careful study.” The second reason that students of the Bible and others are perplexed about whether or not God speaks to us is that these truths have not been put into daily practice. What, then, does the Bible say about God speaking to us? Let’s start at the very beginning in Genesis and see what the Bible has to tell us.
The Creation Voice
Genesis 1:3 reads, “And God said, Let there be light!” God SPOKE light into existence. Verse 1:6 reads, “And God said,” showing God speaking again. Verse 1:9 repeats, “And God said,” as do verses 1:11, 1:14, 1:20, and so on. All of God’s magnificent work of creation took place at His command—through words! Pause here and reflect on this while we turn to another scripture in the New Testament.
John 1:1 reads, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And verses 3-5 of John 1 further explains, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And this glory, the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
Paul confirms this truth, saying, “For by Him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: al things were created by Him and for Him.” (Col 1:16) And in Hebrews 1:2, Paul* wrote, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.”
Further John explains in John 1, verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” And finally, in John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
There you have it. The identity of the voice!
Jesus is the Word. (John 1:1, 1 Cor 8:6, Col 1:16)
Jesus is “the only begotten of the Father,” (John 1:14).
Jesus was in the beginning, and is now, with the Father (John 1:1).
Jesus is “the life and light of men,” (John 1:4).
Jesus is the ONE who spoke all of creation into existence. (John 1:1, Genesis 1)
Jesus, the son and the second part of the triune Godhead, is the voice of creation. (John 1:3, Heb 1:2)
Understand this concept and you will shed the “darkness that comprehended it not” (John 1:5) and begin to understand the voice of God.
The Preincarnate Voice
Jesus is the Word that spoke into being all of creation. John said, “All things were made by him,” (John 1:3), but He was speaking on the command of the Father. Jesus is the voice of creation! Jesus spoke everything that the Father had thought of into existence. Then, Jesus continued speaking to His creation. Jesus not only spoke directly to the disciples during his incarnation, and after he had arisen from the grave, but he also spoke to Adam and Eve, Abraham, Noah, Moses, and others in preincarnate visitations. This is easier to comprehend when we consider that Jesus is not limited by time, space, and form in speaking to his people. Jesus, the creator of all, transcends matter, time, forces, and all of creation and has all power over it.
In the beginning, Jesus in a pre-incarnate form appeared on earth and spoke to Adam and Eve, walking in the garden (Gen 3:8). “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife Eve hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Note that the name “Lord God” is first used here and is a personal name for God that Adam and Eve are using, indicating a personal relationship. Also note that they heard the Lord God’s voice calling them as He walked in the garden, again indicating a physical presence.)
Jesus in pre-incarnate form visited Abraham with two angels. Genesis 18: 1 says, “And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. And he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.” (Gen 18: 1-2) Jesus not only walked with Abraham, but also sat down to eat with him (Gen 18:8), promised him a son (Gen 18:10), and warned him of the doom of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:20-21). “And he took butter, and milk, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the trees, and they did eat.” (Gen 18:8) This activity of eating and drinking, sitting and talking, again indicates a physical presence.
The Bible also records the times Moses met with the Lord in preincarnate form. Jesus also spoke extensively to Moses in the form of the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-4:17), a different but physical presence. He also spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai: “And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.” (Exodus 19:19).
There are other scriptures detailing how Jesus appeared and spoke to other people such as Hagar, Balaam, Jacob, Gideon, Manoah, and so on. These events are recorded in scripture so that we will know and understand how God speaks to us through Jesus, the Word. Scripture tells us that no one has seen the Father except the Son (John 6:46), and that no one has heard His voice. “And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.” (John 5:37) So the voice people have heard was none other than the voice of Jesus!
The Resurrected Voice
Did Jesus still speak to people after he died and was resurrected? Yes! He appeared in a visible form and spoke out loud to Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-16) just after he had arisen from the grave. “Jesus saith unto her, ‘Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?’ She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto Him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, ‘Mary.’ She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master.” (John 20: 15-16)
He also appeared to Mary, Salome, and Joanna (Matt 28:9), Peter (Luke 24:34) ten of the disciples (John 20:19), the eleven, including Thomas (John 20:26-28), James (1 Cor 15:7) a large gathering of over 500 (1 Cor 15:6), Cleopas and one other, perhaps Simon, on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32), on the Sea of Galilee, and more.
The Post -Ascension Voice
Did the voice stop once Jesus had ascended into heaven? No. Has he spoken to his people since then? Yes! Jesus spoke to Paul in a post-incarnate form from a cloud when Paul and his entourage where on the road to Damascus (Act 9:3-5). Paul and all of his entourage heard the voice, although only Paul understood the message, as it was meant for him. Experts differ on their explanations of this vision, but most agree that Paul saw Jesus in heaven as a vision, but audibly heard His voice on the road. This vision is somewhat similar to John’s experience on the Isle of Patmos when he received the revelation of what is to come in the end of time. John wrote that he heard a voice behind him, and he saw a vision of Christ in glory, “clothed with a garment down to the floor, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.” (Rev 1:12-15) John later wrote that he was taken up into heaven. Both Paul and John experienced lack of physical control as they fell flat on the ground. Luke wrote of Paul (then Saul), “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus; and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice, saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:3-4) And John described his lack of physical control at seeing Jesus in a vision, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.” (Rev 1:17)
Please return here to continue reading the next section, Part IV, on how God speaks to us today and why some don’t hear His voice.
From Peggy's Pen 