Several years ago, I talked with a man who told me that God had audibly spoken to him. Does God
speak to us in that manner; can we literally hear the voice of God? Honestly, I can’t say that God will not
audibly speak to someone…He can do what He pleases to do. But it is certainly a rare thing, and we
have to be very careful and discerning when someone claims to hear God’s voice.
In the case I mentioned, the man said he was walking past a group of young men and heard God tell him
to go and talk with them. To make a long story short, two of the men got saved. So maybe…just
maybe…he heard the voice of God. My experiences with the Lord talking to me have been vastly
different. I’d call it more of an “urging”. For instance, one day I left the church in Geneva County and
headed out to visit a couple that had been under the weather for a while. On my way, as I was
approaching a certain road that another church family lived on, I had the thought, and urge, to go check
on them. I did so and when the lady answered the door, the first thing she said was “Oh, Brother Tony,
I’m so glad you came. I need to talk to you.” There was no doubt that I had heeded God’s “voice”. I
couldn’t count the times that, and similar situations, has occurred in my ministry.
But if someone claims to hear the literal voice of God, it calls for discernment. God’s voice will not
contradict the Word of God, the Bible, nor will it add anything to the Bible. God will not appoint a new
authoritative prophet and He won’t tell someone that Christianity is wrong and there are some golden
plates hidden that will reveal the “truth” …. (Yes, I am speaking of Muslims and Mormons). We are to
test those that claim that God speaks to them personally something that He hasn’t, and won’t, reveal to
others.
But, in truth, we are to test all leaders and preachers and evangelists by the Word of God. We are to test
everything by the Word of God. He gifted us the scriptures for a reason. Is there a better reason to be
students of the Bible?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on this bluff.
Bro. Tony
speak to us in that manner; can we literally hear the voice of God? Honestly, I can’t say that God will not
audibly speak to someone…He can do what He pleases to do. But it is certainly a rare thing, and we
have to be very careful and discerning when someone claims to hear God’s voice.
In the case I mentioned, the man said he was walking past a group of young men and heard God tell him
to go and talk with them. To make a long story short, two of the men got saved. So maybe…just
maybe…he heard the voice of God. My experiences with the Lord talking to me have been vastly
different. I’d call it more of an “urging”. For instance, one day I left the church in Geneva County and
headed out to visit a couple that had been under the weather for a while. On my way, as I was
approaching a certain road that another church family lived on, I had the thought, and urge, to go check
on them. I did so and when the lady answered the door, the first thing she said was “Oh, Brother Tony,
I’m so glad you came. I need to talk to you.” There was no doubt that I had heeded God’s “voice”. I
couldn’t count the times that, and similar situations, has occurred in my ministry.
But if someone claims to hear the literal voice of God, it calls for discernment. God’s voice will not
contradict the Word of God, the Bible, nor will it add anything to the Bible. God will not appoint a new
authoritative prophet and He won’t tell someone that Christianity is wrong and there are some golden
plates hidden that will reveal the “truth” …. (Yes, I am speaking of Muslims and Mormons). We are to
test those that claim that God speaks to them personally something that He hasn’t, and won’t, reveal to
others.
But, in truth, we are to test all leaders and preachers and evangelists by the Word of God. We are to test
everything by the Word of God. He gifted us the scriptures for a reason. Is there a better reason to be
students of the Bible?
Say good things about your Savior and His church on this bluff.
Bro. Tony