“How Does The Holy Spirit Speak?”

[emekrus]

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall HE SPEAK: And he will SHOW YOU things to come.” John 16:13

This article is the continuation of my last post titled, “How to Hear From the Holy Spirit”. In that post, I did promise to expatiate on the various ways the Holy Spirit speaks to and leads the children of God…

Hence, this article seeks to scripturally point the Christian believer, to the various avenues, through which the Holy Spirit Speak to his Children. So they can always be sensitive to his voice and receive directions for themselves. Concerning any and every areas of their lives, which they need spiritual guidance on. Instead of running from one man after the other.

So What Then Are the Various Ways The Holy Spirit Speak?

1.   The Witness of the spirit – Rom 8:16.  One of the principal way the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer, is through the witness of the spirit (heart, or conscience). The word witness, from the original Greek word means- to give an evidence of something.

Hence, the Holy Spirit always leads every true believer to what God will have them do per time, by a convicting evidence to the heart or conscience. Many a time, he supports the conviction in the heart or conscience with a very glaring scriptural truth. That the believer cannot sincerely wave off.

2.   Jumping Scriptures—Psalm 119:105; “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Another principal way the Holy Spirit speaks very often to his children, is through striking revelations from scriptures that just jump at the believer’s heart. And this can be either when reading or meditating on the scriptures or any Christian literature.

Then at some other times, it occurs even when not reading at all. The scriptural revelation, just jumps out from your spirit in total harmony with the situation you’re seeking answers from God to. And on some occasions, the scripture can be given to you in your dream.

In order to position his or herself to be hearing from the Holy Spirit through scriptures, the believer must of a necessity, train his or her spirit to hear.

And by training I mean, consistent reading, meditating and practicing of the word of God on a daily basis. Because most of the time, the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer, from the scriptures he or she is already aware of.

3.   Audible Voice—Isaiah 30:21; “And thine EARS shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

The Holy Spirit speaks to believers audibly. But though, rarely. Many men of God have confirmed to hearing from God through their ears only very few times. Some three times; and some others four times since they became Christians. I for one, I have only heard the audible voice of the Spirit once in all my Christian walk…

And that was last year, as I was just about to wake up from my sleep. To be on a safer side, if you hear an audible voice, don’t just run with it. You must confirm it with a witness of the spirit and scriptural backing.

4.   Authoritative Voice of the Spirit The authoritative voice of the Spirit, is what the Apostle Paul calls the Spirit speaking expressly in 1 Timothy 4:1. Through this avenue, you just receive a very strong and authoritative knowing in your spirit concerning what God wants you to do…

You don’t hear anything in your ears, but after receiving the strong revelation in your spirit, it seems as if someone around or within you just spoke to you. I have had this particular experience about three or four times.

And they have occurred to me when I would be asking God, concerning some critical issues that I am confused or not clear about. Whether he or the devil was the one speaking to me. Immediately, I get that authoritative voice in my spirit, I am instantly convicted of the truth of the matter.

5.   Visions and Dreams: God speaks to the believer through visions and dreams. Visions include: Trance, Open visions, inner visions (with your eyes of faith) and dreams. I have never had an open vision or a trance.

But I have gotten revelations through inner visions and dreams. But the dreams I accept as the directions of God are the one that as I wake up from my sleep, has a confirmation of the Holy Spirit, by the witness of the spirit…

If as I wake up, I do not have any witness of the spirit concerning the dream, I just discard it.

The Holy Spirit also leads through situations or providence; through the words of other people (Either born again or not- with the witness of the spirit). He also leads through wisdom or common sense, peace… and a number of other ways…

But ultimately, amongst all these various avenues, he will always bear witness to the truth, through the witness of the spirit and scriptural truth. The Holy Spirit does not speak against or outside scriptural truth.

So regardless of the avenue you receive a revelation, you must check with the written word of God and the witness of the spirit (through conviction or peace). Then also to be on a safer side, when seeking guidance from God on any issue, especially critical issues (such as marriage). You should seek to get confirmation from about two or three avenues as stated above, before making a move. May God guide you continually in the path of righteousness, for his names’ sake in Jesus precious name!

Remain Blessed!

Emeke Odili 

 

 

[missmuffet]

Question: "How can I recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit?"

Answer: Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told His disciples that He would send one who would teach and guide all those who believe in Him (Acts 1:5; John 14:26; 16:7). Jesus’ promise was fulfilled less than two weeks later when the Holy Spirit came in power on the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2). Now, when a person believes in Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately becomes a permanent part of his life (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

The Holy Spirit has many functions. Not only does He distribute spiritual gifts according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7–11), but He also comforts us (John 14:16, KJV), teaches us (John 14:26), and remains in us as a seal of promise upon our hearts until the day of Jesus’ return (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). The Holy Spirit also takes on the role of Guide and Counselor, leading us in the way we should go and revealing God’s truth (Luke 12:12; 1 Corinthians 2:6–10).

But how do we recognize the Spirit’s guidance? How do we discern between our own thoughts and His leading? After all, the Holy Spirit does not speak with audible words. Rather, He guides us through our own consciences (Romans 9:1) and other quiet, subtle ways.

One of the most important ways to recognize the Holy Spirit’s guidance is to be familiar with God’s Word. The Bible is the ultimate source of wisdom about how we should live (2 Timothy 3:16), and believers are to search the Scriptures, meditate on them, and commit them to memory (Ephesians 6:17). The Word is the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), and the Spirit will use it to speak to us (John 16:12–14) to reveal God’s will for our lives; He will also bring specific Scriptures to mind at times when we need them most (John 14:26).

Knowledge of God’s Word can help us to discern whether or not our desires come from the Holy Spirit. We must test our inclinations against Scripture—the Holy Spirit will never prod us to do anything contrary to God’s Word. If it conflicts with the Bible, then it is not from the Holy Spirit and should be ignored. 

It is also necessary for us to be in continual prayer with the Father (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Not only does this keep our hearts and minds open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, but it also allows the Spirit to speak on our behalf: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26–27).

Another way to tell if we are following the Spirit’s leading is to look for signs of His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22). If we walk in the Spirit, we will continue to see these qualities grow and mature in us, and they will become evident to others as well.

It is important to note that we have the choice whether or not to accept the Holy Spirit’s guidance. When we know the will of God but do not follow it, we are resisting the Spirit’s work in our lives (Acts 7:51; 1 Thessalonians 5:19), and a desire to follow our own way grieves Him (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit will never lead us into sin. Habitual sin will cause us to miss what the Holy Spirit wants to say to us through the Word. Being in tune with God’s will, turning from and confessing sin, and making a habit of prayer and the study of God’s Word will allow us to recognize—and follow—the Spirit’s leading.

http://www.gotquestions.org/guidance-Holy-Spirit.html

Edited October 22, 2015 by bopeep1909

[missmuffet]

5.   Visions and Dreams: God speaks to the believer through visions and dreams. Visions include: Trance, Open visions, inner visions (with your eyes of faith) and dreams. I have never had an open vision or a trance.

But I have gotten revelations through inner visions and dreams. But the dreams I accept as the directions of God are the one that as I wake up from my sleep, has a confirmation of the Holy Spirit, by the witness of the spirit…

 

I think the above  is very questionable.A trance?That is wrong.

[*Deidre*]

I had an experience of faith, an 'encounter' with the Holy Spirit roughly a month ago, and this is why I came back to the faith. Thank you for this thread, it is beautiful to read what I've experienced, because when i was a Christian before I left the faith for a time, I didn't fully believe that I could experience all of this. It's changed my life. 

[7thseal]

Holy Spirit is truth. What other experience of truth does one expect?

 

How has He not talked to you?

[Ezra]

5.   Visions and Dreams: God speaks to the believer through visions and dreams. Visions include: Trance, Open visions, inner visions (with your eyes of faith) and dreams. I have never had an open vision or a trance.

But I have gotten revelations through inner visions and dreams. But the dreams I accept as the directions of God are the one that as I wake up from my sleep, has a confirmation of the Holy Spirit, by the witness of the spirit…

I think the above  is very questionable.A trance?That is wrong.

I believe we should be very cautious in labeling something as "wrong" because we ourselves have not experienced it.  Wrongness and rightness should be established through the filter of the Word of God, and Scripture does reveal that dreams and visions are used by God to communicate with people. Joseph had dreams and Daniel had visions. Peter was shown a vision before going to the house of Cornelius, and Paul was taken up into the third Heaven and shown things which he could not reveal.  Isaiah, Ezekiel and the apostle John could very well have been in trances. We dare not limit God the Holy Spirit in how He chooses to communicate (Isaiah 6:1-8).

1In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

[missmuffet]

I believe that being put into a trance is not Biblical.

[Ezra]

I believe that being put into a trance is not Biblical.

Perhaps you should study what happened to Balaam, who wanted to curse Israel but was prevented from doing so by God, and blessed Israel under the power of the Holy Spirit, while falling into a trance (Num 24:1-5).

1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

Balaam's eyes were open, but he was in a trance, and the Spirit of God gave him the words which he spoke. I trust that makes it quite clear to you that dreams, visions, and trances are used by God.

[missmuffet]

No Ezra a trance is just not ok 

trance

 

noun

 

1. 1.

   a half-conscious state characterized by an absence of response to external stimuli, typically as induced by hypnosis or entered by a medium.

[hmbld]

Acts 10:10. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.