The question about God speaking is not one of whether or not God speaks. The question is whether or not we acknowledge Him in all our ways so that He can direct our paths. Proverbs 3:6

God speaks. He has ways of communicating with His people. Some people refuse to acknowlege Him. He turns those who refuse to acknowledge Him over to their own reprobate minds. Romans 1:18, 21, 24, 26, 28.

Jesus said, "My sheep hear My Voice." and "Whoever is on the side of truth listens to Me."

• This doesn't mean that everyone who follows Him hears an audible voice, though some have that experience.
• This doesn't mean that everyone will dream dreams or see visions, but many do have this experience.
• This doesn't mean that God is going to give you a brand new revelation that tells you things that the Bible doesn't even suggest.
• This doesn't mean that those who follow Christ become all-knowing or always right.
• This does mean that everyone who follows Christ is led by Him.
• This does mean that God leads His people. If you know what is right or wrong, God has shown you that. If you have saving faith in Jesus Christ, God has shown you that.
• One of the problems that people have with this is that they think that God speaks like a human being, but when God speaks through a human being, He speaks as God, not as man. You need spiritual ears to hear Him. And He speaks a vision complete with all the spiritual senses. When He says, Let there be . . . , then there IS.

(some caveats about hearing God's Voice)

God speaks through the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12 that God is not like the mute idols that are incapable of articulate speech, but no one speaking by the Holy Spirit can call Jesus accursed and no one can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit. Of course, prophecy is God speaking through His people. True preaching is God speaking through His people, however, much of what is called preaching is not the same thing that the God tells us about through the Bible. But we are all commanded to speak as the oracles of God, that is, the very mouthpiece of God. The Gospel is not a naturalistic message. God is supernatural.

Indeed, if God does not speak to each of us individually, there is no way that anyone can know that the Bible is the Word of God without error.

If any person claims that God does not speak to them but that the Bible is the Word of God that person is forced to use circular reasoning. If God doesn't speak to us, then the atheists are correct in saying that we are guilty of circular reasoning in saying that we say that we know the Bible is without error because it says that it is. No. God is speaking to us through the Bible and God is telling us that the Bible is without error. God is speaking to us through the Bible He is telling us that He speaks. We know that the Bible is the Word of God without error because the Holy Spirit teaches us this fact in our innermost minds and confirms it by His very Utterance through the Bible. Below are only a few of the many verses through which God is declaring that He speaks to His people.

God Speaks

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by [the] word (Greek: rhema = utterance) [of] God.

2 Timothy 3:16  ESV  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (this is true when it was written and whenever it is read or remembered)

John 10:27 My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

John 18:37b Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this purpose: to affirm the truth as an actual witness. Everyone who is on the side of truth hears My Voice.

Hebrews 3:15 While it is said, "Today if you will hear His Voice, don't harden your innermost minds, as in the provocation."

Ephesians 4:17-32 This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, who, having ceased to feel, themselves did give up to the lasciviousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;  and ye did not so learn the Christ, if so be ye did hear him, and in him were taught, as truth is in Jesus; ye are to put off concerning the former behaviour the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit, and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man, which, according to God, was created in righteousness and kindness of the truth. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

This lets you know the types of things that the Holy Spirit says. By this, you can tell when a false prophet comes saying that God doesn't lead into righteousness.

Proverbs 30:5-6 Every Utterance of God is refined; He is a shield to those who flee to Him for protection. Don't' add to His Words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, Who is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter has come, Whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me:

John 16:13 However that may be, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak separately Himself; but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come.Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit, Himself, makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.

Numbers 12:2-9 And they said, has Jehovah  indeed spoken only by Moses? Has he not spoken also by us? And Jehovah  heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth.) And Jehovah  spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And Jehovah  came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And He said, Hear My Words now: If there is a prophet among you, I Jehovah  will make Myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all My House. With him will I speak Mouth to mouth, in a way that can be seen, and not in something that must be guessed, and he shall look at the form of Jehovah. Why then weren't you afraid to speak against My servant Moses? And the anger of Jehovah  was kindled against them; and he departed.

Through His People

1 Corinthians 12:2-3 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these mute (incapable of articulate speech) idols as you were led. Therefore, you must understand that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus cursed and that no one can say that Jesus is the Lord, except by the Holy Ghost.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when you received the utterance of God which you heard from us (the apostles), you received it, not as human utterance, but as it is in truth, the Utterance of God, Which effectually works also in you who believe.

1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the very mouth of God...Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me; and he who despises you despises Me; and he who despises Me despises Him Who sent Me.

Matthew 10:20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 You are our letter written in our innermost minds, known and read by all people, visibly shown to be the letter of Christ administered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone, but in fleshy tablets of the innermost mind.

Through Angels

1 Kings 19:7-13 And the angel of Jehovah came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." Elijah arose and ate and drank and walked in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mountain of God. He came to a cave and lodged there. The word of Jehovah came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" And Elijah said, "I have been very zealous for Jehovah God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword; and I'm the only one remaining, and they seek to take my life." And Jehovah said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before Jehovah." And, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before Jehovah, but Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind an Earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the Earthquake.  And after the Earthquake a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice. Elijah listened in obedience, wrapping his face in his mantle. And he went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, a Voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Through His Creation

Romans 1:20-21 For that which cannot be seen of Him is clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made, not only His eternal Power but also His Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, when they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God, nor were they thankful, but they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish innermost minds were darkened. [The Sin]

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge. * There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their measuring line has gone out through all the Earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the Sun,

1 Chronicles 16:30-34 Dance before Him, all the Earth: the world also shall be stable so that it is not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the Earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "Jehovah reigns." Let the whole sea roar. Let all the fields rejoice. Then the trees of the wood shall give out a ringing cry of praise and exultation at the Face of Jehovah, because He comes to judge the Earth.

Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Isaiah 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.  

"Solomon loved the created World. By that we mean the material things that God has created by which He speaks to us. He gave him great knowledge of plants, animals, birds and fish, etc. All these things would speak to him much about God and His wisdom." (Building God's House, page 229)

How You Can Know

John 7:17 If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I [Jesus] teach comes from God or from Me [Jesus]. 

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. John 6:28-29

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. Hebrews 3:15

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things has My Hand made, and all those things have been, says Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him who is poor and of a spirit that is seriously affected by an undesirable condition and trembles in fear at My Utterance.

Galatians 2:2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.  (Paul knew that he must check the revelation that he had received with the revelation that the other apostles had received.  He could not establish doctrine on his own.

Peter, though God had given him such a vision and confirmation of the vision, did not try to establish doctrine on his own but went to the other apostles in Acts 15. Note that doctrine was determined not by rationalization mixed with logic but by revelation through apostles.

Revelation and the Church

The Scriptural structure of the Church is given for many reasons, just as the structure of the human body serves many functions that are necessary for life. When the human body is out of order, when something is not functioning as it should in harmony with the rest of the body, there is a problem. This is also true of the Church.

The Church is the Body of Christ. It is the Body joined to the Head. Sometimes, the Church has not taken instruction from the Head very well. We have seen a falling away from God over the centuries. We have also seen restoration of much of what was lost. There is much more to be restored. The Church is so much a part of Christ that it is sometimes, in Scripture, referred to as "Christ." It is Christ the Body joined to Christ the Head. No member has any real purpose that can be fulfilled without the Body--any more than a part of the human body can be cut off from the body and still function as it ought to function.

There is, in the Scriptural order for the Church. As you prayerfully read the following Scriptures, be aware that there are many counterfeits, but counterfeits do not make the reality of revelation that is given through Scripture any less real. Incluede are just a few of the verses of Scripture that speak of how revelation is given to the Church.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 NIV

As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 1 Timothy 1:3 KJV

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. . . . Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. Galatians 1:18-19 & 2:1-2 KJV

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 KJV

And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. . . . And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. . . . Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, . . . We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, . . . Acts 15:1-35 KJV

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 1 Corinthians 11:2 KJV

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-7 KJV

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8 KJV

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Romans 16:17 KJV

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; Ephesians 3:5 KJV

or, "Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we [the apostles] have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 NIV

But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. . . . But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, Galatians 1:11 & 15-16 KJV

Concerning False Revelation

2 Corinthians 11:12-15 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Revelation 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

Matthew 7:22 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?  (This would apply to all the reasonings of men in trying to understand Scripture and also to those who claim special revelation but are being deceived by their own minds.  For instance, God may speak to you and tell you to help some person, but God will not tell you to commit a sin.)

Jeremiah 23:21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. *

Jeremiah 29:9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Jehovah.

There have been many who have claimed to have heard from God and who have spoken error. This has always been as the Bible verses quoted above make plain. However, the counterfeit doesn't eliminate that which is real. And those who want to do God's will are going to find that they can discern between the person through whom Jesus is speaking and the person who is speaking a vision out of their own mind. John 7:17 "If you really want to obey God, you will know if what I [Jesus] teach comes from God or from Me [Jesus]."

Some try to limit God to speaking only through the Bible. Their motivation is usually good, but they are not being led by God. Indeed, they don't even think that they can be led by God, given what they are teaching. Millions of Muslims and Hindus are turning to Christ because He comes to them in dreams and visions.

Some try to limit God to speaking through the Bible, but the Bible says that He speaks through many means. By making this claim, these people are claiming that they are above the Bible and they are contradicting the Bible. God is not limited by human theology that proclaims a human-generated gospel that is not in the Bible. When someone claims that God only speaks through the Bible, that person is claiming that the Bible is incorrect, since it is written in the Bible that God speaks through various means. They are, in fact, claiming extra-Biblical revelation that trumps the very Bible that they are trying to defend. They direct attention away from the living Christ and toward their own teaching and organization.

They limit God's ability and denigrate what God is doing among His people. There have always been false prophets and false teachers, but these never negated the true and the real. In fact, the persons who limit God have actually made themselves false teachers who teach something that the Bible does not teach.

On the other hand, there was once a person who would ask God which way she should turn at each intersection when going to work every morning. See how different that is from being in an attitude of prayer and attention to God while driving to work every morning.

There was a man who had trouble with his truck. He took it to a qualified mechanic who changed a part, but the trouble continued. The mechanic tried something else that didn't work. And the mechanic tried a third cure the didn't work. As the owner of the truck was driving along, he suddenly knew the solution. The mechanic reluctantly tried the simple solution, and the truck was fixed. The man was bragging to his wife about how he had figured out the problem when the mechanic could not. His wife said to him, "That didn't come from you. God showed it to you." She was right. The man was not a mechanic and had no way of knowing the way to fix his truck. His wife also received this fact by revelation, not by her natural mind.

We ought to live in expectation for God's leading. To seek God means to inquire of God. If we don't know what to do, we ought to be praying to God for the answer. Often, God makes the answer obvious before us, but we ought always to remember that all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding comes from Him.

Let God be true and every man a liar. Believe God. Don't limit His power. Beware of false prophets and false teachers. Beware of lying spirits.

• Does God speak?
  • If He is Lord, He must be leading.
  • If He is leading, then He must be communicating His will
  • God speaks. That is the very method by which faith comes.
  • When we say that Jesus is Lord, we are saying a lot.
• How does He want us to respond?
  • I can’t hear You?
  • I’m not doing that?
  • Help me, Lord?
  • Help my unbelief?
• What is it called when we don’t respond in submission?
  • Sin
  • Wickedness
  • Evil
• How does God speak?
  • through the Bible (we don’t worship the Bible but God speaks to us through it.)
  • through His people
  • the spiritual senses
  • the creation
  • through other Christians
• How can we know it’s God’s Voice?
  • God never contradicts Himself, so He will never direct you in a way that is contrary to what He has already spoken in His written Word (Utterance), the Bible.
  • Don't be over confident. The human mind is easily fooled by Satan and social pressure.
  • God tells us, through Scripture, that if we think we know any thing, we don't know it as we ought to know it. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher. We must be humble enough to know that we have not yet arrived at the fullness of His Truth. We must be teachable.
  • Walk close to God. A lukewarm mind will dull your senses.
  • Obey those things of which you are certain (walking away from evil, doing what is good, those things that conform to Scripture, etc.). Discernment is made more keen by repeated obedience to Him.
  • Discern between the message of this current age and the Voice of God. "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right (observing the divine laws), whatever is pure, whatever is lovely (leading toward love), whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy"

He walks with me

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on roses
And the voice I hear falling
On my ear the son of God discloses

And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing

And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known

Where He Leads Me I Will Follow

I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.”

Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way.

Speak, Lord, in the stillness

Speak, Lord, in the stillness,
speak your word to me;
hushed my heart to listen
in expectancy.

Speak, O gracious Master,
in this quiet hour;
let me see your face, Lord,
feel your touch of power.

For the words you give me
they are life indeed;
living bread from heaven,
now my spirit feed.

Speak, your servant listens,
be not silent, Lord;
let me know your presence;
let your voice be heard.

Fill me with the knowledge
of your glorious will;
all your own good pleasure
in my life fulfill

(http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/hearinggod.htm)