HOW DOES GOD SPEAK TO US TODAY?
God speaks to us today through His Word, the Bible, and He uses preachers and other teachers to help make it clear to us.
“God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…”
Since Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden because of their sin, God has been giving people opportunities to be restored to fellowship with Him. God revealed Himself in different ways. God showed men His power through miracles. He spoke to the people through angels and especially through prophets. Prophets were men and women who were anointed by the Holy Spirit to hear from God and tell the people what God said to them.
The greatest revelation of God to man is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “He that has seen me has seen the Father.” (St. John 14:9) Jesus shows us what the Father is like. God is Holy and just and that is why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God could not overlook our sins without applying the death penalty. The price for sin had to be paid. God is love, and Jesus showed us that love by giving His life on the cross for us.
God can also speak directly to us. God is not at the North Pole or on some other planet. He is able to speak into our lives and apply the truths of His Word to our situations. Here are some ways God can speak to us today:
1. THROUGH THE BIBLE (II Timothy 3:16)
The Bible is God’s Word. The Bible deals with every human situation, and the Holy Spirit is able to “quicken” our hearts and make a scripture verse or passage come alive. We can know that, while all of God’s Word is true, God can speak a specific word to us as we read it. It is important to read the Bible every day.
2. THROUGH PREACHERS AND TEACHERS
(Amos 3:7; Ephesians 4:11)
God has anointed some people to be proclaimers of the Word. God gives direction to them, and they tell the congregation what they are hearing from God through preaching, teaching, or prophesying.
3. THROUGH PARENTS (Proverbs 4:1-4)
Sometimes God gives insight and wisdom to our parents for us. He wants to teach us to listen and to learn from those He has placed in authority over us. Proverbs teaches us to learn wisdom (God’s point of view) from our parents.
4. THROUGH GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT (I Corinthians 12:7-12)
At times, God uses sensitive Christians to communicate a “Word of wisdom” to others. We do not have the wisdom or information we need; but, God will use believers to tell what we need to hear. God wants to teach us to depend on His Holy Spirit and on one another as brothers and sisters.
5. THROUGH PRAYER (Matthew 6:5-13)
Prayer is not just a way of getting what we want from God. Prayer is talking and listening to Him. It would be impolite to have a conversation with someone and do all the talking and no listening. Prayer makes us sensitive in our spirit so we can hear God speaking to our spirit.
Let God speak to you as you become sensitive through listening. |
