God Speaks
Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. Proverbs 19:27
“God still speaks,” got 2,110,000 hits on my Google search. Obviously, people still understand that God speaks.
How does He do it? How do we test what we “hear”?
It can be confusing. God is God and He can speak to whomever He chooses, any way He chooses. However, He does have some regular ways He communicates.
His Holy Spirit
First, it is the Holy Spirit who Jesus promised would remind us of what He has taught us (John 14:26). Without salvation we have no Holy Spirit in us. Though God can address an unbeliever as He will, we rely on the Holy Spirit to enable us to hear and understand what God says. God is sovereign over Illumination as well as salvation.
His Word and His People
The Christian who is in church regularly, will often find that God speaks through His preachers, teachers, and even conversations with other believers. The biblical meaning of fellowship centers on gathering times that include conversations about God, and encouragement or exhortation from His Word. (1 John 1:1-3).
Christian Books
I just read a book (that I will not disclose the title because I did not agree with the author’s theology) that God used to convict me of some fear of man that I had not seen. It spurred me to some action and I pray it will continue. I read it at the request of someone who wanted to know what I thought. God used it to open my eyes to an area of weakness. Christian books require discernment and a checking with scripture. They are not the Word of God.
Circumstances
We need the Holy Spirit to help us interpret our circumstances. God directs our paths by allowing us to suffer consequences for disobedience and rewards for obedience. I avoid the word “curses” here because sometimes God redirects us with discipline that is meant to change our direction. It is a loving response to get us back on the right path with Him. He might show us the truth about a person we are trusting (but shouldn’t) or He physically blocks something from happening that would send us in the wrong direction. Again, He is God, He does what we need.
Peace/No Peace
Sometimes the Holy Spirit just gives us a “feeling” that things are not right. We have no peace about moving forward. We may not even have a sound reason why we feel that way. God is never in a hurry. When we have this feeling, it is best to stop, pray, consider the outcome, and then do what leaves us with peace.
All that God “says” and does for us is out of His steadfast love. When He says stop, we should stop. If we want to know for sure that it is He who has spoken, check with scripture. He has left us His Word so we can check anything of which we are unsure.
He still speaks. The question for us is, are we listening?