Inner Voice and Promptings

[MechPebbles]

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[Catherineanne]

A lot of Christians believe that God can speak to them directly through a small, inner voice. They also believe they can be "prompted" by the Spirit into doing something. In order that replies don't wander all over the place, please answer these specific questions:

1) Do you believe God speaks to His people through a quiet, inner voice?

Sometimes. Sometimes it is our imagination. There is absolutely no difference in terms of what it 'sounds' like; only in the end result.

2) Do you believe the Holy Spirit "prompts" people into certain actions?

Sometimes. But it is never safe to assume that when I want to do something it is because the Holy Spirit said it is ok; that is a short cut to hubris.

3) Do you yourself experience these things?

Maybe. Maybe not. See above.

4) How do these things happen? What is this voice like? What does the "prompting" feel like?

It feels exactly like thinking, 'Hmm, cup of tea; good idea.' and then making tea.

It feels mundane; ordinary. It is normal.

5) How do you know it's God speaking or acting?

There is no way of knowing and I find it is better to assume it is all personal imagination; anything inside one's head is the product of one's head. That is far safer than any other path.

6) If you do not believe God works in such a way, please explain.

Kindly note that this is just for discussion. There is no need for you to accuse me of being an unbeliever, a heretic or an immature Christian or that I have plugged my ears with my fingers, or that I am only interested in satisfying my curiosity and cares little about bowing to the truth or that I am no Abraham and no friend of God. Thank you.

Good grief. You must have encountered some amazingly bad mannered people.

Edited to add: I am not a Baptist, but I hope the answers would be in line with Baptist teachings.

 

[twin1954]

A lot of Christians believe that God can speak to them directly through a small, inner voice. They also believe they can be "prompted" by the Spirit into doing something. In order that replies don't wander all over the place, please answer these specific questions:

At the risk of incurring your wrath once more I will try to answer your questions.

As you already know I do not believe that the Lord speaks in an audible voice or by "prompting" apart from His word.

1) Do you believe God speaks to His people through a quiet, inner voice?

Yes but always through His word. While I do not believe it is a voice per se but an unction that moves the heart. God speaks by His word to the heart. That is the work of the Spirit in us.

2) Do you believe the Holy Spirit "prompts" people into certain actions?

Yes I do but only through His word. He makes the word to be effectual to the heart and moves us to act according to His purpose. An example would be a calling to be a missionary to a certain place or the call to preach or pastor. The Spirit fills the heart with boundless love and a desire to serve a particular people with His word. There is no mistaking that call for it cannot be denied. That "prompting" makes room for itself in both you and those to whom you are called. Many run without being called and some run because other men call them but it always turns into a mess. But when it is the call of the Spirit there is harmony and peace. He makes you to love and seek to serve the people and them to love and respect you for your office's sake.

3) Do you yourself experience these things?

Yes I do. Every time I prepare to preach I seek a message from God's heart to my heart so that when I speak it will be in the power of the Spirit and reach the hearts of those who hear. I usually spend many hours searching the Scriptures for that message in that hour. I often get discouraged because it seems the gates of Heaven are closed and I cannot perceive the voice of God in His word. But, often in the early hours of the morning, a particular passage speaks to my heart and the message comes freely and without effort. I can, of course, prepare a message from almost any passage of the Scriptures but it will be from my mind and not from my heart. I have reams of messages that I have prepared from my mind that I never preached because I just couldn't know the unction to do so. I thought that I had it when I prepared it but when it came time to preach it I had no power to do so. I have also preached many messages that I had no unction to preach which often delighted the minds of men but never reached their hearts. My constant prayer is for the Lord to get me out of the way when preaching or writing and to speak by His word. I never want those who read or hear me preach to hear me but, by the Spirit, Him. I long to reach the heart not the head.

4) How do these things happen? What is this voice like? What does the "prompting" feel like?

That is difficult to describe. The best way I know to describe it is a fullness in the heart which fills you with a knowledge of Him.

5) How do you know it's God speaking or acting?

Because you are filled with love for Him and love for His people. It is always according to His word and never apart from it. When the Spirit speaks He always speaks of Christ and His glory. The Spirit never speaks in any way except to show us the things of Christ. John 16:13-14 He opens up His word and makes us see Christ in it.

6) If you do not believe God works in such a way, please explain.

I do not believe that God works apart from His word. Voices, visions, dreams and such things are extra-biblical and intrinsically deny the sufficiency of the Scriptures.

Kindly note that this is just for discussion. There is no need for you to accuse me of being an unbeliever, a heretic or an immature Christian or that I have plugged my ears with my fingers, or that I am only interested in satisfying my curiosity and care little about bowing to the truth or that I am no Abraham and no friend of God. Thank you.

I hope you find nothing here accusatory or derisive.

 

[MechPebbles]

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[MechPebbles]

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[twin1954]

I do not agree with this. I think you are taking things too far. You could also argue that commentaries, theological books, theological journals and seminaries are denying the sufficiency of Scripture. This is an extreme reaction to the claim to new revelations found in Charismatic circles.

Not at all. Commentaries and such are nothing more than the preaching of men is. They are to help explain the Scriptures by men who are given light in the Scriptures by the Spirit. I view them just as I view the preaching of other men. They are not inspired and are not binding on the souls of men.

Visions, dreams and voices are different in that every instance in which we find those thing occurring in the Scriptures it was by inspiration and was binding on the souls of men. Moreover in the New Testament when men who were inspired to speak and write the very word of God it was accompanied by miracles in order to show that they were speaking the word of God.

(Heb 2:1) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

(Heb 2:2) For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;

(Heb 2:3) How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

(Heb 2:4) God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

 

[Catherineanne]

Don't you find it strange that God should choose a means of communication that leaves us in so much doubt? When God speaks in the Bible, he seems to leave little room for such confusion.

Other way round, really. If it were not strange then it would not be God.

I find God in paradox, in coincidence, in serendipity, in forgotten people, in the least likely places. He is rarely to be found in the obvious.

 

[Catherineanne]

I do not believe that God works apart from His word. Voices, visions, dreams and such things are extra-biblical and intrinsically deny the sufficiency of the Scriptures.

The Scriptures contain all that is sufficient for salvation. That is not the same thing as saying they contain all that is sufficient for all of us to live our lives.

And there is nothing in Scripture to say that God will not use visions, dreams etc; quite the opposite, really as long as those visions are in line with the Gospel.

 

[Catherineanne]

Visions, dreams and voices are different in that every instance in which we find those thing occurring in the Scriptures it was by inspiration and was binding on the souls of men. Moreover in the New Testament when men who were inspired to speak and write the very word of God it was accompanied by miracles in order to show that they were speaking the word of God.

Not really, on either.

When God speaks to someone in the OT we very often find that they run away, or disregard what they hear. They decide, in effect, that it is their own imagination. This is a very safe way to behave. If God is really speaking he will confirm what he has said in some way; through another believer or by sending another sign, as he did with Jonah. Nothing was 'binding'. In every case they were free to listen and act, or to run away. Mostly they did both.

In the NT sometimes there are miracles, sometimes there are not. People inspired to speak from God are not magicians; they are simply inspired to speak from God.

 

[Sovereign Grace]

My sister a few days ago told me she had a dream about mom and was wondering what it meant. I told her to not put too much stock in a dream(she's lost so I did not want to try to get too deep, {I don't put any stock into a dream}but dreams are nothing more than our thoughts put into 'action' in our sleep and not God's way of expressing Himself). But God communicates to us solely through the means of His word, and it is clear and concise(when the Spirit illumines my mind as I study).

 

[MechPebbles]

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[twin1954]

The Scriptures contain all that is sufficient for salvation. That is not the same thing as saying they contain all that is sufficient for all of us to live our lives.

When the Spirit opens up the Scriptures they are sufficient to live your life.

And there is nothing in Scripture to say that God will not use visions, dreams etc; quite the opposite, really as long as those visions are in line with the Gospel.[/QUOTE]The Apostle Peter tells us very clearly that the word of the Scriptures is more sure than even the things that he saw and heard on the mount. 2Pet. 1:16-21 Moreover the Psalmist tell us that God has magnified His word above all His name. Psa. 138:2

 

[twin1954]

Not really, on either.

When God speaks to someone in the OT we very often find that they run away, or disregard what they hear. They decide, in effect, that it is their own imagination. This is a very safe way to behave. If God is really speaking he will confirm what he has said in some way; through another believer or by sending another sign, as he did with Jonah. Nothing was 'binding'. In every case they were free to listen and act, or to run away. Mostly they did both.

Examples please.

In the NT sometimes there are miracles, sometimes there are not. People inspired to speak from God are not magicians; they are simply inspired to speak from God.

The purpose of the signs and wonders and miracles was to confirm that the one speaking was speaking the very word of God. See the passage in Hebrews I quoted above.

 

[twin1954]

Extra-Biblical teaching.


Totally agree with this.

We have all made assertions so it is up to us all to prove those assertions. I have given Scripture to back up my assertions so now it is up to the rest of you to prove what you assert.

 

[MechPebbles]

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[twin1954]

Your Scripture quotations never fail to befuddle me. At best, they only touch the topic peripherally. Most of the time they are off-topic.

Perhaps you need to read again my posts. All of my Scripture quotations are directly related to what I said in my post.

 

[twin1954]

Your Scripture quotations never fail to befuddle me. At best, they only touch the topic peripherally. Most of the time they are off-topic.

I think it is best if I don't try to discuss with you anymore.

 

[Catherineanne]

Examples please.

Good grief. Read your Bible.

Moses. Jonah. Elijah; probably lots more, but that is off the top of my head.

Read the Bible.

 

[Catherineanne]

We have all made assertions so it is up to us all to prove those assertions. I have given Scripture to back up my assertions so now it is up to the rest of you to prove what you assert.

Opinion + random Scripture =/= valid argument.

The burden of proof still lies with you.

 

[W2L]

Believers walk by faith not sight. They need no sign. Likewise, no prophet either.