How do you listen to the Holy Spirit?

[desmalia]

I recently saw an email from someone who claims that listening to the Holy Spirit means that we don't need to use discernment because He will protect us. (The context of this was that we were to just listen to a sermon and not test it against the Scriptures, but instead just "listen" for the Spirit's guidance). So the question now must be what she considers to be "listening to the Holy Spirit". I have a pretty good idea what she believes that to be (and it's quite different from what I would say). What do you guys say?

 

[Calvinist Dark Lord]

I recently saw an email from someone who claims that listening to the Holy Spirit means that we don't need to use discernment because He will protect us. (The context of this was that we were to just listen to a sermon and not test it against the Scriptures, but instead just "listen" for the Spirit's guidance). So the question now must be what she considers to be "listening to the Holy Spirit". I have a pretty good idea what she believes that to be (and it's quite different from what I would say). What do you guys say?

So how does your friend determine that it IS the Holy Spirit speaking?

 

[DD2008]

1. I listen through conviction. I think the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our conscience.
2. I listen through scripture. I think that God illumines our minds through meditating on scripture.
3. Comfort. The Holy Spirit is the comforter and gives us comfort, peace, awareness of love when we need it.

 

[MyEverything]

1. I listen through conviction. I think the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our conscience.
2. I listen through scripture. I think that God illumines our minds through meditating on scripture.
3. Comfort. The Holy Spirit is the comforter and gives us comfort, peace, awareness of love when we need it.

Yes, this exactly.

 

[student ad x]

I recently saw an email from someone who claims that listening to the Holy Spirit means that we don't need to use discernment because He will protect us. (The context of this was that we were to just listen to a sermon and not test it against the Scriptures, but instead just "listen" for the Spirit's guidance). So the question now must be what she considers to be "listening to the Holy Spirit". I have a pretty good idea what she believes that to be (and it's quite different from what I would say). What do you guys say?

Hey sis,

I'm wondering if your friend is claiming (in her opinion) to be mature enough to distinguish right or wrong.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:14

 

[GQ Chris]

I recently saw an email from someone who claims that listening to the Holy Spirit means that we don't need to use discernment because He will protect us. (The context of this was that we were to just listen to a sermon and not test it against the Scriptures, but instead just "listen" for the Spirit's guidance). So the question now must be what she considers to be "listening to the Holy Spirit". I have a pretty good idea what she believes that to be (and it's quite different from what I would say). What do you guys say?

Let me guess, is this individual a member of the Charismatic/Pentecostal organizations?

 

[desmalia]

Let me guess, is this individual a member of the Charismatic/Pentecostal organizations?

Yes, long time charismatic.

 

[ReformedChapin]

The bible, dhur... Most Charismatic now a days are mystics who want to be connected with the force.

 

[GQ Chris]

The bible, dhur... Most Charismatic now a days are mystics who want to be connected with the force.

This. It seems like they all want to be Prophets and claim to have a special "revelation". sigh

 

[AMR]

I get this sort of question often in the AAC forum.

My stock answer:


J. Packer's book, Finding God's Will, is a short read full of useful guidance.

I think it begins by fully integrating God's will into every aspect of our lives. This comes from a thorough understanding of the Scriptures, so we can obey what God has already commanded us to do and how to live (praxis), see Proverbs 6:22. This walk of sanctification increases our God-given common sense, too, so that we should not be calling upon the Lord for every little decision in our lives. Studying the Scriptures helps us to know what God thinks about a myriad of topics, so we should have the answers to many important questions in front of us. This way God's will is often so clear that only obedience, and not guidance is necessary.

We also have to be willing to do what God says to do. Sometimes a person already has an answer in mind and is unwilling to accept any other when seeking God's guidance. And guide us He will: Psalms 25:12, 32:8, Proverbs 3:6, Isaiah 58:11, Colossians 1:9.

It should go without saying that we must very specifically ask, with a readiness to obey, for guidance when we need it (James 1:58). Accompany this with trusting God in the matter (Phil. 4:6,7), keeping a watch out for guidance in your daily devotionals, and seeking the counsel of the brothers and sisters in Christ (Proverbs 11:14).

The tricky part, if you will, is discerning the answer. We have to understand that Guide is guiding us in our decision making processes, that what we are discovering as we work out things is not mere accident. I think Acts 17:16 offers an answer:

"Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."

I become very worried when people start saying, "the Lord spoke to me today" or "I don't do anything unless the Lord tells me to do it", etc., as if God is actually directly speaking to someone (Murray speaks to this directly). God does not provide special revelation outside of his Word now that the foundation of our faith is laid in it by the prophets and apostles in His Word. Furthermore, God has told us not to seek "signs and wonders."

Rather than seeking the Lord to give us direct revelation, we should be content with God’s provision in His word (our only infallible rule of practice and faith) to guide us as to what is his will for our lives, what He commands us and expects of us concerning Him, and to know how great the love of Christ is to us.

Murray writes in The Guidance of the Holy Spirit:

“The moment we desire or expect or think that a state of our consciousness is the effect of a direct intimation of us of the Holy Spirit’s will, or consists in such an intimation and is therefore in the category of special direction from him, then we have given way to the notion of special, direct, detached communication from the Holy Spirit. And this, in respect of its nature, belongs to the same category as belief in special revelation”​

Some will claim they had a vision about God's will or a burden about this or that, when what they really mean is that they had some "impression". If that impression is Scripturally sound, I think it proper to say the impression was a nudge by the Holy Spirit, just as Paul was "provoked within him" (Acts 17:16). Not a few persons expect some "road to Damascus" like answer from God, failing to note that Paul was not even looking for guidance from God on that fateful road!

We should also realize that not every non-moral decision facing us has a single right answer. Leveraging the factors described above, we must decide and trust that God will accomplish His will. "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13).

AMR

 

[simonpeter]

I think it begins by fully integrating God's will into every aspect of our lives.
AMR

I posted something regarding this elsewhere, but I'll ask again since you brought up God's will. No matter what we do, isn't it God's will? If not, would it not make our will superior to God's?

 

[AMR]

Not sure what you are really trying to say, but perhaps this will help:

The Will of God - Christian Forums

AMR

 

[simonpeter]

Not sure what you are really trying to say, but perhaps this will help:

The Will of God - Christian Forums

AMR

What I mean is, No one can frustrate God's will. So whatever we do must be God's will, or it's tantamount to saying our actions have frustrated God's will.

 

[kenrapoza]

I get this sort of question often in the AAC forum.

My stock answer:


J. Packer's book, Finding God's Will, is a short read full of useful guidance.

I think it begins by fully integrating God's will into every aspect of our lives. This comes from a thorough understanding of the Scriptures, so we can obey what God has already commanded us to do and how to live (praxis), see Proverbs 6:22. This walk of sanctification increases our God-given common sense, too, so that we should not be calling upon the Lord for every little decision in our lives. Studying the Scriptures helps us to know what God thinks about a myriad of topics, so we should have the answers to many important questions in front of us. This way God's will is often so clear that only obedience, and not guidance is necessary.

We also have to be willing to do what God says to do. Sometimes a person already has an answer in mind and is unwilling to accept any other when seeking God's guidance. And guide us He will: Psalms 25:12, 32:8, Proverbs 3:6, Isaiah 58:11, Colossians 1:9.

It should go without saying that we must very specifically ask, with a readiness to obey, for guidance when we need it (James 1:58). Accompany this with trusting God in the matter (Phil. 4:6,7), keeping a watch out for guidance in your daily devotionals, and seeking the counsel of the brothers and sisters in Christ (Proverbs 11:14).

The tricky part, if you will, is discerning the answer. We have to understand that Guide is guiding us in our decision making processes, that what we are discovering as we work out things is not mere accident. I think Acts 17:16 offers an answer:

"Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."

I become very worried when people start saying, "the Lord spoke to me today" or "I don't do anything unless the Lord tells me to do it", etc., as if God is actually directly speaking to someone (Murray speaks to this directly). God does not provide special revelation outside of his Word now that the foundation of our faith is laid in it by the prophets and apostles in His Word. Furthermore, God has told us not to seek "signs and wonders."

Rather than seeking the Lord to give us direct revelation, we should be content with God’s provision in His word (our only infallible rule of practice and faith) to guide us as to what is his will for our lives, what He commands us and expects of us concerning Him, and to know how great the love of Christ is to us.

Murray writes in The Guidance of the Holy Spirit:

“The moment we desire or expect or think that a state of our consciousness is the effect of a direct intimation of us of the Holy Spirit’s will, or consists in such an intimation and is therefore in the category of special direction from him, then we have given way to the notion of special, direct, detached communication from the Holy Spirit. And this, in respect of its nature, belongs to the same category as belief in special revelation”
​

Some will claim they had a vision about God's will or a burden about this or that, when what they really mean is that they had some "impression". If that impression is Scripturally sound, I think it proper to say the impression was a nudge by the Holy Spirit, just as Paul was "provoked within him" (Acts 17:16). Not a few persons expect some "road to Damascus" like answer from God, failing to note that Paul was not even looking for guidance from God on that fateful road!

We should also realize that not every non-moral decision facing us has a single right answer. Leveraging the factors described above, we must decide and trust that God will accomplish His will. "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13).

AMR

Yes this is very good! I would have given the same answer - though much less articulately.

 

[heymikey80]

What I mean is, No one can frustrate God's will. So whatever we do must be God's will, or it's tantamount to saying our actions have frustrated God's will.

The question is whether what we [want &] do is in line with God's Preceptive will -- and often we violate that..

No one can avoid God's decretive will; we're part of it. But it doesn't absolve someone of responsibility, because they're agents, operating from their own agency: if not for their own wills, they could have chosen differently.

Hope it helps.

 

[heymikey80]

I listen to the will of God by reading what He's said and understanding His meaning instead of what I want Him to say or mean. Preaching is a learned person who's passed certain qualifications and spent more time than I have, telling me what Scripture is saying. He can be wrong. He's not protected from error when preaching. I'm not protected from mistaking his meaning, either.

The preacher is authoritative -- he's studied more, he's more qualified, he knows more. But the preacher is not granted authoritarian power. What he says isn't inherently a command to us. Preachers and elders are granted only limited power of control, none of which extends beyond what's explicitly, Scripturally delegated when it slams into God's reserved lordship over worship and faith.

The Bereans were commended for looking back to Scripture to verify the truth of what was preached.

 

[desmalia]

Thank you for all the answers, everyone! I knew I'd get some excellent responses here. It's helpful for me when I have to discuss difficult issues IRL sometimes as I'm not very articulate. Even though I understand what I believe about this issue, I'm not always so good at putting it into words, especially IRL. So reading how each of you has worded your responses helps. This woman is, as I said, very charismatic, even fairly WoF, and I've yet to see her practice any form of discipline regarding modern preachers/teachers. She's also very emotionally damaged (due to past abuse and subsequent mental illness), which makes conversation extremely difficult at times. Confronting her on any of these things that make her "feel good" most often inspires the more horrible verbal attacks, which I don't handle well. I don't know if I'll be in a position to discuss this with her in detail in the future, but if so, I want to be prepared.

As far as I've been able to tell, her "definition' of listening to the Holy Spirit is a combination of standard charismatic practices, primarily focusing on feeling. Scripture rarely factors in.

 

[simonpeter]

The question is whether what we [want &] do is in line with God's Preceptive will -- and often we violate that..

No one can avoid God's decretive will; we're part of it. But it doesn't absolve someone of responsibility, because they're agents, operating from their own agency: if not for their own wills, they could have chosen differently.

Hope it helps.

I see what you mean, but are we not going to do God's will one way or another as in Jonah's story? If so, we may not have to worry over whether we're doing things correctly since God will make it happen either way. It is impossible to know God's will every moment - whether to eat or go for a walk, read the Bible or go for the movies, and so forth. If we start speculating at every step, we'll go mad. So I thought the better option was to do whatever we want, safe in the knowledge that it is only moving according to God's will, whether or not we know it (as in Jonah's case).

 

[desmalia]

I see what you mean, but are we not going to do God's will one way or another as in Jonah's story? If so, we may not have to worry over whether we're doing things correctly since God will make it happen either way. It is impossible to know God's will every moment - whether to eat or go for a walk, read the Bible or go for the movies, and so forth. If we start speculating at every step, we'll go mad. So I thought the better option was to do whatever we want, safe in the knowledge that it is only moving according to God's will, whether or not we know it (as in Jonah's case).

With the goal of glorifying God in what we do (according to His word), of course.

 

[ReformedChapin]

I see what you mean, but are we not going to do God's will one way or another as in Jonah's story? If so, we may not have to worry over whether we're doing things correctly since God will make it happen either way. It is impossible to know God's will every moment - whether to eat or go for a walk, read the Bible or go for the movies, and so forth. If we start speculating at every step, we'll go mad. So I thought the better option was to do whatever we want, safe in the knowledge that it is only moving according to God's will, whether or not we know it (as in Jonah's case).

What we have to worry about is trying to work within God's law and fulling our moral responsibility. Us Calvinists are not fatalistists, what we do does matter, however we must realize that our works are means to God's ends. God uses us to accomplish his deeds.