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It is written:
John 6:63-It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Once while in a Bible study in the local jail, a gentleman informed me that the Holy Spirit often spoke directly to him. During the course of the conversation, the “voice” of this spirit grew increasingly chaotic. It was clear that the “spirit” was not the Holy Spirit, but a deceiving spirit (1 Timothy 4:1).
At one point in the conversation, the gentleman asked me if the Holy Spirit speaks to us today. I told him, “Yes, the Holy Spirit most certainly speaks to us.” He asked me, “Then why don’t you believe what I am hearing is what the Holy Spirit says?” I said, “Because what this spirit is telling you is different from what the Holy Spirit actually says.”
He was confused, and told me as much.
I replied, “My friend, the Holy Spirit speaks to us today through this Word, the Bible!”
It is true that God speaks to all mankind in a general way through nature (Job 12:7-10; Psalm 19:1-4; Romans 1:18-20), and which can also include dreams (Job 33:13-17). Yet it is through the Holy Scriptures (i.e., the 66 Book canon of the Holy Bible) that God reveals Himself to mankind in a special way.
When Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews, he encouraged the Christians to be faithful to God. As one example of why this was so important, Paul quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures:
Hebrews 3:7-11-Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “TODAY, IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS IN THE REBELLION, IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, 9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TESTED ME, TRIED ME, AND SAW MY WORKS FORTY YEARS. 10 THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THAT GENERATION, AND SAID, ‘THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN MY WAYS.’ 11 SO I SWORE IN MY WRATH, ‘THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.’ “
Did you notice how Paul introduced the Scripture? “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says.”
Paul understood that the Holy Scriptures were the Voice of the Holy Spirit.
Again, notice that throughout the Letters to the seven churches of Revelation, as John concludes each of his Epistles, he reminds them that these written Epistles were the Voice of the Holy Spirit:
Revelation 2:7-“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ‘
Revelation 2:11-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
Revelation 2:17-“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ‘
Revelation 2:29-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘
Revelation 3:6-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘
Revelation 3:13-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘
Revelation 3:22-He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘ “
The Holy Spirit speaks to us through Holy Scripture, friends.
My friend in jail ministry (like many others) had been taught that the Holy Spirit will speak to each person in a way that is separate and apart from His Word. The Prophet Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 8;20-To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
If you have a “voice” claiming to be of God, compare it with the Holy Scriptures. That is how you know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error!
1 John 4:6-We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
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