THE GOD WHO SPEAKS.

While we are in the prayer room, or in other ways spending extended time in earnest prayer, what is God saying to us?

How does God speak to me?

In Numbers 12, God says that even to his prophets he speaks in riddles, such as visions and dreams. God sometimes gives me dreams, and I have a sanctified imagination, I suppose, so I can relate to the OT prophets.

But with Moses He would speak face to face, as with a friend. Even so, Moses was deeply affected and afraid when he saw something of God. I'm not so sure what to make of this for my life.

Of course, God speaks today through His Word, which is largely contained in the Bible. That is a non-experiential source of communication, you might say, but those words can be trusted as from God, and they provide a great way for me to know the kind of things God might say, if He were to speak to me face to face, as with a friend.

In these last days (which have lasted 2000 years now), God has spoken to us through His Son. "We" beheld his glory, our eyes saw him, our hands touched him, and He became one of us--Emmanuel. That's powerful. What's more, Jesus rose from death and lives today. But that is only of theoretical help to me, because I have no promise that Jesus talks to me today.

However, Jesus promised his disciples that he would send another counselor, the Holy Spirit. Now we're getting somewhere.

This is a tricky subject, because it is so personal and subjective. There are plenty of people out there who are deranged but claim that God spoke to them. But just because there are false spirits doesn't mean that I should reject every spirit. Rather, I am told to discern the spirits to see if they are from God. If it is the Spirit of God, then I am to listen and obey.

If that Spirit indwells me, if I walk in step with the Spirit, if I am filled with the Spirit, if I do not despise prophecies and do not forbid speaking in tongues, if I do not quench or grieve the Spirit, and if I heed the Spirit, I believe that, on a very experiential level, I can hear God's voice and respond to His direct communication.

While we are in the prayer room, or in other ways spending extended time in earnest prayer, what is God saying to us? I want to invite anyone to comment or to send a blog.

What have you heard from God in the last week or two?