The Holy Spirit Says
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you will hear His voice,
Hebrews 3:7 (AMP)
I was raised in a denomination that taught me that God had spoken and that His final word, the one we could trust, was recorded in Scripture. Therefore, He no longer speaks to us today. If we want to listen to His voice, we should turn to our Bible. Because it was a completed deal, the canon was sealed and closed. I believed it. Yet, my spirit knew that there had to be more. How could a personal God, desiring fellowship with me because it was in my best interest to engage with him, remain silent? Have you ever felt this way?
I hold steadfast to the belief that the Bible is the ultimate, revelatory, authoritative, inerrant, and infallible word of God. It contains everything God wanted us to know for guidance, comfort, instruction, and correction. And yet, I also believe that God continues to speak to us through the Bible, prayer, and the voice of the Holy Spirit. This is not a heretical notion but a beacon of hope. The good news is that we can hear His voice today, right now, in this very moment.
The author of the letter to the Hebrews knew this to be true. That is why he boldly pinned the words: as the Holy Spirit says. This signifies that the communication between God and us has not only been enabled through Christ and made accessible through the Holy Spirit, but it has also remained uninterrupted. The Holy Spirit, a person, speaks to us today. Let us remember that he is not a thing; he is a person, a divine one with whom we can have a personal relationship. This is a beacon of hope, a reassurance of God's constant presence in our lives.
What is the specific message that the Holy Spirit has been continuously emphasizing? It is a profound message that has the potential to not only revolutionize our perspective on life but also to profoundly impact our behaviour and actions. This message possesses the remarkable power to bring about a complete transformation from within. The message is clear: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as [happened] in the rebellion [of Israel] and their provocation and embitterment [of Me] in the day of testing in the wilderness,” (Heb. 3:7-8, AMP)
Throughout my journey, there have been moments when I've felt a strong impression in my spirit. These experiences have been diverse, ranging from a sense of confidence to the Holy Spirit awakening me in the middle of the night or during my daily activities with a phrase from Scripture, a specific verse, or a story from the Old Testament. In these moments, I've learned to listen, to take pen and paper, and to write down whatever the Holy Spirit leads me to think, ponder, and reflect on. These personal encounters with God's voice have been transformative, deepening my understanding and connection with Him.
I used to mock and belittle those who shared accounts of hearing the voice of God or receiving divine messages. I would accuse them of dishonesty and criticize their theological beliefs, dismissing their experiences as mere fabrications from holding a lousy theology. The tenets of my theology have instilled in me the perspective of perceiving God through a more intellectual and analytical lens. That it was through studying the historical accounts and teachings contained in Scripture, that the Bible will provide us with a deeper understanding of God's character, divine plan, profound teachings, and limitless power. The denomination I was raised in taught me that understanding God's interventions in human history and grasping his prophetic revelations about the future is only possible through proper systematic study of Scripture. Yet, I was never taught how to cultivate a deep and personal connection with Him. Devotionals felt more like a list of rules and guidelines rather than a genuine opportunity to understand and connect with God truly.
By adhering to these prescribed rules, preconceptions, and denominational understanding of studying Scripture, I found that my heart eventually became hardened, and I practised religion rather than fostering a deep, profound, and personal relationship with God. Do not misunderstand me; as someone who has a theological formation, I do value the tools seminary gave me to study Scripture professionally.
The approach to Scripture involves focusing solely on the text itself. This may seem redundant, but it's important to remember that our study centres on Scripture and nothing else. When approaching the text, it is essential to consider the surrounding context and the specific background of the portion under study. We should aim to comprehend the core message conveyed in the text and discern the intended purpose of the segment we are analyzing. This process is what we refer to as observation. After making an observation, I must consider how to apply the insights gained to my daily life, current situation, and relationships and embody the truths I have learned.
This might sound mystical to some, but I have decided to free myself from the constraints of prescribed rules, preconceptions, and denominational interpretations of studying Scripture. I truly believe that God speaks to us today and that I can listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. I also acknowledge that God communicates with us through Scripture, prayer, and insights the Holy Spirit places into our hearts and spirits.