God TOLD Me

[HAMel]

Over the years I've heard many tell me that God Told Them to do this or that.

In my humble opinion, I don't believe the Lord "tells" people to do anything. Now over the years I've been impressed with the Holy Spirit but the Lord never spoke to me like he did during the Old Testament Days, or spoke to me specifically. Being impressed with the Holy Spirit is quite different than being "spoke" to.

I believe the Lord speaks through us (right now) specifically through His Word. Should we embark down any specific trail trying to find the interstate He will impress us one way or the other..., or open doors otherwise closed or put those in our path that are of great help.

I just don't think He speaks to us as many claim He speaks to them.

Anyone with any insights or thoughts on this matter?

 

[drfuss]

I believe that God can show us things to do in our lives. I also believe that many times we can be mistaken, particularly if we think God is showing us to do something that we want to do.

I have a close sincere relative that believed that God showed her that her son should marry, within three months, a girl whose husband had just been killed. She advertised this to the rest of the family that she stongly believed that God had showed her this; and she encouraged her son to get married right away. The marriage turned out to be a disaster.

She felt so strong about it that the rest of the family could not warn her or her son about it, because they would have thought that we were questoning God.

My lesson on this was that if we believe God is leading us on something, keep quiet about it unless there is a compelling reason to made it known. Once you claim that you believe God showed you something, you cut off sometimes needed advice form you family and friends.

 

[Tom Butler]

Although God has never spoken to me audibly, and I'm leery of those who glibly claim that God "told" them to do something, I am hesitant to rule it out completely.

A few years ago, someone very close to me told me that while she was vacuuming her carpet, she heard a voice say "Pray for Tom." She sort of ignored it the first time, but the voice came the second time, more urgently. She turned off the vacuum cleaner, fell to her knees and prayed for me, not knowing what to pray.

What she didn't know until later is that I had been rear-ended on a busy highway. Miraculously, I was not injured, and there was no visible damage to either vehicle. It turned out that it happened at the very moment she heard that voice.

So there are people who I think are so spiritually sensitive to the Holy Spirit that God may actually speak to them. I'm just not one of them.

Even though I've not heard such a voice, I am convinced that God knows how to communicate his will to individuals and groups. Sometimes it's directly through the scriptures; sometimes God simply opens doors; sometimes he simply closes them; and sometimes he gives one a strong impression.

That friend who prayed for me is now my wife. She's a terrific singer. She's convinced God moves her to sing a particular song by putting it in her mind and she can't get it out. If the practice goes well, that confirms it in her mind.

Since we've been married, I've seen this happen over and over. God didn't speak to her audibly, but she's certain that God led her to that song.

You wanta know what's weird. Now, she's getting songs in her mind that I'M supposed to sing.

 

[HAMel]

Back in the early 1970's I fell victim to two armed robbers one of which, stuck a knife to the back of my neck. During the robbery I had peace about the situation. Just before the they departed the one began to yell at the other one, "Don't stick him - don't stick him"..., at which time they fled.

This was at five after midnight. When I got home after the cops were finished my wife asked me what had happened. She had been asleep and woke up at about five minutes after midnight as she was being pushed down in the bed. She felt that something had happened to me but after a few minutes she felt peaceful about it all and fell back asleep..

Tom, who knows or understands that connection between humans? Holy Spirit? ...but she knew.

Back to the Lord speaking to us, I've really come to realize that hind-sight is 20 - 20 for sure. Looking back I can see where the Lord has worked in my life but didn't see it at the time of the unfolding. Interesting.

 

[canadyjd]

I have two short rules when people claim God has spoken to them.

1. Is what they heard consistent with scripture?

2. God speaking to them doesn't necessarily obligate me to do anything.

peace to youraying:

 

[ituttut]

Can't be wrong when you are Right!

Over the years I've heard many tell me that God Told Them to do this or that.

In my humble opinion, I don't believe the Lord "tells" people to do anything. Now over the years I've been impressed with the Holy Spirit but the Lord never spoke to me like he did during the Old Testament Days, or spoke to me specifically. Being impressed with the Holy Spirit is quite different than being "spoke" to.

I believe the Lord speaks through us (right now) specifically through His Word. Should we embark down any specific trail trying to find the interstate He will impress us one way or the other..., or open doors otherwise closed or put those in our path that are of great help.

I just don't think He speaks to us as many claim He speaks to them.

Anyone with any insights or thoughts on this matter?

Mel, I believe you are SO RIGHT. I believe today Heaven tis silent. And as you show His Word lives in the Bible, so God did not go off and leave us leave us alone. The Godhead does still exist.

The Bible is Alive today in the Present, and tells of the Past, and the Future. We should be aware that Christ Jesus from Heaven spoke to only One Apostle, face to face, to tell of the Gospel we are to believe, as we live.

Who believes this Gospel? I know the Baptist do, and I know others also believe our Gospel for today. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. So very simple, it is bewildering. After understanding that, we humans like to go in all directions as we work out our own salvation. I personally do my best to keep it as simple as possible. In Faith, I east what I want, Drink what I want, and believe God gave me an Apostle to listen to.

 

[Baptist Believer]

God has spoken to me on many occasions. Often, when I don't want to do something He wants me to do.

I made a "deal" with God years ago where I promised I would do whatever He told me to do if He would make His will clear to me. Over the years, this has involved:

- picking up stranded people from the side of the road
- knowing specific information about people in crisis (without having any human way to know) and intervening (for instance, people who are suicidal)
- confronting powerful people
- taking bold steps in my personal life to become a more faithful disciple
- being given the deep and abiding urge to pray about very specific things for others (that I would have no human way of knowing about) which are later revealed to be in line with what is happening in their private life

God has spoken to me through scripture, through sermons, through others, through an inner voice (very much distinct from my own internal monologue), through internal impulses that are distinct from my own, and once or twice through dreams.

It is my understanding that this experience is not common for many other Christians, but I think it is because I am very hard-headed unless God makes things very explicit to me.

 

[Dr. Bob]

If anyone actually hears little voices in their head and God "speaking", it isn't God. It is a very real form of mental illness and brain problems.

Not negative - sort of like deja vu where the brain tricks us into thinking what is happening and happened before. People with seizure disorders have this. So do bi-polar. Synapses in the brain not firing correctly. And most often a "male" issue (since our brains were messed with a testosterone flood at 6 months in the womb)

To the topic - I have felt the leading of God, direction from His Word (THOSE Words are trustworthy when properly understood) and peace.

A farmer was standing in his wheat field. He looked up and saw the clouds form "P" "C" and said to himself, "This is the call of God. I must Preach Christ".

He sold his land, went to college and seminary, took a pastorate and failed miserably. He was frustrated and everyone who endured him was frustrated.

He walked out under the stars and asked God why he was such a failure and what he was doing wrong. God spoke to him and said, "Why didn't you follow the sign I gave you?"

"You mean the 'P' and 'C' in the clouds?"

God said, "Yes. I was trying to give you warning about the falling wheat prices and put the sign there to Plant Corn."

 

[Baptist Believer]

If anyone actually hears little voices in their head and God "speaking", it isn't God. It is a very real form of mental illness and brain problems.

I must respectfully disagree.

Almost every time I sense God speaking to me it is confirmed through other people. It happens so frequently I cannot doubt God is doing it.

It is my understanding that many do not experience God in this way and that's fine. It does not mean that I'm special in any way, probably the opposite. I think it is also tied to the spiritual gifts God manifests through me.

Frankly, I am skeptical of many people who claim God has spoken to them because the "results" or "insights" of their experiences do not reveal God at work. I have a long history of intervening with people in crisis, sometimes strangers and sometimes people I know, and knowing exactly what is going on and being able to counsel them.

People who know me can testify to this, and they give God the glory, not me. It's really not about me at all.

 

[Osage Bluestem]

I believe God speaks to us through his word and through the internal urgings and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

 

[Tom Butler]

In addition to the things I mentioned in earlier posts, I have found that God works through circumstances.

Several years ago, my pastor asked me if I wanted to go with him and a dozen others on a mission trip to Romania. Truth to tell, I really didn't, but told him I'd pray about it, mainly to get him off my back.

The very next Sunday, our lesson text was "The fields are white unto harvest; pray ye therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send for laborers for the harvest."

Well, that hit me right between the eyes. I felt that God was using his own word against me.

In the meantime, a wrote a check to help pay the pastor's expenses (I wasn't going to need it, see).

I had my excuses all ready. I probably couldn't get away from work for two weeks; I wasn't to hot about flying over the Atlantic Ocean on an 8,000-trip. I had a bunch of reasons worked up.

God cut me off at the pass. To every reason came an answer in my mind. We have missionaries who have committed their lives, and you're worried about two weeks. These same missionaries fly across that ocean all the time. Yeah, and the Lord Jesus died for people in Romania. God really beat up on me.

Well, to make a long story short, I caved and said I'd go. Once that became known, my Sunday School class took up an offering for my travel expenses. Guess how much they gave? Exactly the same amount as the check I had written for my pastor's travel.

On top of that, there arose within me an intense desire to go--and go now (even though the trip was three months away). God was really doing a number on me.

He never spoke to me, but there was no doubt in my mind that this was not only his will for me, but that he had removed every barrier and opened every door so that I would have no reason not to go.

Oh, and when I asked my boss for that two weeks, he said, "No problem."

 

[righteousdude2]

For the Word/Message to Be of God . . .

. . . you and the other person must be in agreement with what is being shared.

I know exactly what you are saying, as I've had many well meaning people come up to me and tell me that. "God told me to tell you . . ."

Well, I've learned that the best reply to these folks is to tell them nicely, "Thanks, but, as of yet, I haven't heard God tell me that yet!"

Sometimes, they'll try to push their message, but, 9 times out of ten, they leave you alone!

I do believe God speaks to us. If I didn't believe this than how could I begin to believe the Bible was written by man, but, influenced by the Holy Ghost? God spoke to Moses, Joshua, and others.

Through an angel, God lead Peter out of a jail/prison, guarded by Roman soldiers. What if Peter had said, I don't believe. This is not possible! He'd have remained in jail/prison, and a tremendous miracle in Acts would have never happened! :tear:

I've also heard from God, sometimes in a very audible way. There was one time that I'll never forget. I was working as a coaching assistant for a local high school football team. While I was getting the medical bag ready to take to a game, I heard a voice (clearly say), Paul, "quickly move into the doorway", and as I moved, six rows of lockers tumbled in my direction, smashing to the floor.

What I didn't know was. the maintainance men had come in earlier, and loosened all the bolts holding the lockers to the floors. Six rows over, a janitor accidently bumped into the lockers, and like dominos they fell toward where I was. He did not say anything ( I aksed him after the incident), and no one else was there, so, it had to be the voice of God. I would have surely been seriously injured, or killed.

There have been other times I've heard the still, quiet voice of my Father, so I have no doubts. Does that make me "mental?" I don't think so!

What you believe is simply up to you HAMel, but the Bible is full of incidents where God spoke. In fact, one of my favorite teachings is when God had to speak through Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22) to get his "attention!"

If God can do that HAMel, I'm sure He can still speak through others when it is necessary to get our attention. It's just very important that we are careful to make sure that it was God's voice.

That is the key to understanding, and only you can recognize that voice and know the message is of Him.

Great post, and I'm just letting you know, that I'm a believer that God still speaks to His own! raying:

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

 

[Joshua2415]

The most common way God speaks to me is through flashes of inspiration. I'll be unsure about what to do or something that's bothering me, and then suddenly, it will "click" almost instantaneously, like a light switch was thrown. I'll "get" it, and then I work from there.

God does speak to me through circumstances. His favorite way to do this for me seems to be irony. It might be because that's how I understand things best, or maybe God likes irony. I always get it once the ironic circumstances appear or make themselves known, and I understand what God wants or is saying.

God can also use my emotions. When I was on the edge of faith, I could very, very strongly feel that something was dead wrong with where I was going, and it got stronger and stronger. I had an irresistible urge to pick up "Mere Christianity" and read it. The more I read, the stronger the feeling got--and finally I broke down and stopped stalling.

God has also quite literally "spoken" to me--not audibly, as I would fear that was a hallucination, but as a voice in my head, a very certain, concise voice that breaks the babble of thoughts in my head (stream of consciousness) and makes itself known. The most recent one I can remember is when I was about to enter a very large church here in Madison (practically a megachurch, non-denominational). I paused, feeling something was wrong, and suddenly the thoughts in my head actually paused, and I heard "there is nothing here for you." I went to church somewhere else that day. (Not that there's anything wrong with how others worship--but I have strict parameters for how I worship).

I am very discerning about things like this. For some reason (I would presume the Holy Spirit) I can instantly tell if it's my own mind telling me something I want to hear or God trying to tell me something. My mind always sounds the same--God is the still small voice.

 

[Tater77]

Though I have never felt divine inspiration nor heard the voice of God like the Prophets and Apostles, I quite often feel divine motivation. People hardly distinguish between them.

When I pray for advice or knowledge about something before bed and wake up with a clear answer in my mind. I know the source. So my experience is like that most of the time.

But to pray for something that seems impossible and God delivers in a way that leaves Him and only Him as the source of the miracle. Thats an honor and privilege to behold. :godisgood:

 

[Robert Snow]

Over the years I've heard many tell me that God Told Them to do this or that.

In my humble opinion, I don't believe the Lord "tells" people to do anything. Now over the years I've been impressed with the Holy Spirit but the Lord never spoke to me like he did during the Old Testament Days, or spoke to me specifically. Being impressed with the Holy Spirit is quite different than being "spoke" to.

I believe the Lord speaks through us (right now) specifically through His Word. Should we embark down any specific trail trying to find the interstate He will impress us one way or the other..., or open doors otherwise closed or put those in our path that are of great help.

I just don't think He speaks to us as many claim He speaks to them.

Anyone with any insights or thoughts on this matter?

The Lord told me you are correct! :laugh:

All kidding aside, you are correct in my opinion. I believe this claiming that God told me this and God told me that can be damaging both to the church and to the one saying it.

When a person makes this claim and then things obviously show him to be in error, the lost think this just proves that Christianity is a sham, and the person involved can get discouraged and fall away from trusting what God actually did say in the bible.

 

[HAMel]

righteousdude2, you said, "What you believe is simply up to you HAMel, but the Bible is full of incidents where God spoke. In fact, one of my favorite teachings is when God had to speak through Balaam's donkey (Numbers 22) to get his "attention!"

The Lord certainly does work in our individual lives and watches over us accordingly. What I was referring to is when folks just up and say, God told me this or that, which sometimes serves as a mere excuse to support their opinion on any given matter.

Based on the number of responses here it does indicate that as each of us are different, the Lord deals with each of us accordingly. On a personal level vice a blanket approach.

I knew of a man who felt the Lord called him to peach, packed up and left for school leaving, as he said, "The crops in the field". Fifteen years later he committed suicide. Sad.

 

[Aaron]

Concerning "prophecies": If they can be backed up by the Scripture, they're needless. If they can't, they're false.

 

[Baptist Believer]

What I was referring to is when folks just up and say, God told me this or that, which sometimes serves as a mere excuse to support their opinion on any given matter.

Yes, that's one of my pet peeves. If God has really told someone something, the fellowship of the church will have enough discernment to know whether or not it is from God without having to announce that God has said it. Jesus taught that His sheep will recognize the voice of the Shepherd, and I believe that to be true.

Based on the number of responses here it does indicate that as each of us are different, the Lord deals with each of us accordingly. On a personal level vice a blanket approach.

This is a very insightful observation.

Yes, God speaks to each of us in ways we can understand and distinguish His voice. I tend to be overly rational when studying the scriptures, so I have a harder time discerning God's voice in the pages of scripture when I am studying. However, when I am not in study, God communicates more clearly, often using scripture I have studied previously to come to kind in a way that complements and interprets the situation I am experiencing.

 

[Arbo]

When a person makes this claim and then things obviously show him to be in error, the lost think this just proves that Christianity is a sham, and the person involved can get discouraged and fall away from trusting what God actually did say in the bible.

I agree. When I read this, the first thought that came to mind was Oral Roberts and his City of Faith.

 

[HAMel]

Arbo, I thought of Benny Henn and his claims of being told one thing or another as coming from the Lord.