Hearing God's Voice

an Inductive Bible Study by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Bkmrk

How I long to know God. To know him intimately. I want him to be able to lead me, and I want to follow him. I know you do, too. We long to hear God's voice. I know that is his desire, too.

Years ago I heard an incredibly stupid statement: "I would rather hear a verse than a voice." The person meant well, I am sure. He didn't want to be misled. But he had replaced a personal God-centered faith with an objective Bible-centered faith, and didn't know the difference. The truth is, that as we study how God spoke to individuals in the Bible, it wasn't usually by a familiar verse, but an apt word or direction for their particular situation.

If you've studied with me in the past then you know how much reverence I have for God's written word. I believe the Bible is God's Word to us. It is authoritative, and our rule for faith and practice. Most assuredly!

But it is not as if God stopped speaking when the last apostle died. God has always been speaking, and always will. His words now are not to replace the Bible or add to it. That has been completed.

He speaks to us now to guide and inform us. To teach us and to make our ministries effective.

I want to teach you how to listen for God's voice. Some Christian lessons are best taught inductively -- that is, by questions that force you to seek what a particular message or passage means. Others are best taught deductively, with a teacher leading you through points of doctrine, carefully guiding you around the fine points. But sometime we need to learn skills, and these are best taught by observing someone else do it, talking about it, and then practicing the skill yourself.

Learning to hear the voice of God is a faith-based skill. Sometimes God will break through any barriers we have set up against him, but usually he speaks freely only when we are listening. Listening is a behavior on which we need some coaching to learn well. This 6-lesson series is really a mixture of inductive and deductive instruction and skills coaching. Jesus taught his disciples in each of these ways.

Here's the 6-week course outline. Sometime we'll do an online Bible study on this, but nothing is currently scheduled.

1.	Speak for your servant hears Basic guidelines for hearing God	1 Samuel 3	Questions Readings Exposition
2.	Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy The outbreak at Pentecost	Acts 2:1-21	Questions Readings Exposition
3.	Access to the Mind of Christ The dynamics of hearing God's voice	1 Corinthians 2:9-16	Questions Readings Exposition
4.	Words and Impressions to the Apostle Paul Clear and fuzzy words.	Acts 16:6-10; 18:7-11; 20:22-23; and 23:11	Questions Readings Exposition
5.	Practical Instructions for Hearing This week I'll be sharing my own experiences and learnings. Late in the week we'll have a "chat"	Many scriptures	Questions Readings Chat Exposition
6.	Earmarks of the Lord's Voice Dealing with fears and dangers	James 3:17	Questions Readings Exposition

Here are some books on Hearing God's Voice that you may find helpful.

A sermon by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, "Hearing the Voice of the Lord" (John 5:19, 30), July 2, 2006, time 37:46 (6.6 MB)

Bkmrk

	Search