HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD: “The Still Small Voice”
INTRODUCTION
Something that many Christians today say is “God speaks to me through a still small voice or inward prompting.” They will say “God told me this” or "God told me that”, and they believe that God personally speaks to them through inner feelings, quiet impressions, or mental nudges. They describe this as a “still small voice,” often claiming this is how God provides direction or confirms His will in daily life. But is this what the Bible instructs us to do in order to hear from God? Is it potentially dangerous to do so? Or is it a perfectly normal and acceptable way of operating as a Christian?
Let’s dive into this today while we get to the bottom of this. We invite you to bring your thinking cap as we ask important questions to determine whether this is a real event, or can be attributed to something else. In all things at Video Game Gospel, our goal is to always ask: “What does the Bible say in regards to all this?”
To do so, we are going to follow the following rules as we explore this topic of the “Still Small Voice” Theology.
We will give an accurate description of the belief in question.
We will even provide Scriptural proof texts used to substantiate the belief in question.
Then we will provide Biblical examination and ultimately refutation if the belief turns out to be untrue according to Scripture.
Ultimately as in everything we produce, it isn’t to staunchly promote a biased, bigoted, egotistical opinion. Rather we love God with a fervent love, and thus as the Scripture says, we love Truth (John 14:6, 2 Thessalonians 2:10). We desire it greatly and pursue it with the whole host of our being. When we produce a publication like this for you, it is out of the earnest position of our heart to both know and love the Truth, and to love you, by providing you with a resource to sharpen yourself in the word.
Now before we dive into the content, let’s cover 3 baseline facts on how to properly perform Biblical interpretation. This is important to establish, as we cannot have any meaningful or edifying discussion or study, unless we outline our terms and the basis by which we will be judging all claims.
First, How do we properly use Scripture in context:
Well first we must understand: The people it was written to, the time it was written in, what certain words or phrases meant to people back then, and finally understanding the broader scope of the chapter and book.
Second, We need to also make sure we do not misapply Scripture: We do that by paying close attention to word usage and the subject of the text, both contextually, and historically, also by comparing Scripture to Scripture, not arguing from silence, and not applying theology to the text that isn’t there. We aim to give the plain reading of the text as was meant to be understood without extrabiblical knowledge.
Third, we need to discern the prescriptive parts of Scripture versus the descriptive parts of Scripture: We do this by noticing whether the passage speaks of a singular event, or prescriptions for us today. Next we look at the difference between prescriptive commands for a people and a time, or whether they are timeless.Lastly we look for historical evidence of continuance, such as early church reports, or New Testament records, taking the New Testament records as superior since they are God’s word, and early church writings, are not.
Now that we have covered that, let's begin by presenting the case for hearing the voice of God, and then we will examine it via Scripture to see if it is true. In all things, let’s let Scripture be our guide!
SCRIPTURAL CLAIM #1:
1 Kings 19:12 - The Still Small Voice
“And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
The Claim States:
God chose to communicate in a soft, inward manner rather than dramatic signs. Advocates say this shows God speaks internally and gently to believers as He did to Elijah. Proponents of this view will cite 1 Kings 19:12 where Elijah experienced wind, earthquake, fire, and finally heard “a still small voice.”
Biblical Examination:
The issue with this view is it violates a number of things that render it rather easily dismantled.
This event was not normative. It was never repeated in History before or after.
The word used It was a physical, external event, not a subjective inner feeling. Elijah was a prophet who received literal words from God, not vague impressions.
In the Hebrew text, the phrase “when Elijah heard” (כִּשְׁמֹעַ אֵלִיָּהוּ) uses the standard verb šāmaʿ in its normal sense of audible hearing, a term never used in Scripture to describe unspoken inner promptings, but always tied to an external source that is physically perceived.
In this situation, the voice of God was an external event, and not an internal one. Scripturally you cannot support the idea of an inward voice according to these words, as this is not what the text describes anywhere in Scripture. The “still small voice” was audible by all accounts of biblical examination, not a private inward sensation. The passage records what happened once, not how believers are to hear from God today, as nowhere is it commanded, recorded, or even repeated in the New Testament. It is a standalone event, and while God is capable of doing anything He wishes, including speaking internally, there is no evidence to support He ever has, nor will ever do such a thing.
Again the still small voice was audible, and out of the over 100 times God speaks audibly in the Bible, exactly zero are described as vague inner impressions or a quiet inward whisper that we must learn to tune into.
When God spoke:
The earth quaked (Exodus 19:18-19)
Moses’ face shone with glory (Exodus 34:29-30)
Elijah wrapped his face in a mantle and stood trembling (1 Kings 19:13)
Isaiah cried “Woe is me” when he saw the Lord (Isaiah 6:5)
Ezekiel fell on his face repeatedly (Ezekiel 1:28; 3:23; 43:3)
Daniel fainted and was sick for days (Daniel 8:27)
Paul was blinded and fell to the ground (Acts 9:3-9)
Peter, James, and John fell on their faces in fear when the Father spoke from heaven (Matthew 17:6)
Even John, the apostle, “fell at his feet as dead” when Christ spoke in Revelation (Revelation 1:17)
Each of these encounters with God’s voice produced tangible fear, awe, trembling, or physical reaction. None were private nudges, emotional signals, or soft impressions left to be vaguely interpreted. So the idea that the Voice of God can come upon you as a gentle inward nudge in your inner man, is completely against the whole host of Scripture that says otherwise. To argue that He does this today, is to argue from silence, and to argue against the normative experience Scripture gives. Scripture never instruct believers to expect this, as a means to hear from God. God does not change (Malachi 3:6), the way He spoke in the Old Testament, is the way He speaks today, audibly.
Whenever God spoke, it was recorded as Scripture, so should His word be recorded today if He were to speak again to us outside of Scripture. There is no biblical precedent for God delivering new, private revelations that are vague, unrecorded, or unverifiable. To claim such is to bypass God's ordained method of communication: the written Word.
SCRIPTURAL CLAIM #2:
John 14:26 - The Spirit teaches you
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
The Claim States:
John 14:26 is proof that the Holy Spirit teaches believers through inner prompting, quiet thoughts, peace, or conviction. The phrase, “He shall teach you all things”, is interpreted to mean the Spirit actively reveals truth moment by moment in a conversational, relational way. This is believed to include real-time guidance or prompting on daily decisions, warnings of danger, or theological insights beyond the written Word through observation and realization.
Biblical Examination:
We wholeheartedly agree that the Holy Spirit does teach and guide us, the method by which He does so must be defined by Scripture, not by personal theology or emotional interpretation. One major issue with this popular view is that it fundamentally ignores who Jesus was speaking to, and what He was promising. This was prophecy that was later fulfilled. We acknowledge this verse echoes other verses such as John 16:13 that says “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” It is important to remember the context of these Scriptures. This was spoken by Jesus, to His disciples, during the Last Supper. These men had physically walked with Christ, heard His teachings, and were being commissioned to bear authoritative witness as apostles in the coming years.
The context of this passage above, is not that the Holy Spirit will give us new revelation, but that it was a prophetic announcement by Jesus of how the Holy Spirit would bring to their remembrance the very words Jesus had physically spoken to them, as fulfilled in Luke 24:8, John 2:22, John 12:16 and so on. Jesus was not giving a universal promise to every believer about personal mystical guidance that’s extrabiblical. He was assuring His apostles that the Spirit would help them remember His words. For the express purpose of being apostles, establishing doctrine, and ultimately making sure they would write down the exact words of Christ for the benefit of future generations, including ours!
While it is true that we, as modern believers, benefit from the Spirit bringing Scripture to us through our own study, through happenstance planned by God, and through various means as the word is implanted in our hearts (Colossians 3:16, James 1:21). It is important to understand the context of these verses, even verses such as 1 John 2:27 which tells us:
“But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”
These Scriptures must be interpreted consistently with how the bible teaches us how the Spirit teaches us : Through the Word, and not through internal promptings that are extrabiblical.
The Greek word used in John 14:26 for “remembrance” is hypomnēsei (ὑπομνήσει), meaning to recall something already said. It does not mean to deliver something new. The Spirit was not promising novel insight, but supernatural recollection of Jesus’ actual words for the purpose of recording the New Testament and being given authority to write Scripture in the form of the epistles and letters. The promise in John 14:26 was specifically for those who heard Jesus teach in person, not us.
Now that the apostles have fulfilled that promise for us, writing and preserving the teachings of Christ, the Holy Spirit does in fact continue to teach and guide us, but He does so through the Word they left behind, not outside of it.
The nuance often missed here is this: the promise of John 14:26 was made to the apostles and fulfilled in them, but the fruit of that promise, the inspired, preserved Word, is for all of us. We are taught by the same Spirit, not through new revelations, but by the Word which He authored through those chosen men. It is not a lesser ministry; it is the exact means by which the Spirit now leads, instructs, corrects, and sanctifies us (Psalm 119:105, John 17:17).
There is nothing in the text suggesting believers would receive continuous private instruction apart from Scripture. That interpretation is injected into the text, not drawn from it.
Furthermore, the Bible is explicit in how the Spirit instructs the Church today:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Scripture is enough. It either equips us fully and completely as this passage states, or it does not. If it does not, and if God is still “speaking” new things today outside His Word, then that would mean 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is false being it is clearly not sufficient then. If it is false, then how can we trust any part of the Word, including the passage cited to indicate God does go against His Word. But think of the irony, in teaching a theology that says God goes against His word now and gives us extrabiblical revelation, when His word says that all we need for perfection, and to be righteous, and thoroughly furnished unto good works is the completed word of God. The theology of hearing from God subtly teaches the blasphemous idea that God is a liar, and does not follow His own word. This we utterly reject, and strongly encourage all believers to as well. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is either true and His word is all we need to be made perfect, or it is untrue, and if so, then so would be God. This is a conclusion we cannot accept as Christians.
Now, we do not deny that the Spirit teaches. He does. He teaches the truth, by the truth, through the truth, which is the Word of God. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” - John 17:17. To claim that the Spirit gives you new truths or revelations outside of it however, is to blaspheme the character of God and undermine the very Bible you claim to believe.
It either is complete, perfect, and supplies all we need to be doctrinally, and spiritually perfect as it says, or it’s not, and if it's not, by affirming God speaks to you outside of Scripture, is to say God has lied in His own word. Then God is no God at all, and by your belief you blaspheme God and make Him a liar.
SCRIPTURAL CLAIM #3:
Romans 8:14-16 - “Led by the Spirit” and “the Spirit beareth witness”
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Claim States:
Romans 8:14-16 is another verse that proves the Holy Spirit personally leads, prompts, and speaks to believers internally. Many claim that true Christians are “Spirit-led” in a direct and intimate sense. They teach that the Spirit provides real-time guidance, subjective confirmation, and internal peace that affirms decisions or beliefs.
Being “led” is said to mean that the Holy Spirit will personally nudge a believer toward the right job, relationship, decision, or path, and if you are not experiencing this kind of guidance, or if you would allow “If you don’t have the Holy Spirit GPS”, you might not truly be a child of God, they conclude.
Verse 16 is taken to reinforce this: that the Spirit “bearing witness” is a kind of divine whisper or inner knowing, a supernatural sense of peace, direction, or revelation that confirms either your salvation or your choices.
Many also use this verse to defend subjective truth claims, saying, “I just know this is what God wants because the Spirit confirmed it in me.” In this framework, internal impressions are placed on par with divine communication and oftentimes above the Word of God. The “witness” is not simply about identity in Christ, but a moment-by-moment spiritual feedback loop
Biblical Examination:
One does not need to try very hard to simply read the context and receive the plain meaning of this chapter and verse. When one does so, it becomes evidently clear that Romans 8:14-16 is not about a mystical leading of impressions in the inward man. Rather, it begins with a declaration:
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,”
followed by a definition that shows the heart position of a son of God:
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
Then it concludes with a summary that the Charismatic and Word of Faith teachers twist completely out of context:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
They would very much like to take the word “with” and change it to “to” so they can claim this means the Spirit mystically confirms something inside us with promptings, impressions, or whispered assurance. But the context clearly shows it is a witness to God, that we are His children, not some kind of private, emotional confirmation being sent to us.
The entire chapter describes how those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God, and how that is evidenced both in the spiritual realm by the Spirit’s testimony and in our lives by our putting off of the flesh. This is a chapter about sanctification and how true Christians have departed from iniquity and now walk according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh.
There is zero indication in the text that this is meant to be interpreted as mystical inner guidance. In fact, the text refutes that idea completely, especially when examined with the original Greek.
Let’s look at the context that sets the stage:
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” - Romans 8:12-14
Paul is identifying the believer not by mystical impressions or divine whispers, but by a clear and total departure from sin and a life that is yielded to the Spirit through obedience.
This defines what it means to be “led by the Spirit.” It is not promptings, inner nudges, confirmations, or directional guidance. It is about living under the authority of God’s Word and departing from iniquity. Not one reference to decision-making guidance is mentioned here, nor anywhere else in Scripture. Instead, the Bible clearly defines our guidance through these verses:
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
The word is the lamp unto our feet, and the light unto our path, not inner feelings or promptings, not your gut, not your peace, not your emotions.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
We are not to lean on our own understanding, which includes trusting our own feelings, confirmations, internal impressions, and supposed “promptings.” Instead, we are to acknowledge God, that is, obey His commands, and then He will direct our paths. That does not mean giving us a whisper about which steps to take. It means He orders our life providentially in response to our obedience.
The Greek word for “led” is (ἄγονται - agontai) which means “to be guided, carried, or driven.” It is a passive verb. It refers to something that is done to the believer, not something he senses, feels, or discerns. It is never used to describe impressions or internal promptings anywhere in Scripture. For example, Luke 4:1 uses the same word:
“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.”
This was a literal action, not a subjective feeling.
Likewise, the Greek for “beareth witness” is (συμμαρτυρεῖ - summarturei), which means to co-testify, to confirm alongside. It is a legal term, like in a courtroom. This witness is not a secret whisper into our mind. The Spirit testifies before God that we are sons by dwelling in us and transforming us, not by speaking feelings into us.
And in verse 15, the text says, “whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” The cry is ours, not the Spirit’s. Charismatics invert this truth and treat it as if the Spirit cries out into our hearts. But the text plainly says it is we who cry out, because we have been adopted. This is the natural fruit of sonship: intimacy, prayer, and love for the Father. It is not a mystical voice we hear, but a new identity we walk in.
The presence of the Spirit enables boldness in prayer, confidence in sonship, and a life of obedience. That is what this passage is about, not promptings, not decisions, and not “feeling led” or hearing God’s voice.
SCRIPTURAL CLAIM #4:
John 10:27 - “My Sheep Hear My Voice”
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
The Claim States:
That all true believers have a personal, two-way communication line with God. “My sheep hear my voice” is interpreted to mean that every Christian can and should hear God speaking directly to them in a way that is:
Continuous
Personal
Relational
Beyond Scripture
This includes:
Inward whispers
A “knowing” in the spirit
Emotional confirmations
Vivid thoughts that are believed to be divinely planted
It's also used to exclude people who reject this idea, implying, “If you don’t hear His voice like I do, maybe you're not one of His sheep.”
Biblical Examination:
It is important to understand John 10 is not about mystical inner dialogue. It’s about recognizing Christ as the Messiah. The “voice” refers to Jesus’ public teaching and His identity as the true shepherd (see verses 1-5, 14-16) and how His sheep Hear (believe).
“And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” - John 10:5
This is not about personal decision-making or inner promptings, it’s about how those who are truly saved, will flock to Christ. The saying comes from how real sheep in those days, and even today, do in fact flock to their shepherd and follow Him.
Additionally the Word “Voice” (Greek: φωνὴν - phōnēn) refers to audible speech in the Gospels. There is no indication this is about spiritual “sensing” or silent prompting. Christ is literally teaching in public, and those who are His sheep believe Him and follow.
Also take not of the parallel in John 8:43, 47
“Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.”
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”
“Hearing” = receiving the Word, believing the message, obeying the truth. It is not about ongoing, personal whispers but recognizing the authority of Jesus and the Word of God.
“My sheep hear my voice” does not mean that believers receive private messages from Jesus. It means they recognize the voice of the Shepherd in the Word, believe it, and follow Him in obedience. That voice is not found in feelings, but in the pages of Scripture.
THE DANGER OF MAKING YOURSELF A FALSE PROPHET
Scripture repeatedly warns about the seriousness of claiming to speak for God when He has not spoken. In 2 Peter 2, we are told that many false prophets will arise, bringing in damnable heresies, damning themselves, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction. In Jeremiah 14:14-15, the Lord declares that these prophets speak lies in His name, and that He did not send them, command them, or speak to them. He promises that they will utterly perish for their deception. In Jeremiah 28, the false prophet Hananiah publicly contradicted the word of the Lord, even fabricating a symbolic act by breaking the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck. The Lord’s judgment was swift, Hananiah died within the year.
God and Scripture is very clear from the Old to New Testaments that speaking lies in God’s name is no small matter. Scripture warns that those who take this path place themselves under the judgment of God, forfeiting their share in salvation and proving themselves unworthy of eternal life, just as Hebrews 6:4-8 and 2 Peter 2:20-21 describe Because of this, Christians ought to be extremely careful saying that their inner feelings, promptings, and what they call “God” speaking to them is in fact God. Because if you are wrong, deceived, or lying, you should expect the judgement of 2 Peter 2.
This may sound harsh, but consider this. What is the greatest thing in existence? Is it not the Lord God? When people flock to the television to hear the Presidents speak, do they not pay him honor? How much more when the Great One of Israel, the God and Father to us all speaks a single Word toward us? When God speaks, the earth trembles, people fall on their knees, and never ever has it ever been described as internal, but always external.
A person thinks God speaks to them inside their head, yet disregards all the things He has already spoken. Children die in Bombings, but God directs you which turkey to buy for celebrations? Can it be that you have exalted YOUR OWN inner voice to the place of Scripture and the Words of God, committing great blasphemy every time?
Something not to be discounted is the real existence of the inner voice many people have, a mental narration or “internal monologue” that plays silently in the mind. It is not God, nor is it divine in nature. It is you. You with all your beliefs, determinations, and convictions which likely are not all in perfect alignment with God and His Word, even for the best of us. To trust this internal monologue as if it were God’s voice is to exalt yourself to the place of God, a blasphemy compounded when one declares, “Thus saith the Lord.” What a great crime it is when the depth of such depravity is truly realized. Not only is there no biblical precedent for hearing God’s voice “inside your head,” there is also psychological evidence showing it is most likely nothing more than your own thoughts reflected back to you.
Christians today mock God when they say “God told me this - God told me that”
When a person claims “God told me” through a voice in their head, they may simply be describing a psychological phenomenon that not all people even possess, and that itself varies in frequency and intensity. Understanding this natural mental function is crucial before attributing it to divine communication.
This is not a trivial matter folks. To attribute your own thoughts, impressions, or feelings to the Lord is to risk standing before Him as a false prophet. It is a salvific issue, because Scripture makes no allowance for those who misrepresent God’s words. God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Yet those who promote subjective inner revelations create confusion, both for themselves and for those they influence. They may be utterly convinced that what they “heard” was from God, but self-deception does not excuse blasphemy.
It is absurd to think that God would remain silent toward entire nations in crisis, yet take the time to tell you which coffee to buy. The God of Scripture never spoke in vague, cryptic riddles that required the hearer to sift through impressions to guess at His meaning. His word was clear, direct, and undeniable.
Many who seek these “words from God” do so while neglecting the Word already given. They will ignore clear biblical commands that confront their sin, yet eagerly obey an imagined inner whisper that makes them feel special. This reveals the real problem, a lust for spiritual experiences that replace submission to God’s written revelation.
Jesus declared, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). If the eternal Word will outlast creation itself, how much more should we trust it above fleeting feelings? To regard Scripture as less valuable than so-called “fresh revelation” is to despise what God esteems.
Those who lack the Holy Spirit often attempt to fabricate religious experiences in order to convince themselves and others that they have spiritual life. But the Spirit’s true work is not in supplying novel messages; it is in regenerating, sanctifying, and empowering through the Word.
The sobering reality is that claiming “God told me” when He did not is the very definition of a false prophet. And the biblical penalty for such presumption is severe.
Many people seek special treatment in hearing from God, claiming unique promptings or inner voices, while neglecting the Word He has already given. Scripture has been divinely preserved for instruction, yet it is often set aside in favor of personal impressions. When a command in Scripture is difficult or unwelcome, it is commonly ignored, while inward feelings are elevated above God’s sufficient Word. Yet heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will remain. In comparison, inward promptings amount to nothing when set beside the eternal authority of the Holy Scriptures.
One last consideration from Scripture on this wise:
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”
2 Peter 1:19
The context of this passage is Peter discussing how they heard the voice of God on the mount when they were with Jesus. Yet immediately after he says, that “We have also a more sure word of prophecy” and begins speaking of the OT Scriptures.
His point is not that the Father’s words were unreliable, but that the written Word is even more reliable because it is permanent, unchanging, and available to all. Peter’s argument dismantles modern claims of inner whispers: even if one could hear an audible voice as Peter did, Scripture is still the higher authority.
One might say “Yea, well… I heard God so you are wrong” Peter would respond with “I heard Him too, yet we have a more sure word of prophecy.”
And now, even those words from Peter, have become Scripture for us, thus cementing this teaching eternally.
HOW GOD DOES GUIDE YOU
Now some will say, “I know God led me to speak to that person,” or, “I felt a strong urge to pray, share the Gospel, or something else, and later it made perfect sense,” or, “I just knew I had to go that way, and I avoided disaster.” These kinds of statements are used often, not just by charismatics, but by many sincere believers, who would agree with everything we have said thus far, yet cannot shake the reality of that experience.
The problem is that experience is not the measure of truth. Feelings and impressions are unreliable. They may line up with God’s will, or they may not and that uncertainty is exactly why Scripture never points us to them as a source of guidance. When we trust in these uncertain feelings to guide our lives, we place internal reflection above the authority of His Word.
This does not mean God is absent from our lives or indifferent to our steps. Surely He directs us, but the Bible is clear that He does so through His Word and His providential ordering of events, not by inserting secret commands into our minds. Proverbs 3:6 says
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
We do not deny that these things happen, nor do we mock those who testify of such experiences. But we must ask: what is really happening? Is this the voice of God, or something else?
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin (John 16:8), provides a way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13), guides into truth (1 John 2:27), and sanctifies the believer through the Word (John 17:17). He is also grieved when we sin (Ephesians 4:30), and can be resisted (Acts 7:51). The Spirit is not an impersonal force; He is God, present, intimate, and active within the believer. However, nowhere does Scripture say He communicates through untraceable “nudges” or vague mental whispers.
So yes, the Spirit works in us. He is not distant or passive. But we must distinguish between what Scripture says He does and what people claim He feels like.
When a believer recognizes the need to pray, or obey Scripture by preaching the Gospel, this is not new revelation or divine speech. It is the conscience and the inner man, shaped by the Word of God, responding to what is already written. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to sanctify and steer the child of God. That’s what Scripture says.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” - John 17:17
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...” - Colossians 3:16
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” - Romans 12:2
When the Word of God fills a man, it produces godly thoughts, desires, and instincts that align with God’s word. This is not to confuse your own desires with God’s however. Not everything you think and feel and believe is correct. This is why we never rely on ourselves, but only the Word of God.
What many call a “prompting” is likely just a process of psychology, where the observant person notices key details, remembers truths that they have accepted into their hearts, and feels a strong urge to act on them.
People call that God, they call that the Holy Spirit, and in an indirect sense they are correct, but really what is happening from a psychological perspective, is that a person is simply acting on truth that is already in them when compared to their circumstance.
A very good real world proof of this, is our convictions. A lot of Christians will say they either “do” or “do not” feel convicted about something. Then later, that same Christian will change their position on that matter as sanctification takes place. So tell me, was the Holy Spirit not speaking to them when they were not convicted? And only is speaking to them now that they are?
Is God a God who only sometimes demands you obey His word? Or always? And if so, is He so weak to not be able to give you those feelings before you were convicted?
If that were to be true, and our inward feelings of conviction were our guide, all of us would be perfect already, with no need for Scripture. But the fact that our convictions change, and change in accordance to sanctification in the Word of God, shows us that your convictions are once again just you.
So when a Christians says they operated based on a conviction or lack thereof, they are really just saying, “I did what I wanted”. Your convictions are based on your heart, and the heart is wickedly deceptive:
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
The only way we are guided by God is through the Word of God, and by His divine Orchestration in our lives, despite our convictions, thoughts, beliefs, or preparedness.
SUMMING THIS ALL UP
Scripture nowhere instructs believers to seek or follow inner promptings as God’s voice, and attaching “Thus saith the Lord” to private impressions is unsafe and often condemned. Normative guidance is by the written Word, wisdom, prayer, counsel, and providence, with God’s extraordinary speech being public, clear, and verifiable in redemptive history.
Here are some things to remember from this:
Scripture is sufficient for all guidance and godliness and we need nothing else:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17Scripture is more sure than any form of current prophecy, sign, or revelation.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:” 2 Peter 1:19God’s warning against becoming a false prophet is severe judgement, even unto hell.
“Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:3-32
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3Providential guidance happens apart from nudges, emotions, and inner feelings:
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6
Consider this: Why is it, one feels an unbearable need to preach the Gospel, but yet another casually walks by letting his brother preach alone, or fails to feel the same conviction?
There were times before where I did not feel the need to share the Gospel with everyone I could, yet when I read the word which told me that if I do not warn a wicked man of his ways, I am guilty of his blood (Ezekiel 3:18-21). Suddenly through the word, I received conviction, and through that conviction I was emboldened to preach.
Did not the Holy Spirit always intend me to preach, why then before without the Word did I feel nothing? Is it not the word which changed me, is it not the mind being renewed (Romans 12:2) and the spirit being sanctified by the Spirit of Truth through the word of God in which we are sanctified by thy truth (John 17:17) and receive faith by the hearing of the word (Romans 10:17), that causes us to act?
So is it a prompting when we feel emboldened to preach, or our emotions responding to the need to obey the Word planted deep within us through study and acceptance?
Inner peace and personal promptings are not biblical categories. But the power of the Word of God to transform a man’s inner life and outward actions is.
The mystery is this: it is not feelings that lead us, but the Word planted in us, used by the Holy Spirit, producing obedience and boldness and conviction.
That is not a mystical revelation. That is sanctification.
To claim otherwise, is to insist God speaks through extra-biblical feelings, thoughts, impressions, or inner voices. And to do that is to make void the sufficiency of Scripture and commit blasphemy against God, and the nature of God's revelation.
God’s voice is always described as authoritative, direct, and clearly understood. God is not a “god” of confusion, and in no instance is his voice a mumble or needs to be discerned further. God’s instructions are clear and unmistakable. When Jesus perceived the disciples didn’t understand what He was saying, He explained it further audibly, and not by internal impressions.
When God audibly called Samuel’s name to get his attention, Samuel knew it was the Lord. From Scripture we cannot see anywhere that God gives "impressions" or “instructions” that later need to be figured out what He meant and what your response should be. That has never happened in Scripture even once. Not only this, but it certainly is not something we are told in Scripture will happen to us, nor should we expect it.
FINAL CHARGE
I pray that this short publication has opened your eyes, and will help you walk with greater understanding. To avoid teachers who claim God leads through extra-biblical means, and to trust alone in the Word of God, as preserved perfectly for us in English in the King James Bible.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18
Be not deceived brothers and sisters, it is indeed a false unbiblical teaching from false prophets who teach you should expect to hear the voice of God in your inner men. Such men and women shall have their just reward in the day of judgement. For you, be strong in the faith, and encouraged.
Encourage others to read this, so they might also be set free from such false teaching. Many go doubting their faith as they expect to hear from God, yet hear nothing. Or others go into heresy, delusion, and ultimately throw their lives away because they chose to manifest this voice by “Listening and waiting” while ignoring the sufficiency of Scripture right in front of them. Many have been brought low to lose house, and home, and many a thing, because they trusted in themselves, and called it God, instead of the Holy unerring Word of God.
For those you know that are stuck in this theology, pray for them, that God would draw them out by any means necessary and that He would show them the truth. Send them this, and ask them for their thoughts.
People in this theology are generally lost, seeking some kind of sign, or feeling, or inward prompting, and in the end they end up taking whatever feels best, instead of what is best, and to their own destruction they are led. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters, that they may come out of this delusion, and walk in the glorious light of the Word of God.
Walk in the Spirit by walking in the Word (Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:25; John 17:17).
Trust not your inward thoughts, but God’s revealed truth (Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:9; Psalm 119:160).
Let His Word be the lamp to your feet and the light to your path (Psalm 119:105; Psalm 119:130).
I leave you a quote from The Puritans and The Bible:
“...If their ‘private revelations’ agree with Scripture, they are needless, and if they disagree, they are false.”
