“How Does The Holy Spirit Speak?”

“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 SHOW YOU things to come.” John 16:13

This article is the continuation of my last post titled, “How to Hear From the Holy Spirit”. In that post, I did promise to expatiate on the various ways the Holy Spirit speaks to and leads the children of God…

Hence, this article seeks to scripturally point the Christian believer, to the various avenues, through which the Holy Spirit Speak to his Children. So they can always be sensitive to his voice and receive directions for themselves. Concerning any and every areas of their lives, which they need spiritual guidance on. Instead of running from one man after the other.

So What Then Are the Various Ways The Holy Spirit Speak?

1. The Witness of the spirit – Rom 8:16. One of the principal way the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer, is through the witness of the spirit (heart, or conscience). The word witness, from the original Greek word means- to give an evidence of something.
   
   Hence, the Holy Spirit always leads every true believer to what God will have them do per time, by a convicting evidence to the heart or conscience. Many a time, he supports the conviction in the heart or conscience with a very glaring scriptural truth. That the believer cannot sincerely wave off.
2. Jumping Scriptures—Psalm 119:105; “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Another principal way the Holy Spirit speaks very often to his children, is through striking revelations from scriptures that just jump at the believer’s heart. And this can be either when reading or meditating on the scriptures or any Christian literature.
   
   Then at some other times, it occurs even when not reading at all. The scriptural revelation, just jumps out from your spirit in total harmony with the situation you’re seeking answers from God to. And on some occasions, the scripture can be given to you in your dream.
   
   In order to position his or herself to be hearing from the Holy Spirit through scriptures, the believer must of a necessity, train his or her spirit to hear.
   
   And by training I mean, consistent reading, meditating and practicing of the word of God on a daily basis. Because most of the time, the Holy Spirit speaks to the believer, from the scriptures he or she is already aware of.
3. Audible Voice—Isaiah 30:21; “And thine EARS shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
   
   The Holy Spirit speaks to believers audibly. But though, rarely. Many men of God have confirmed to hearing from God through their ears only very few times. Some three times; and some others four times since they became Christians. I for one, I have only heard the audible voice of the Spirit once in all my Christian walk…
   
   And that was last year, as I was just about to wake up from my sleep. To be on a safer side, if you hear an audible voice, don’t just run with it. You must confirm it with a witness of the spirit and scriptural backing.
4. Authoritative Voice of the Spirit The authoritative voice of the Spirit, is what the Apostle Paul calls the Spirit speaking expressly in 1 Timothy 4:1. Through this avenue, you just receive a very strong and authoritative knowing in your spirit concerning what God wants you to do…
   
   You don’t hear anything in your ears, but after receiving the strong revelation in your spirit, it seems as if someone around or within you just spoke to you. I have had this particular experience about three or four times.
   
   And they have occurred to me when I would be asking God, concerning some critical issues that I am confused or not clear about. Whether he or the devil was the one speaking to me. Immediately, I get that authoritative voice in my spirit, I am instantly convicted of the truth of the matter.
5. Visions and Dreams: God speaks to the believer through visions and dreams. Visions include: Trance, Open visions, inner visions (with your eyes of faith) and dreams. I have never had an open vision or a trance.
   
   But I have gotten revelations through inner visions and dreams. But the dreams I accept as the directions of God are the one that as I wake up from my sleep, has a confirmation of the Holy Spirit, by the witness of the spirit…
   
   If as I wake up, I do not have any witness of the spirit concerning the dream, I just discard it.

The Holy Spirit also leads through situations or providence; through the words of other people (Either born again or not- with the witness of the spirit). He also leads through wisdom or common sense, peace… and a number of other ways…

But ultimately, amongst all these various avenues, he will always bear witness to the truth, through the witness of the spirit and scriptural truth. The Holy Spirit does not speak against or outside scriptural truth.

So regardless of the avenue you receive a revelation, you must check with the written word of God and the witness of the spirit (through conviction or peace). Then also to be on a safer side, when seeking guidance from God on any issue, especially critical issues (such as marriage). You should seek to get confirmation from about two or three avenues as stated above, before making a move. May God guide you continually in the path of righteousness, for his names’ sake in Jesus precious name!

Remain Blessed!

Emeke Odili