Do you expect the Holy Spirit to speak to you? Or do you believe that having such an experience is merely a far-fetched idea? The Holy Spirit is a real person. He was sent to guide us in this life. How can He possibly do that if we don’t expect to hear the “voice” of the Holy Spirit speaking to us?
Jesus promised His disciples to expect the Holy Spirit to speak to them when they suffer persecution for His name: “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak,” He said (Matthew 10:19, KJV). “For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” (verse 20).
Like the twelve disciples, we should expect the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Since He is a Spirit, we can’t see Him. He does not speak audibly. Rather, He speaks to our spirit.
For instance, Paul writes, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16, NASB). So, communication is from Spirit to spirit and not from Spirit to flesh.
“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit…”
1 Corinthians 2:9-10, KJV
If you are a genuine believer, the Holy Spirit is speaking to you to guide you into all truth. The challenge for you is to be able to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit.
My Preaching and the Voice of the Holy Spirit
As a preacher, I have been outlining my sermons since I started preaching over 40 years ago. It’s what I learned in seminary. But after some years of preaching, I became keenly aware of something. In the act of preaching, thoughts would come to mind seemingly from out of nowhere.
The interesting thing about this input I was receiving is that it was always applicable to what I was ministering on. Moreover, oftentimes, the thoughts that came to mind were better than what I had come up with during sermon preparation.
Initially, however, I resisted saying what I was receiving impromptu because I had not had a chance to vet the input!
Eventually, I realized that the input I was receiving was from the Holy Spirit. These days, I readily proclaim what I receive from the Holy Spirit during my preaching. Being able to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and being willing to release what I receive to God’s people without hesitation has revolutionized my preaching. I also wait to receive input from the Holy Spirit each week for new sermon topics.
Let me emphasize that I still prepare my sermons and outline them as I always have. The difference is that I always expect to be amazed by what the Holy Spirit adds as I speak to God’s people.
Move Out of Your Comfort Zone
Perhaps what I am saying seems weird to some of you. You feel comfortable only when you get to rehearse everything beforehand and you stick to the script. That is our natural mindset.
But I submit that this is not the best way for Christians to live. We must allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and through us. He wants to impart timely words of wisdom from above. This is the dynamic lifestyle God wants for each of us.
The more you live your life expecting and allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to you, the better you will get at living that way. And the better you will know the voice of the Holy Spirit. But you will never arrive if you don’t take the first step.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to speak to you and through at appropriate times. Pray for ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. And remember that the Holy Spirit will always speak consistently with the Word of God.
Copyright© 2023 by Frank King. All rights reserved.