In our passage, we are told that in times past, God spoke in various ways. Indeed, in the Old Testament, we find that God spoke...
... through angels - Genesis 16:11-12
... through visions - Genesis 15:1
... through dreams - Genesis 28:10-19
... through symbolic actions - Jeremiah 18:1-10
... through a gentle whisper -1 Kings 19:12
... through miraculous signs - Exodus 8:20-25
But how God spoke is not nearly as important as the fact that He spoke. As we reflect on one such occasion when God spoke to one of His children (Moses - Exodus 3), I want us to note four important facts about the way God speaks.
1. When God speaks it is usually unique to that individual.
Moses had no precedent for a burning bush experience. He couldn’t say, "Oh, this is my burning bush experience. Abraham, Issac, and Jacob all had their’s and this is mine." His experience was unique, because God wants our experience with Him and His voice, to be person to us.
If Moses had been alive today, he might have been tempted to write a book, "My Burning Bush Experience And How You Can Have One, Too!"
Everyone would be reading it and looking for their "burning bush" experience. But we mustn’t get hung up on imitating the experiences of people mentioned in the Bible, but instead learn that God did speak then and He still desires to speak today.
2. When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.
The Scripture tells us that when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, he had no question about the fact that God was the one speaking. Likewise, it is possible for us to recognize the voice of God.
"He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice," - John 10:4 (NIV)
If I have trouble hearing God’s voice, then I either do not belong to God or I am not right with God!
In Luke 11:33-36, Jesus speaks about the key to spiritual perception. Having just spoken about the spiritual blindness of His generation in verses 29-32, Jesus speaks to the question of whose fault it is when there is a lack of spiritual perception. In so doing, He teaches us that the key to spiritual perception is a heart that is pure.
“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” - Luke 11:33-36 (NIV)
As our Lord said in Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Jesus tells us that...
A. Lack of spiritual perception is not God’s fault - v. 33
One of the purposes of light is to help one find his way in the dark. Therefore, in lighting a darkened room, one will place his lamp on a place of prominence, such as a lamp stand, so that it might provide as much light as possible.
The point here is that when it comes to God revealing Himself to us, He has at least as much sense as we do. God does not hide Himself from us, but works to reveal Himself to us.
B. Lack of spiritual perception is our fault - vs. 34-36
Jesus tells us that our eyes work to help us maneuver about. By deciphering the various images of light that bombard them, our eyes help us know how to get about in this world. If, however, our eyes go bad, then everything goes dark and we are left to stumble about.
He then goes on to speak of one’s heart ("the light within you" - v. 35) as being the organ by which we discern spiritual light. If, however, our hearts have become darkened, then we are left without spiritual perception, condemned to wander in spiritual darkness.
Paul speaks of this in Ephesians 4:18 (KJV) - "blindness of the heart").
How does this hardness develop? It develops from time after time of choosing to not walk in the light we have received. God has established a law in the universe which governs man’s spiritual “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows.” - Galatians 6:7 (NIV)
If one sows rejection of God’s light, he will reap spiritual blindness; but if he sows reception of God’s light, he will reap spiritual perception.
If I am traveling in my car at night with my headlights on, they will only shine so far in front of my car. But they shine far enough to let me know where I am to go, and when I have traveled that distance, my headlights then shine that much further down the road to let me know where to go next. So it is with the guidance of God. We walk in what light He has given us today, knowing that as we do, there will be more light provided tomorrow.
“We walk in the light as He is in the light . . .” - 1 John 1:7 (NIV)
3. When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.
Moses knew what God wanted, how He wanted it done, and when. Likewise, we can know what God wants done, how God wants it done, and when God wants it done.
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” - Psalm 37:4-5 (NKJV)
As we delight in the Lord, he will not only tell us what he wants us to do (v. 4), but how He wants it done (v. 5a); and when He wants us to get started (v. 5b).
Six Secrets to Discerning God’s Guidance - Acts 11:1-18
Secret #1: Spend time in communion with God - v. 5a
Peter was taking time for prayer and meditation when God spoke to him. Likewise, if we would be in a position to hear God’s voice and receive His direction, we must commit time to prayer and meditation in the presence of the Lord.
Secret #2: Receive a personal vision from God - v. 5b
Peter tells us that the language of the Holy Spirit is "dreams and visions" (Acts 2:17). By this I am not referring to the type of miraculous experience that Peter had here, but to the desire that God implanted in Peter’s heart (Psalm 37:4; Proverbs 29:18).
Through applying secrets one and two, God can implant in my heart a vision for WHAT He wants me to do.
Through applying the next four secrets, I can then discern HOW and WHEN He wants me to do it.
Secret #3: Look for opportunities given by God - v.
11
Secret #4: Listen to the voice of the Spirit of God - v. 12
“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” - Colossians 3:15 (Amplified)
“God is not the author of confusion but of peace” - I Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)
When God speaks, He doesn’t stutter!
Secret #5: Enlist advise from men & women of God - v. 12b
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” - Proverbs 11:14 (NKJV)
“Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed.” - Proverbs 15:22 (The Message)
Secret #6: Consider the testimony of the Word of God - v. 16
God’s will NEVER contradicts God’s Word!
God’s word ALWAYS clarifies God’s will!
4. When God speaks, we have an encounter with God!
Moses would have been foolish to say, "This has been a wonderful experience with this burning bush. I hope it leads to an encounter with God." It WAS an encounter with God!
Likewise, when God speaks to us, though we may not yet know all that He has in mind (like the how and the when), and though we may need to wait on Him further to discern His leading in these matters, the fact that we have had the initial word from God is, in fact, an encounter with God!
Conclusion; The WAY God speaks is essentially the same, though HOW He speaks is different. In Hebrews l:2a, the Bible tells us that God has spoken by His Son and John 14:16-18 tells us that He still speaks by His Son, who indwells us by His Spirit. Today, God speaks by His Spirit through His Word, prayer, circumstances, and His church. But the WAY God speaks is the same.
1. God has a personal word for each of us.
2. When God speaks we can be sure it is God speaking.
3. When God speaks, we can know what God is saying.
4. When God speaks, that is an encounter with God!
The Holy Spirit gives clear directives today. God is personal. He wants to be intimately involved in your life. He will give you clear guidance for living. You may say, "That has not been my experience." I would say to you that you need to base your understanding of God on Scripture and not on experience.
"I determined to learn to pray so that my experience conformed to the words of Jesus rather than try to make His -words conform to my impoverished experience.” - Richard Foster
