"God told me we should date." "God told me to quit my job." "God told me to buy this house." How often have you heard—or perhaps used—these words? While we rightly believe that God speaks, the phrase "God told me" can sometimes function as an unassailable trump card for personal desires.
The God of Scripture is indeed a speaking God. In Genesis 1 alone, God speaks eleven times, bringing order from chaos through his powerful word. Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that God "spoke to our fathers by the prophets" and "in these last days has spoken to us by his Son."
But how do we distinguish authentic divine guidance from wishful thinking? How do we embrace God's ongoing communication while maintaining Scripture's ultimate authority?
The Authority of Scripture
2 Timothy 3:16-17 declares that "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." This foundation must anchor every claim about hearing God's voice.
"As the Spirit applies the Bible to our lives—and he does—he'll not tell us something contrary to what the passage's author originally intended."
Three Essential Guardrails
1. Respect Authorial Intent
Authors craft sentences to communicate specific meaning. This principle applies to every text—including Scripture. Meaning doesn't reside in the reader's creativity but in the vocabulary, syntax, and context of the original text.
Consider Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." This verse, beloved at graduations and new job celebrations, was originally God's promise to exiles facing seventy years in Babylon.
The Spirit may indeed apply this passage to encourage us in difficult circumstances, but he won't use it to promise immediate prosperity or easy success. True spiritual application aligns with authorial intent, not our wishful interpretation.
2. Recall Historical Readings
Church history, creeds, and confessions aren't infallible, but they're invaluable guides. For two millennia, faithful Christians have wrestled with Scripture, documented their understanding, and passed down wisdom through tradition—God's gift to us today.
Take Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Augustine understood this as finding our rest in God himself. Calvin explained that this delight opposes "vain and deceitful allurements of the world." Spurgeon noted that "grace would never permit us to ask for" what mere nature might desire.
Historical readings provide boundaries. If we think God is telling us something that consistently contradicts centuries of faithful interpretation, we should pause and reconsider.
3. Receive Wise Counsel
Major life decisions require community wisdom. Proverbs 15:22 teaches that "plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 19:20 adds, "Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise."
If you believe God is calling you to vocational ministry, don't make that decision in isolation. Share your burden with mature believers—your pastors, denominational leaders, and trusted Christian friends. Be open to correction. God often accomplishes his purposes through means, and wise counsel is a key means.
Sometimes what we think God is telling us needs clarification or even correction through godly counsel.
Scripture as Living and Active
Hebrews 4:12 declares that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
This doesn't mean Scripture changes its meaning, but rather that God's unchanging Word powerfully works in us, making different demands of different people at different times in varying circumstances. This is authentic spiritual discernment.
The Spirit's Ministry
John 16:13 promises that "when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth." The Holy Spirit actively applies God's Word to our hearts, consciences, and circumstances. He illuminates Scripture, convicts of sin, and guides decision-making.
Yet the Spirit never contradicts Scripture. 1 John 4:1 commands us to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God." The test is always conformity to revealed truth.
Practical Discernment
When you sense God's guidance, ask these questions:
- Does this align with Scripture's clear teaching and the passage's intended meaning?
- How have faithful Christians throughout history understood similar situations?
- What do mature believers in my life counsel regarding this decision?
- Am I being honest about my own desires and motivations?
Avoiding Presumption
1 Corinthians 4:6 warns against going "beyond what is written." We must distinguish between:
• Clear biblical commands (universal and binding)
• Scriptural principles (requiring wisdom in application)
• Personal impressions (requiring careful testing)
Never use "God told me" to avoid accountability or justify questionable decisions. The God who speaks is also the God who gave us Scripture, church history, and Christian community for our guidance and protection.
Faithful Response
Don't ignore the Spirit's promptings, but don't baptize personal agendas as divine revelation. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 instructs us: "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good."
When what we believe God is telling us agrees with Scripture's meaning, historical wisdom, and godly counsel, we can move forward with confidence. When it conflicts with these guardrails, we should pause, pray, and seek further clarity.
"The word of God is living and active"—not because it changes, but because it powerfully transforms us as we submit to its authority.
God indeed speaks today—through his written Word, by his Spirit, and through his people. Our calling is to listen carefully, test thoroughly, and respond faithfully to his voice.
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