1. Hearing God’s Voice Anytime
Session Five:
Hearing God’s Voice
outside the Bible
Bill Perry

2. What we’ve seen: Our culture and ourselves
Biblical assumptions and framework
What God’s voice is and isn’t
Hearing God’s voice in the Bible

3. Summary of God’s Voice and the Bible:
We learn or train ourselves to “hear”
God’s voice in the Bible through
communion with the Holy Spirit, who
wrote the Bible. It is inconsistent to
expect to hear from God outside
the Bible when we have not learned
to recognize his voice in the Bible.

4. My Neighbor’s Radio
In the hot humid months of summer in South Florida we close up the house and run the air-conditioner. In the dry cooler months we turn off the a/c and open up the windows. Our neighbor behind us plays his classic rock station pretty loudly every day. I don’t hear it in the summer months but I do in the winter months. I grew up on rock music, but it was current back then, not classic! One day as I was working on this talk I noticed the neighbor had his radio not playing as loud as normal. I could hear the beat but the melody sounded really strange, almost like with a lot of sharps and flats that didn’t sound right. Being a former back drummer in a garage band the beat and rhythm of the song sounded familiar. But that melody – it was way off! After a while of not being able to figure it out, I had had enough. I got out of my desk chair and went out back. As I got closer to the fence all those sharps and flats gave way to the proper melody. What had happened? I was just out of hearing range for my ears to hear correctly. Many times we can’t hear God’s voice because our hearts are just out of range. We need to move closer to him!

5. “For God may speak in one way, yet man does not perceive it.”
Job 33:14
“For God may speak in one way,
or in another,
yet man does not perceive it.”

6. “Voice” is not always literal
Psalm 19:1-4:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”

7. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
A belief that ‘God no longer speaks as he once did’ will make it difficult to hear.

8. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
A belief that ‘God no longer speaks as he once did will’ make it difficult to hear.
I won't hear God's voice if I don't want to listen to him. Or if, when he does speak, I do not obey.

9. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
A belief that ‘God no longer speaks as he once did will’ make it difficult to hear.
I won't hear God's voice if I don't want to listen to him. Or if, when he does speak, I do not obey.
I will find it hard to hear God's voice if my mind is cluttered with other things.

10. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
Time is needed to be able to get to recognize and hear God's voice. If I am harboring sin or unforgiveness he doesn't hear me. (Psalm 66:18)

11. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
Time is needed to be able to get to recognize and hear God's voice. If I am harboring sin or unforgiveness he doesn't hear me. (Psalm 66:18)
Because prayer is a two-way conversation, the channels of communication need to be clear.

12. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
Time is needed to be able to get to recognize and hear God's voice. If I am harboring sin or unforgiveness he doesn't hear me. (Psalm 66:18)
Because prayer is a two-way conversation, the channels of communication need to be clear.
An unbiblical belief will distort God's voice when he speaks.

13. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
Some people believe God speaks, but not to them - perhaps because they feel unworthy, unimportant or forgotten.

14. Reason’s I can’t hear God’s Voice
Some people believe God speaks, but not to them - perhaps because they feel unworthy, unimportant or forgotten.
Physical, emotional or psychological illness may impede our hearing.
( )

15. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God

16. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge

17. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling

18. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing

19. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision

20. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression

21. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse

22. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance

23. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance
Peace

24. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance
Peace
Idea/Thought

25. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance
Peace
Idea/Thought
Anointing

26. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance
Peace
Idea/Thought
Anointing
Leading

27. Terms Christians use to describe the extra-biblical voice of God
Nudge
Sense/Feeling
Prompt/ing
Vision
Impression
Intuition/Impulse
Assurance
Peace
Idea/Thought
Anointing
Leading
Voice

28. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it line up with what the Bible, the written Scripture, says?

29. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it line up with what the Bible, the written Scripture, says?
Is it consistent with the character of Jesus? (1 Cor. 11:1)

30. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it line up with what the Bible, the written Scripture, says?
Is it consistent with the character of Jesus? (1 Cor. 11:1)
Does it lead you into a closer relationship with God, a greater/stronger unity with him? (John 17:3)

31. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it line up with what the Bible, the written Scripture, says?
Is it consistent with the character of Jesus? (1 Cor. 11:1)
Does it lead you into a closer relationship with God, a greater/stronger unity with him? (John 17:3)
Does it lead you into expressing love for God and the benefit of others before your own benefit? (Matt. 22:37-39)

32. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it lead to a dying/reduction of selfishness and a greater manifestation of Christ’s life in you? (John 3:30)

33. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it lead to a dying/reduction of selfishness and a greater manifestation of Christ’s life in you? (John 3:30)
Does it cause greater humility in you, and a greater trust or dependence upon God?

34. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it lead to a dying/reduction of selfishness and a greater manifestation of Christ’s life in you? (John 3:30)
Does it cause greater humility in you, and a greater trust or dependence upon God?
Does it increase the quality of the fruit of the Spirit in you? (Gal. 5:22-23)

35. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it lead to a dying/reduction of selfishness and a greater manifestation of Christ’s life in you? (John 3:30)
Does it cause greater humility in you, and a greater trust or dependence upon God?
Does it increase the quality of the fruit of the Spirit in you? (Gal. 5:22-23)
Does it lead to life or death - in the widest sense of these terms?

36. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it advance God’s Kingdom work?

37. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it advance God’s Kingdom work?
Does it reflect/use your spiritual gifts?

38. Discerning God’s extra-biblical voice
Does it advance God’s Kingdom work?
Does it reflect/use your spiritual gifts?
Others…?

39. Consideration from Acts
Only 9 times does Luke record in Acts
that Jesus or the Holy Spirit directly
identifies himself as speaking or
doing something specific in leading
individual members of the Body of
Christ in ~20 years of walking with
Christ and/or expanding the Church
(8:29, 9:4-5, 13:2, 16:6-7, 18:5, 20:23,
21:4, 21:11, 23:11).

40. Some closing examples A vision An idea/thought Others…?* Questions?*
*Audience participation