The Great Communicator
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
When I first became a Christian someone taught me to look for the attributes of God as I read the scriptures. As I was being taught I was most often pointed to God’s sovereignty over the details of life, His faithfulness to His people, His love, mercy and forgiving nature. But, the one I kept noticing most was the way God so willingly and graciously communicated to His people. Sometimes I think we forget that he does communicate with us to this day.
In His grace God has left us the scriptures and we can take a lot of instruction from Him through the Words He has left us. We know it should be the first place we go when we want to know God’s stand on an issue or if we are looking for His will regarding a decision. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 say, “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 competent, equipped for every good work.” So, competence and equipping come from knowing God’s word.
Many Christians are too young in the faith or too unstudied in the Word to know what He says or where to look for it. God knew we would need teachers and so He has given us men and women of faith whom He has called to study and teach for him. Among great opposition the disciples of Christ taught, Paul travelled extensively so he could teach, and we are told in 1 Corinthians 12 that He has gifted some as teachers. There are people we can go to seek wise counsel, men and women who know the Word of God and are called to lead others. We must be prayerfully discerning as we choose who to go to.
The greatest gift in the “teacher” department is the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that once He went to be with the Father, He would send a Helper. In John 14:26 He says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Living in us is a Teacher, the third person of the Trinity, sent to teach God’s children and remind us of all that Christ has said!
Do we get it? The Almighty, Most Holy, Majestic, Powerful, Holy, God of the universe lives within the believer in Jesus Christ. He communicates truth to us. Sometimes I wonder why, but I know it is not about who I am but only about who He is!
When you feel that little nudge to tell the truth to correct the lie you just told, that’s the Holy Spirit communicating the Truth of the sin nature. You are compelled to call someone and when you do you find that they really needed to talk to someone, that good idea was the Holy Spirit communicating God’s compassion through you. When you see something you really want to buy and just as you get to the cashier you remember that big bill that you need to pay so you put it back, the Holy Spirit is reminding you that you can exercise self-control because the ability to remember and put it back comes from Him.
Isn’t the fact that God dwells within us also a communication to us that He loves us? His daily provision is communicating His care for us. Today I was reading an article about Christians who live off a trash heap in the Middle East. These people rejoiced when they got running water coming from two spigots. They eat scraps and make money, usually no more than $1/day off the trash they can pull out the dump and sell. Even in those conditions these people praise God for his provision for them. They are hated because they are Christians in a Muslim world. God provides for them what men will not and His Holy Spirit reminds them of His promises. He communicates with them all the time!
God is God. He can communicate any way He chooses. He has never spoken to me in an audible voice but the Bible speaks of times when He did. He spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai, and He spoke to Paul on the road to Damascus. Even though I have never heard Him He has spoken to me, showing me a direction I was to head or shown a path to follow. Some of that was from His Word, some from wise teachers and counselors, and sometimes from that still small Voice that nudges me into action.
His directions are clear. He not only tells us something the first time but He will faithfully confirm what He says if we ask Him to. (Check out what God did for Gideon in Judges 6). The more we listen the more we hear, the more we know of His Word the easier it is to discern His will.
It gets even better. Like sheep, not only will God’s people know His voice as our Shepherd, but we will recognize His words and refuse to follow those that are not from Him. John 10:3-5, “To Him (speaking of Jesus) the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
So, when we believe God has communicated with us, we need to check His Word. If we still are not sure, we need to pray and recheck His Word. Then, ask a friend who loves Him to give counsel. If we still are not sure, we should not follow that voice. If we are believers in Jesus Christ, we will KNOW His voice. If we don’t recognize a voice, we should not follow it.
His attributes include not only being a communicator, but His power, majesty, and holiness are unique to Him. His instructions to us are recognizable – just like His voice.