Other Means of Guidance

God can use various ways to guide His people. It is important to learn and be sensitive to ways to discern God’s voice. Dr. Charley Stanley provides some insight in the video below.

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If you have not already read through Knowing God’s Voice, please do so. 

http://www.amesbible.org/courses/KnowingGodsVoice.pdf

We do not endorse every teaching provided on the websites referenced as links. Rather, we provide these links as a source of useful information on topics that we address on our website.

From time to time, God has guided his followers in various ways listed below. 

Christians each have different gifts, and many Christians do not speak in tongues. See 1 Corinthians 12:30. Paul urged people to seek the greater gifts—particularly the gift of prophecy, and especially to love each other. See 1 Corinthians 12:31;13:1-13;14:1.

2. Miracles
   Supernatural events are recorded throughout the Bible. For example, God intervened in history by parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), by healing the sick (Luke 9:11), and by defeating enemies (2 Kings 6:8-23).
   
   Miracles are reported today. How can miracles provide guidance? Suppose a terminally ill person promises God to serve him as a minister if he is miraculously healed. So God heals the person. The person then keeps the promise, and enters the ministry. Perhaps God used the illness to lead the person into the ministry.
   
   In the Bible, God used miracles to bring people to greater faith. Seeing the power of God, people were sometimes led to trust God in a greater way—to follow Him more closely. See John 9:25,35-38.

4. Visions
   A vision–or supernatural sight–may be a physical, mental, or spiritual picture that God provides. In Scripture, there are a number of people were guided by visions. Some of these include Ananias being instructed to seek out Saul (Acts 9:10-16), Paul being called to Macedonia (Acts 16:9), and Cornelius being directed to send for Paul (Acts 10:3-5).
   
   Although visions are not everyday occurrences, we should not be surprised when God gives a vision to a godly person. At the same time, we should be sure that the instructions given in such a vision do not conflict with Scripture. God has given us many truths in the Bible. Comparing a vision with Biblical truth helps us to know whether or not our thoughts and visions are from him.

5. An Audible Voice
   In Biblical times, God sometimes spoke to people in an audible voice. He spoke at the baptism of Jesus (John 12:28,29), and when he appeared to Moses as a burning bush (Exodus 3:4-12).
   
   Today there are people who suffer from mental illness or demon possession who claim to hear voices—even thinking they hear the voice of God. Satan wants to deceive people, and he may make them think they are hearing God.
   
   There are also healthy, sane people who say they have heard an audible word from God. God may speak to some people in an audible way. At the same time, let us understand that this is not an everyday occurrence.
   
   
6. Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues
   Let us examine the tongues spoken in Biblical times. When God initiated the church in Jerusalem at the Feast of Pentecost, he sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers. These believers then began to speak and people from various countries understood the speakers in their own languages. See Acts 2:6. The tongues at Pentecost were intelligible. In contrast, people in the Corinthian Church did not understand the tongues spoken there, unless someone interpreted the tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:2. The tongues spoken in the Corinthian Church were not intelligible.
   
   The Apostle Paul gave instructions regarding speaking in tongues that are not intelligible to most listeners.
   
   • He indicated that tongues are a valuable gift because he spoke in tongues more than the Corinthians. See 1 Corinthians 14:18. Such tongues edify (spiritually build up) the one who is praying. See 1 Corinthians 14:4.
   • Tongues are primarily private prayer languages, and they should be spoken in church only if there is an interpreter present to explain the meaning of the tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:19,27,28. 
   • The church must not forbid the speaking of tongues, but only one person at a time is to speak in tongues. See 1 Corinthians 14:27,39.

Paul prayed with his mind—using words that he could understand—and he prayed with his spirit—using words that he could not understand. See 1 Corinthians 14:15. Why would Paul pray in the spirit? Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to communicate words that he didn’t know. In the same way, when people are at a loss of words to pray, those who have the gift of tongues can pray in tongues, and the Holy Spirit will intercede “with groans that words cannot express.” See Romans 8:26 (New International Version). Perhaps the Holy Spirit also intercedes for those who do not speak in tongues “with groans that words cannot express.”

Christians each have different gifts, and many Christians do not speak in tongues. See 1 Corinthians 12:30. Paul urged people to seek the greater gifts—particularly the gift of prophecy, and especially to love each other. See 1 Corinthians 12:31;13:1-13;14:1.

7. Prophecy
   A prophet (man) or prophetess (woman) is one who is inspired to proclaim the word of God—either by “forth-telling” the word applicable today or by “fore-telling” something that will occur in the future. See more information on prophecy under the heading “church” in section above.
   
   
8. Discerning Between Spirits
   Some people have the gift of being able to distinguish between those who follow God and those who do not. See 1 Corinthians 12:12:10. Such gifted people are not easily misled into following the advice of false prophets. Scripture says that those who deny that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh are false prophets. See 1 John 4:1-3.
   
   If someone claiming to be a Christian provides advice to us, we can test their advice by consulting with one who has the gift of discerning between spirits. And we can test the advice of the prophet by comparing it with Scripture.
   
   If you are married to a godly person, it is often helpful to determine your spouse’s perception of a person offering guidance. It is more difficult to mislead both a man and a woman than it is to mislead one person.