THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

 

(John 14:17; Ezekiel 36:27). The voice of the Holy Spirit is different from the voice of the human spirit in the following ways:

1. The voice of the Holy Spirit is more authoritative than the voice of the human spirit.

 2. There is a stronger manifestation of the presence of God when the Holy Spirit speaks.

 3. The voice of the Holy Spirit is inwardly louder than the voice of the human spirit.

4. We cannot reason with the voice of the Holy Spirit for He is firm in His instructions; on the other hand, the human spirit will reason with us and persuade us to follow the ways of God.

 5. The voice of the Holy Spirit covers areas of ministry life whereas the voice of the human spirit covers areas of our earthly lives. Occasionally, the Holy Spirit may cover an instruction in an area of our earthly life but this is still finally related to the ministry that He has called us to. By ministry life, we include all areas of ministry whether fulltime or non-fulltime.

 6. The Holy Spirit deals with revelation whereas the human spirit deals with perception.

 7. The Holy Spirit communicates on behalf of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ while the human spirit communicates on behalf of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts

 The Holy Spirit is not just an invisible presence. He is a real person. Jesus told the disciples that the world will not know the Holy Spirit because the world does not see Him nor know Him (John 14:17).

 However, Jesus in the same passage said that we will know Him because He dwells in us. The secret of hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit is in learning His abiding presence and Person in our hearts. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is being filled with the awareness of His indwelling presence.

The disciples in the book of Acts were not outwardly conscious of the Holy Spirit but rather they were inwardly conscious of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, one hundred and twenty disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4). The Holy Spirit was controlling them from the inside out. From thenceforth, it was an outworking of the Holy Spirit through the lives of the disciples.

 The works of Jesus Christ were continued through men filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he answered the questions of the Jews (Acts 4:8). Stephen, filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, did great wonders and signs (Acts 6:8). Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, pronounced a judgment on Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:9). In each case, the Holy Spirit dwelling in the disciples was the One working the mighty works.

The voice of the Holy Spirit was clearly identified by Philip as he waited at the roadside (Acts 8:29). If we were standing next to him at that time, we would not have heard anything because it was an inward voice that Philip had heard. Peter, wondering what was the meaning of the vision that he had just seen, had his thoughts interrupted by the Holy Spirit telling him to go down and meet three men (Acts 10:19,20). Peter later explained to the Jews that it was the Holy Spirit who bade him to go (Acts 11:12). Peter knew the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The five prophets and teachers in Antioch heard simultaneously the voice of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1, 2). Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go into Asia and Bithynia (Acts 16:6). Apparently, he knew the voice of the Holy Spirit. Agabus knew the voice of the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying, “Thus says the Holy Spirit.”

All the men highlighted in the book of Acts knew the Holy Spirit personally and recognized His voice. They did not mistake His voice to be their own inward impression but knew with certainty the voice of the Holy Spirit. All of us can recognize the voices of our loved ones with our eyes closed. Yet not all Christians can recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. That is a reflection of how close we are with the Holy Spirit and how much He is a Person to us.