That time I stood in line to hear a ‘word’ from the Lord

Many years ago, back in my charismatic days, I once was at a tent revival meeting where a woman was giving “words” to people.

In case you don’t speak the parlance, a “word” is a word of prophecy: God supernaturally speaking through this woman to each person who came up.

They were lining up to receive them, and I joined them. Who wouldn’t want to have God speak to them?

When I reached the front, unlike everyone else, she didn’t have any “word” for me.

Of course, that made me wonder why. Did God really have nothing to say to me? Or was it because even then, as I was standing in line, something felt off.

This was a time in my life when I was questioning my experiences and the church environments I was accustomed to, and measuring them against Scripture. Nobody in the Bible ever had to line up and wait to hear a word from from God.

Looking back, I see it was God’s mercy in stopping that woman’s mouth. It was an early lesson in what God has been teaching me for many years now.

I’m embarrassed about it now. How sad and silly it was to stand in line to hear from this person who practically acted as a medium, someone I had to go through to hear from God, without even knowing whether it really was God. That’s not prophecy; that’s divination.

If I wanted to hear God speak to me, I didn’t have to go anywhere. I didn’t have to wait. All I had to do is open His book, which I had in my hands all along.

This website is named after Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is living and powerful …” When I read or hear the Bible, that is the living God speaking His living word directly to me right there, right then. That is God speaking today.

I’m sure that every second of every day, there is an open Bible somewhere in the world. Therefore God is never silent.

Is it the only way He communicates? I’m not saying that, because the Bible doesn’t explicitly, conclusively teach that. What it does teach is that the Scriptures are the more sure prophetic word. That’s at the end of 2 Peter chapter 1:

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an autterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased” — 18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Did you catch that? This is Peter recounting the glorious transfiguration of Christ, one of the most overwhelming experiences anyone has ever had, even by Biblical standards. He literally heard the voice of God.

But then he says “we have the prophetic word made more sure.” The Greek word translated “more sure” means certain, firmly grounded. It was used to describe ground that was solid enough to walk on.

What could possibly be a more certain prophetic word than what Peter saw and heard?? He tells us in verse 20: Scripture.

Here’s why: When we open the Bible, there’s no possibility that it might be something else. We don’t have to wonder whether we’ve really heard from God. We don’t have to trust in our own flawed senses or memory.

That’s not to say there was anything questionable about the voice Peter heard. But if Scripture is more sure than even that, it’s exponentially more certain than the “words” we hear today. In the Bible, we don’t have the ambiguity of “I feel like the Lord might be trying to tell you ...” or something like that.

The Bible is our first and final authority, the standard by which everything else is to be judged, and the way to know His voice.

The Scriptures are sufficient to thoroughly equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In the Bible, we have the living, active power of God. We have the words of life, the sword of the Spirit, His very breath. We have the firm foundation to walk on. We have the MORE. SURE. WORD.

We don’t need any other revelation. And we certainly don’t need to stand in line.