✍️ Does God Speak Audibly Today? A Biblical Answer

By Dave Jenkins
A Contending for the Word Feature

Short Answer:

Does God speak audibly today? Yes—God has spoken and still speaks, but not audibly as He did in the past. He speaks now through His written Word, illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Scripture is His final and sufficient revelation. If you want to hear God audibly—read the Bible out loud.

📖 God Has Spoken—and Still Speaks

God has spoken definitively in the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments (2 Timothy 3:16). Every time Christians read, hear, or sit under the preaching of the Word, God speaks to them (1 Thessalonians 2:13). As the Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 155 affirms, “The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means…”

Ephesians 6:17 calls Scripture “the sword of the Spirit.” The Spirit takes the written Word and opens the hearts of God’s people to understand and apply its truth.

🔊 What About the Past?

God did speak audibly in the past (Hebrews 1:1). He spoke through prophets, angels, burning bushes, and even donkeys. But Hebrews 1:1–2 reminds us that in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. Jesus is the final Word, and His voice is recorded in Scripture, which the Spirit applies to the believer’s life.

Psalm 19 declares that God’s law, testimony, precepts, commandments, and rules are all “of the Lord.” The Bible is not just a record of what God has said—it is God speaking now.

“Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit. Just as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so nothing is taught but what is expedient to know.” — John Calvin

💡 How the Spirit Uses the Word Today

Conviction and Humility

The Holy Spirit uses the Word to convict believers of sin and lead them to repentance (Psalm 19:12–13).

Revival and Encouragement

Psalm 19:7 tells us the Word revives the soul. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ.

Sanctification and Growth

• The Spirit grows believers into Christlikeness (Romans 8:28)
• Strengthens them against temptation (Ephesians 3:16)
• Guides them to maturity (2 Peter 3:18)

Discernment and Wisdom

The Spirit helps believers distinguish right from wrong (1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Peter 3:16) and renews their minds to think God’s thoughts (Romans 12:2).

Real-Life Example: A former New Age follower came to Christ after realizing the emptiness of mystical experiences. It wasn’t until she opened the Bible and heard the Word preached that her heart was transformed. “I had all the spiritual experiences I could ask for,” she said, “but it was Scripture that finally brought clarity, conviction, and peace.”

⚓ The Reformers and the Final Word

Reformers like Luther and Calvin insisted that God speaks today through Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura). God’s Word is inspired, inerrant, sufficient, and clear.

Hebrews 1:1–4 reveals Jesus as the culmination of all revelation—the Prophet, Priest, and King. As the perfect High Priest and the ultimate sacrifice (Hebrews 2:17–18), Christ has ended the need for ongoing prophetic speech.

“The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home.” — Augustine

👑 Jesus: The Personified Word

John 1:1 says Jesus is the Word. In John 18:37–38, He tells Pilate that His Kingdom is about truth. Pilate’s infamous response—”What is truth?”—reflects the blindness of our world.

The irony is sobering: Truth incarnate stood before him, and he rejected it.

When people ignore Scripture in search of mystical experiences, they do the same.

❗ What About “New Words” from God?

Movements like the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) promote new prophetic revelations, “fresh words,” and spontaneous impressions. But Hebrews 1:1–2 teaches that God has spoken finally through His Son—and that Word is recorded in Scripture.

The Bible is sufficient. To claim otherwise is to undermine the finality of Christ’s work and the authority of His Word.

✅ Practical Takeaway: Hearing God Today

• Read your Bible daily—choose a time and place that helps you focus.
• Pray for understanding before you read (Psalm 119:18).
• Memorize key verses like 2 Timothy 3:16–17 and Hebrews 1:1–2.
• Commit to a local church where the Word is preached faithfully.

“The Scriptures are the voice of God, and they alone are completely and utterly sufficient.”

📢 Call to Action

If you want to hear God speak, open your Bible. If you want to hear Him audibly, read it out loud.

📖 The Word is a priceless treasure filled with the promises of God (2 Corinthians 1:20).

🔥 Hold fast to Christ—the final Word.

📚 Continue growing in Scripture and share this truth with others who are being misled by experience-driven theology.

🎙️ Listen to related episodes on Contending for the Word.

🧩 Explore our article: “Spiritual Warfare and the Dangers of Modern Deliverance Ministries”

🔗 This article is part of our Scripture for All of Life series.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” — Hebrews 3:15