Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

The Holy Spirit was active in a mighty way during the church’s first century. The Holy Spirit revealed and confirmed the message of the kingdom as well as directed men to specific areas of work. The Holy Spirit directed the church at Antioch to send Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey (Acts 13:2, 4).

How did the Holy Spirit communicate with those brethren?

Did He make the sun break through the clouds at just the right time to give them a sign? People are always looking for a sign. They see the “face of Jesus” in the clouds, in the bark of a tree, even in their bologna  sandwiches! Bobby prayed that God would direct him to the best job. He was choosing between car sales and carpentry. Later that day, he jumped into his old clunker…and the engine started right up with no spluttering at all! He felt God was speaking to him telling him to go into car sales. Most signs men and women “see” today are of this nature. But this was not how the Holy Spirit spoke in the New Testament.
Did the Holy Spirit give them a nudge in the right direction? I have many friends who say they have been “led by the Spirit” to do this or that in their life. When it comes down to it, what they mean by “led” is they got a strong feeling one way or the other. Kathy was in the store “making groceries,” as they say here in Louisiana. As she shopped, she noticed a young lady who was having trouble with her 3-year-old son. Kathy felt she should talk to this girl about godly discipline. Later, Kathy explained to her friends that the Holy Spirit led her to that conversation. “I just felt led to talk to her,” she said. Perhaps we could be nudged in this way – I don’t know. But this was not how the Holy Spirit spoke in the New Testament.

Man's Communication

What the Holy Spirit DID was this: He communicated very clearly with words. Yes, He spoke words to the brethren at Antioch. The Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). The elders of the church and the prophets of the church did not see a sign or “feel led” by the Holy Spirit. They WERE led – no question. It was not vague or open to interpretation. There was no guess work.

And I want us to understand: this is the way God always communicates to man! When God wants to tell us something, He does so in a clear, objective manner. When He communicates with us, we are not left wondering if God really spoke or not – we KNOW God spoke. He communicates with words, with language.

The Holy Spirit communicates with us today the same way as He did during the first century. He speaks clear words. His messages are obvious. He speaks through prophets. The only difference today is that all of God’s words are WRITTEN DOWN for us. God is the ultimate master communicator, and we CAN understand what He says. Ephesians 3:4: “When you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.”

What do you think?

May God bless us in the understanding of His word,
Nathan