Esther 9:24-25 – “For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .)”

Esther explains the origin of the Jewish holiday “Purim,” which occurs every year in February or March.  The modern holiday celebrates the victory that God gave His people against the genocide plotted by Haman.  The name “Purim” refers to casting lots, as the passage mentions above.  This practice was an important feature of Israel’s relationship with God in the Bible.  It has an important application for believers today in the form of asking God to speak through His Word.

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Judges 1:1-2 - After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”  The Lord answered, “Judah is to go; I have given the land into their hands.”

The book of Judges opens on a very positive note. The Israelites are asking God for direction, and they obey what He says.

There are two main lessons to learn from these opening verses of Judges. The first is that God’s people should ask God what to do rather than merely following their own ideas and good intentions. Unfortunately, this approach God is rare today among Christian leaders. Instead, many simply follow the traditions of their denomination or imitate the latest fads and fashions that they see among the ministries around them. Among the church members, it is rarer still. Many simply go their own way – as the Israelites did for the remainder of the book of Judges (see Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25). The wayward Israelites had freedom of choice, but not freedom from oppression.

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Here we summarize seven points that we have found most important for having the Holy Spirit work more freely – and more powerfully – in our midst. These are the seven concepts we most want to share with others, the points that we believe will make the most difference in your church or group.

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Psalm 23:3 – “…He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake…”

“He guides me” – God spoke and revealed Himself through the Bible, and He still speaks today. The Bible itself teaches us that God wants to speak to us and tell us His will for our lives, so that we can obey Him fully. God promises, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.” (Psalm 32:8-9).

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1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 - “Do not treat prophecies with contempt.  Test everything. Hold on to the good.” 

1 Corinthians 14:29 - “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should test what is said.”

TESTING THE GIFTS – The New Testament says that we should test all prophecies in the church – and this is true whether the prophecy comes as a verbal revelation, a vision, or a dream.  Unfortunately, very few Pentecostal or Charismatic churches today test any prophecies.  They accept everything people say, even though many so-called “prophets” today mix up their own imaginations with true divine revelations.  In the true Work of the Holy Spirit, we must develop a consistent practice of testing the spiritual gifts.  The Bible commands this and the Spirit requires it.  If we allow false prophecies into the church alongside true words from the Spirit, then the Holy Spirit will stop speaking in that place completely, leaving us to our own imaginations.  This happens even with seemingly “harmless” false prophecies that promise people prosperity or victory over their problems. 

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Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

How can we hear from God?  How can we know his will?  In the Bible, God gives many general guidelines about how to please him (faith, righteousness, sanctification), and how we displease him (selfishness, sin, lies, etc.).  These are general revelations, applicable to everyone. 

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2 Timothy 2:15 - “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active.”

God spoke through the Scriptures when He first gave them to people, and He is still speaking through His Word today.  As mature believers, we need to have both types of revelation through the Bible. 

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“He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.” – 1 Samuel 28:6

There are three main ways that God speaks to his servants today.  One way is through dreams.  Most of our dreams are not from God, of course – they are just from our minds, usually the things we have been worried about during the previous days.  Even so, most Christians have had some dreams where God spoke to them, or He showed them something that would happen and then they saw the fulfillment later, just as the dream foretold.  Some people have even converted because Jesus revealed himself to them in a dream.  This is also one of the main ways He spoke to people in the Bible.  The second main way that God speaks directly to us today is through a direct revelation from the Holy Spirit while we are awake.  This type of experience belonged to the prophets had in the Old Testament, but now it can happen to any true believer.  Sometimes this experience is visual, as when we see a vision while we are praying.  Other times, the Holy Spirit gives a revelation that is verbal, as when words come into our hearts while we are praying, interrupting our own thoughts.  Occasionally, we may even hear an audible voice speaking words while we are in fellowship with the Lord.  These direct revelations – the experience the prophets had – are the second way that God speaks to each individual.  

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Hebrews 4:12 - “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 All true Christian believers know that the Bible is God’s Word.  Every believer knows that the Bible was verbally inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), and that it is relevant for our lives today.  The problem is that many Christians think of the Word only as something from the distant past.  True believers hold to the Bible, study it, teach from it, and base their lives around it.  Yet many do so as if the Bible were merely a document given long ago, like a Constitution of their religion.  There is another dimension to the Word of God.  It is alive and active.  God is still speaking through the Word today. 

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“Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.”  (Proverbs 4:7)

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16)

The Bible teaches that wisdom is “supreme” (NIV) and “the principle thing” (KJV).  This presents a question: over what is wisdom supreme?  When God says it is the principle thing, to what is he comparing it?  The answer: over human opinions and emotions (which are fallible and prone to foolishness).  It is also supreme over the other means by which we discern God’s will. Wisdom is supreme over prophecy, over dreams, over visions, and over asking God to speak through the Word. 

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