The Holy Spirit Speaks Today

Therefore the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:7-8).

And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, “This is the covenant that I will make ….” (Hebrews 10:15-16)

These two passages from the Book of Hebrews are profound for two reasons. First, they equate the Holy Spirit with Jehovah, the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, affirming the Spirit’s Personhood and Deity. Both passages quote from the Old Testament, Psalm 97:7-11 and Jeremiah 31:33-34 as being spoken by the LORD, Jehovah.

Second, both passages say the Holy Spirit “says” or “witnesses” in the present tense. In other words, what the Holy Spirit “said” in the pages of Scripture, He is still speaking today. Therefore, if you want to hear a message from the Holy Spirit, you need look no further than the pages of the Bible.

He Calls His Own Sheep by Name

Whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified, and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 3:30).

Daniel had a little playmate named Emily. On a summer’s day, all the children would be out playing and around a certain time of the night Emily’s mother would step out on the porch of her house and yell, “Emily” and then let out a long whistle. Just a little bit later I’d see Emily run down the street toward home. She knew her mother’s call and she responded.

Now image one evening Emily’s mother stepped out of the house, called for Emily and let loose a long whistle. Hearing the call, I slipped on my shoes, ran out of the house and showed up right in front of Emily’s mother. She’d look at me and say, “Well Richard, it’s nice to see you tonight. What can I do for you?“

She’d think I’d totally lost my marbles if I told her I’d heard her call and came running fast as I could. See, her call wasn’t for me. It was for her daughter, for Emily. She called her own.

Throughout the Bible is a wonderful theme of God calling His people. Whether it was Abram in the big city of Ur or Moses at a burning bush in the desert, a little boy named Samuel, or an old fisherman named Peter, God always calls His own by name. Jesus put it like this: He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:4). While everyone can hear the voice of the Shepherd in the proclamation of the gospel, only His own sheep respond, and they respond to Him straight away.

Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion (Hebrews 3:15).

Freed from Slavery

After the American Civil War (1861-1865), freed slaves journeyed both northward and westward in the United States seeking “freedom.” 

In the northern states they encountered ghettos, alcohol, crime, and discrimination. Westward was a vast wilderness of unexpected and overwhelming physical hardship few were prepared to face. Within 5 years, 25% of freed slaves died of disease, drugs, and starvation. 

Many former slaves returned to the only life they knew … the life of the past. Yes, this illusive word freedom called from the deepest level, but there was fear. Fear of the future. Fear of failure. Fear of the foreign. Fear of freedom.

Not all ventured out. Not all found freedom. But many walked in freedom that didn’t rely on the past, a master, a government, or a culture.

Israel’s experience was similar after 400 years of enslavement in Egypt. They dreamed of freedom, but were ill prepared for it’s demands. So when Moses came along to free them, they were fearful. Then God made a way so wide that the Jews couldn’t stay put. Yet it took the Egyptians actually pushing them out the door before they would leave the bonds of death (Exodus 12:33).

The Jews exited Egypt and slavery, but Egypt and slavery never exited them! It was only days before Israel was complaining, yearning to return to the safety and certainty of the past (Exodus 14:10-12).

Trapped at the banks of the Red Sea, Moses encouraged God’s people to not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord … the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:13, 14). At God’s command, Moses lifted his walking stick, the Sea parted, and the Jews walked across on dry ground.

Days later they protested again to return to Egypt and the yoke of bondage from which He’d set them free. They could either follow God into the Promised Land and be blessed, or die wandering in the wilderness.

The free hardened their hearts against the Lord. Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts (Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 4:7; Psalm 95:7-9). They died wandering rather than entering God’s rest (Hebrews 4:6).

Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Galatians 3:3; 5:1).

Freedom

After the War Between the States, some of the slaves from Southern plantations journeyed northward and westerward in the United States.  They sought out this thing called “freedom” they’d sung and dreamed about, but had never known.  

Many of the slaves, however, remained on the plantations of their former masters.  All they knew was the past.  Yes, freedom called to them at the deepest level, but there was fear.  Fear of the future.  Fear of what the former master would say or do.  Fear of freedom.

Those who ventured out found that dream of freedom, the pursuit of happiness in a wide-open new world.  As they looked back at the plantation, only the truly free could see the beauty of freedom that those who stayed on the plantation were blinded to.

Israel’s experience was similar.  They’d lived in Egypt 400 years as slaves. They longed to be free, but it was just a longing.  When Moses came along to free them, they feared freedom, but God made a way so wide that the Jews couldn’t help but see it.  Yet it took the Egyptians actually pushing them out the door before they would leave thier bonds of death (Exodus 12:33).

The Jews exited Egypt and slavery, but Egypt and slavery never exited them!  It was only days before the Jews were complaining and longing for the former ways; the familiar safety of things they’d always known (Exodus 14:10-12).

As the millions of Israelites stood facing the Red Sea, Moses encouraged them to not be afraid.  Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord … the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:13, 14).  At the command of God, Moses lifted his walking stick, the Sea parted, and the Jews walked across on dry land.

Though they complained again after only a few more days, their way of going back to Egypt had been forever and completely closed behind them.  God had set into motion events that could not be changed or reversed.  God would not allow them to go back from where He’d led them.  They had two choices: either follow God into the Promised Land and be blessed, or die wandering in the wilderness.

Israel hardened her heart against the voice of God.  Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts  (Hebrews 4:7; Psalm 95:7, 8); but they did, and because of their disobedience, they did not enter the rest God had prepared for them (Hebrews 4:6).

Slavery to the past was more attractive than God’s promise of freedom in Him and in His service.