Did you know that you can hear God like the prophets of old? You might not believe me, but it’s true. The same Spirit of God that a select few people had access to in the Old Testament has been made available to everyone who believes. The way to grasp that whole dynamic is to understand revelation.
What is Revelation?
Revelation is to our spirit being, what our 5 senses are to our body. Revelation, to reveal, is the sensory function of our spirit that is the means by which we experience that which is invisible; God and the spiritual realm. This aspect of our spirit takes what is invisible, the things that cannot be grasped by our physical senses and brings them to a place we can personally grasp, understand and/or experience. It is not a physical trait, it is spiritual.
What does that mean?
- It means that it’s by revelation that we know God is real.
- It’s by revelation that we hear God speak to us.
- It’s by revelation that we feel and experience the love of God for ourselves and for others.
- It’s by revelation that we see what God is doing in our lives, the lives of others, and what God’s doing in the earth.
Again, revelation is the sensory organ of our spirit that transcribes and translates spiritual information into practical understanding.
Revelation is the means by which we “hear,” God.
Who can receive Revelation?
All mankind are spiritual beings with a mind, body, and spirit and we are all created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). We all spiritually died and were separated from God because of mankind’s sin that began with Adam and Eve. But now through Christ’s resurrection God has poured out his Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28). Anyone who believes in and receives Christ as their Savior has been redeemed, reconciled, and restored to the spiritual state we had access to before sin.
What did Revelation look like in the Old Testament?
Although revelation is available to all mankind, in the Old Testament only select individuals had access to God’s Spirit to interpret that information and here are a few impressive examples…
- The cupbearer, baker, and Pharaoh all had dreams about the days ahead of them. Each one of their dreams included their personal sphere’s of influence. For the cupbearer and baker, their dreams had to do with their very lives. Pharaoh’s dream included the coming prosperity and famine that Egypt and the world would go through, though initially he did not understand it.
It was only Joseph, who communicated that the interpretation of dreams comes from God (Gen. 40:8) who was then able to give the interpretation of the dreams in such a way that was proven true by the return of the cupbearer to favor with Pharaoh and the death of the baker. Joseph’s later interpretations for Pharaoh would ultimately bring third heaven solutions to a first heaven problem and save countless thousands of lives including his own family.
- Nebuchadnezzar also had dreams filled with spiritual information. His dreams included spiritual information in his sphere of influence, which was concerning the raising up and tearing down of the current and future governments of the world.
But it was only Daniel, who knew the Revealer of Mysteries that could by revelation receive and translate that spiritual information in a way that brought practical understanding.
- John the Baptist was the last of the great old testament prophets, but despite his incredible role of preparing the way for the Lord, Jesus states that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven since him is greater than he.
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11
These are examples of just a few select individuals who the Bible communicates had access to the understanding of revelation through relationship with God, but in that dispensation, it was not for everyone.
In a measure much greater than the prophets of old, we now have access to the Holy Spirit and therefore can hear God and have access to all that entails. This is because of the gift of the Holy Spirit means that we’ve received the Spirit without measure, which allows us to speak the words of God (John 3:34).
What does Revelation look like Today?
God has now poured out His Spirit, not on select individuals like in the Old Testament, but on all flesh (Joel 2:28). We all have access to the Interpreter, the Holy Spirit who will cause spiritual information that has been hidden to be revealed and truths that have been concealed to be made known and brought out into the open (Mark 4:22).
…no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.1 Corinthians 2:11b-12
God has made revelation available to everyone, but no-one can comprehend God’s thoughts unless they have accepted the Spirit of God within them. We are blessed to live in a time period where we no longer live by the spirit of this world, but God has provided all people that believe in Him with the promised Holy Spirit who causes us to understand the things God’s freely given us and it’s our relationship with God that allows the spiritual information that all receive to be rightly understood (John 16:13).
What an exciting time to be alive!
Take some time this week to do the following…
- Thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Interpreter who transcribes and translates spiritual information in such a way that we can understand.
- Ask God to bring revelation regarding the things that concern you such as family, work, health, your sphere’s of influence.
- Write down any revelation that you receive and use it to take practical actions to serve others. Find practical ways to encourage, strengthen and comfort others with that revelation.
What are the way’s God is speaking to you and what are you doing with it? Write it in the comments below.
Go with God.
David Sr.