The Voice of The Spirit

Whom Does The Spirit Illuminate?

Of course, the Scripture also promises the illumination, or enlightenment, of the Spirit to all those who wish to know the mysteries of God (Ephesians 1:17-19). But that illumination always has as its point of reference the prophetic word (2 Peter 1:19-21). In other words, the illumination of the Spirit in our minds manifests itself when we open the Scriptures, not separate from them. The Spirit directs believers in general through the Word, illuminating their minds to understand it. It is the prophets whom the Spirit instructs and teaches in a specific way so that they in turn may communicate the instruction received to the church as a whole. The following inspired declarations help us understand the relationship between the divine Teacher, the prophet, and the members of the church: VOTS 16.2

The fact that God has revealed His will to men through His word, has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the word to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings.... VOTS 16.3

The ministry of the divine Spirit in enlightening the understanding and opening to the mind the deep things of God’s holy word, was the blessing which Paul thus besought for the Ephesian church. ⁵ VOTS 17.1

The Holy Spirit always leads to the written Word, and calls the attention to the great moral standard of righteousness.... Some souls who claim to be believers have slighted, and turned from, the Word of God. They have neglected the Bible, the wonderful Guidebook, the true Tester of all ideas, and claim that they have the Spirit to teach them, that this renders searching the Scriptures unnecessary. All such are heeding the sophistry of Satan, for the Spirit and the Word agree. ⁶ VOTS 17.2

Great reproach has been cast upon the work of the Holy Spirit by the errors of a class that, claiming its enlightenment, profess to have no further need of guidance from the word of God. They are governed by impressions which they regard as the voice of God in the soul. But the spirit that controls them is not the Spirit of God. This following of impressions, to the neglect of the Scriptures, can lead only to confusion, to deception and ruin. It serves only to further the designs of the evil one. ⁷ VOTS 17.3

The process by which the Lord chooses to train us, teach us, and, on occasion, to correct us is clearly specified. The Holy Spirit communicates with the prophets whom He instructs and teaches. The prophets communicate the message, oral or written, to the church. When God’s people listen or read the prophetic message, the Spirit illuminates their minds to understand it. Any intent to “perceive” the divine message based on mental impressions or other elements of interior or “immanent” ⁸ communication without going through the prophetic word only leads to confusion and deviation from divine truth. VOTS 17.4