God Doesn’t Whisper

The first Christian book I read as a new believer was Good or God by John Bevere (Not recommended). I enjoyed it so much that I bought a few of his other books and online courses. And one thing that struck me about Bevere’s teachings was how often he claims God speaks to him outside Scripture. His books always mention several extra-biblical revelations like dreams, whispers, and promptings regarding his daily decisions.

Intrigued by Bevere’s experience, I did a quick search on hearing God’s voice and discovered many sermons and books, all claiming I am supposed to hear God’s voice outside the Bible. Not wanting to miss what seemed like a paramount Christian experience, I purchased several books teaching how to hear God’s voice, listened to any sermon about it, and tried every method they prescribed.

The result was abysmal.

Hearing God’s voice became a stumbling block in my faith because I struggled to hear Him like everyone else. And whenever I thought I heard something, I could not be confident whether it was God or my subconscious. I even began doubting my salvation and God’s love for me. But that changed when I stumbled upon Justin Peters Ministries.

When I watched his seminar, Clouds Without Water, and he explained that expecting to hear God’s voice outside of Scripture is unbiblical, my jaw dropped. I paid close attention to his teachings and even searched the Scripture to see if he was telling the truth. And he was! I learned that Scripture is enough to hear God’s voice, and it has been such a relief! It lifted a massive burden from my shoulder, and I recovered my joy in the Lord.

Hence, when Peters recommended God Doesn’t Whisper by Jim Osman, I could not buy it fast enough!

God Doesn’t Whisper is a critique of Hearing the Voice of God theology (HVG) running rampant in the church. With Christian bookstores filled with books about hearing God’s voice and many pastors claiming to hear God speak to them personally—and if they are truthful, God speaks to them more than He did to the prophets of old — HVG has become a sacred cow in the Church.

Like myself and many others, Osman also once firmly believed in HVG. He affirmed that the Christian life should have supernatural signs, promptings, still small voices, dreams, and more. But eventually, he asked himself if it is biblical.

Does the Bible teach us we should expect to hear God speak to us outside His written Word? That we must learn to discern His voice, interpret His dreams and visions, hear His still small voice, or put out a fleece to know His will for our life? The answer is a resounding no! And in this book, Osman proves it by examining the teachings and practices of HVG against the Holy Scriptures. More than that, Osman invites us to be like the noble Bereans and study the Bible ourselves to see whether HVG is biblical.

The book has four principal parts. Part one introduces Osman’s journey of going from a faithful believer to a staunch critic of HVG. He also briefly summarizes the teachings and methods of HVG that he will dissect in the book.

In part two, Osman examines the unbiblical teaching that God tells us His will for our lives outside of Scripture. He does it by challenging the three foundational assumptions of HVG: we must hear, expect to hear, and learn to hear God’s voice apart from the Bible.

In part three, Osman examines the most common methods of receiving extra-biblical revelations. These are the still small voice, a verse jumping out of a page, signs, open doors, putting out a fleece, feeling peace, feeling led, dreams, and visions of a man in white. Osman provides the Scripture HVG teachers use to support their teachings and examines them in context to see if they line up with each method.

In the last section, Osman explains how believers can make decisions using God’s sufficient wisdom revealed in Scripture. He also answers common questions and objections that people have regarding HVG theology.

Osman does a terrific job dismantling the false teachings of HVG. He examines every aspect of HVG, from the foundation to its rotten fruits, using Scripture alone as a measuring stick. Not his experience or feelings. His explanations are simple, logical and he always points readers to the Bible to see the truth for themselves.

I love everything about God Doesn’t Whisper and here are just a few.

First, the detailed explanation of the methodologies of HVG. I love that Osman examines in depth all the popular methods HVG teachers claim God uses to speak to us. Some of these methods sound right, biblical even, like having peace about it or feeling led. I enjoyed Osman’s critique of all these methods against Scripture. It cleared up some confusion I had.

Second, the constant warnings about the danger of HVG. Some Christians may underestimate the gravity of HVG and the threat it poses to the church. It is a dangerous false doctrine that attacks the sufficiency of Scripture, promotes a false God who is incapable of speaking to us clearly, and it leads many believers astray. Osman treats HVG seriously and warns the readers throughout the book of what is at stake.

Third, Osman explains how believers can use Scripture instead of HVG to make decisions, and he answers common questions and objections. Having only recently abandoned HVG, I had some lingering questions about receiving God’s advice or what to do with experiences or hunches that seemed divine. For instance, I started my blog because I thought I heard from God. Osman gives reasonable explanations of how to interpret such experiences against Scripture. He also provides a wisdom model, which is a much surer way to make God-honouring decisions.

All in all, God Doesn’t Whisper is a fantastic book. It is well written, thorough, and faithful to the Holy Scriptures. If you believe God communicates with you outside His Word, I highly recommend reading this book with an open Bible and an open mind. And by God’s grace, you will also come to the undeniable conclusion that the Bible is God’s final word, and it is sufficient.

As Justin Peters said, “if you want to hear God speak, read your Bible; if you want to hear God speak audibly, read your Bible out loud.”

  Grace and peace to you!