Chuck Smith emphasizes the importance of recognizing the voice of God, illustrating how God communicates through various means such as the written word, dreams, visions, angels, and even a still small voice. He encourages believers to test any revelation against Scripture and to seek confirmation when unsure about God's guidance. Smith highlights Jeremiah's experience as a model for understanding how God speaks, noting that sometimes clarity comes through circumstances that confirm God's message. The sermon serves as a reminder that God is actively speaking to His people today, and we must cultivate our ability to hear Him.

"KNOWING THE VOICE OF GOD" Intro: Vs. 1 & 6 - typical of Jeremiah as we read these phrases throughout whole book. I. HOW DID THE WORD OF THE LORD COME? A. "God, who at sundry times and in diverse ways spoke to our fathers by the prophets." 1. What are some of the diverse ways? a. Through the written word. 1. Psalm 1. 2. Dan. 9, "Understood by the words of the book..." b. God still speaks through His word today. 1. This is God's primary vehicle. 2. Any other method must be tested by the written word. a. "Let one prophesy and the others judge." b. "If I or an angel of heaven..." 3. This is an excellent place to train your spiritual ear. a. Exciting when the Spirit makes the word come alive. b. Gives you insight. c. God spoke through dreams. 1. Joseph. 2. Nebuchadnezzar. 3. Not all dreams significant. 4. I do not possess gift of interpretation. 5. A method by which God promised to speak again in the last days - "Your old men shall dream dreams..." d. Visions. 1. Like a dream, only awake. 2. The ability to see the spirit world. a. Elisha's prayer for Gahaizi. b. The spirit world is timeless. 3. Way God spoke to Ezekiel often in visions - Daniel also. 4. N.T. - Peter led by angel out of prison. 5. Paul had vision of a man of Macedonia. e. Through angels. 1. Word "angel" means "messenger". 2. Angels sent to Sodom. 3. Angel announced to Samson's parents. 4. Angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel. a. 500 years later to Zechariah then Mary. 5. Angel spoke to Paul during storm. 6. Book of Revelation given to John. f. Through an audible voice. 1. To Adam in garden. 2. To Moses. 3. To Samuel as a child. 4. To Paul on the Damascus road. g. Through a still small voice. 1. Elijah. 2. A thought - impulse - inspiration. B. This must be how He mainly spoke to Jeremiah. 1. The thought came in vs. 6, 7. 2. When in vs. 8 his cousin comes the next day with request from uncle - "Then I knew..." 3. There are times when God speaks to my heart and I have no doubts. 4. There are many times I am not sure. a. I wonder, "is that just me?" 1. Many times it is. 2. Often it is the Lord - as the circumstances later prove. b. What should I do if I don't know? 1. Go to the written word. 2. Ask for confirmation.