First we look back at the deliverance of Israel from the hand of the Egyptians by the blood of the lame and by the way of the parting of the Red Sea.  Baptized into Moses and  lead by him they went into a wilderness land where they were cleansed of the bondage of Egypt.  Over the next forty years all that were in and of Egypt died and the new Israel was brought into maturity.  In the wilderness all that was of Egypt was removed from them. God’s man Moses died and Joshua was now the leader of this new nation of God’s children.

Egypt, in all of it sinfulness, false religions and false gods is a type of worldliness and the religious system of today.  God’s elect being enslaved by worldliness and false religion is typed by Israel’s enslavement to the Egyptians. Israel’s deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt is a type of salvation of God’s elect by a new birth through the blood of the Lamb.  The wilderness experience of the Israelites is a type of a “believer’s” life as he/she experiences the change of dying to the old self sin nature that was theirs while in the bondage of the world; and the new creature being brought forth by the Lord.  Once this is accomplished the born again experience is completed and the new creature is ready for deliverance from the wilderness into the promises of God.  

7 “Now the LORD said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you’ (Joshua 3:7NASU).”

The children of Israel were now at the banks of the Jordan River ready to cross over into the Promised Land; the land that God had promised to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

And God continues to give Joshua instructions,

8 “You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the Ark of the Covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan’ (Joshua 3:7NASU).”

Now the Ark of the Covenant contained the tablets of the covenant and the Ten Commandments, which is the moral law of the Lord, and Aaron’s rod which had budded, a symbol of that which was dead being made alive again, and the golden jar which contained the manna, the bread which came down from heaven and never spoiled.

The Ten Commandments were God’s eternal Law (Matt. 5:18-19) that would always govern God’s children.

And Aaron’s rod which had budded was there as a reminder of the days they were in bondage in Egypt and were not a nation, but through God’s deliverance they were made alive and were now a nation belonging to God.

And there was the golden jar of manna a symbol of the Word of God, the bread of life that came down out of heaven giving life to all who partakes of it.

 And on the ark was the mercy seat, a symbol of God’s mercy that belongs to the children of God. 

The ark and all it contained was a symbol of God’s presence and His covenant with His children.  And only men anointed of God carried the ark before the people

9 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, "Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God." 10 Joshua said, "By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. 12 "Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 "It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap (Joshua 3:9-13NASU).”

Christ, the Living Word of God, is the saint’s covenant.  In Him is the fulfillment of the Law; and He is the Rod of God that was dead but was made to live again.  He is the mercy seat where men can find the mercies of God; and He is the golden jar of manna, containing the bread of life that came down from heaven. He is Emanuel, God with us.

Men called of God who are filled with the Spirit of God carry the ark of the covenant Christ, the Living Word of God, before the people.  They speak by the Spirit the truths of God and those who have ears to hear follow after the Word of God because they know His voice.    

“So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:14-17NASU).”

[for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest]

In those days the Jordan River was known to be muddy, more so when it was flooded.  The waters were well out of their banks and flowing swiftly; and it was harvest time.

Often in the Holy Scripture water is used as a symbol of the word of God.  In this account we see a likeness to the present day.  It is harvest time; time for God’s children to be delivered from the wilderness; a time to inherit the promises of God.  The muddy waters of the Jordan are a type of the false doctrines, the ear tickling and the fashioning of God into a god of their choosing, thus polluting the true word of God.  Like the muddy waters of the Jordan the muddy or polluted word is flowing forth from the many fountains of false prophets. Men have fashioned many false gods and the doctrines of men are coming forth out of the banks of containment and moving swiftly to cut off God’s children from their inheritance.

But the men who are truly called of God boldly carry the word of truth, Christ, the word of the covenant, out into the polluted stream and the false gods are exposed, the flood of false religions with their teachings of false doctrines are revealed and parted by the power of God’s presence; and then the children who hear His voice and heed to the truth are delivered from the wilderness as they cross over into the promises of God. 

Jake Sanford

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 “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:9).   

We are commanded to be holy, to be sanctified in soul and body by the word of God; as taught by the Holy Spirit working through the spirit within us.  The seed of God, the spirit within us, is to be like leaven, which, when it’s work is complete, leavens the whole lump.  Thereby presenting our bodies holy for His work of service (see Rom. 12:1). 

“Thy kingdom come-----.”  We are to pray that God’s glory be manifested in His kingdom of children.  

“Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”  His children are to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth with His love and His glory; this is the will of the father that the earth shall be as it is in the spirit realm. 

“Give us this day our daily bread----.”  We are to pray that we may study His word and receive fresh bread, fresh manna, a new revelation from our Father each day that we may grow stronger in our obedience and love for Him.  Pray that we hunger and thirst after His righteousness.  Also pray for His Holy Sprit to teach us our Father’s Holy Word and sanctify us (set us apart for His work of service).   

“And forgive us our debts----.” 

We are to ask for forgiveness and pray a prayer of thanks for His loving patience in leading us to and waiting upon us for repentance.    And thank Him for His loving grace that, through His gift of faith, gives to us forgiveness. 

“As we forgive our debtors----.” 

We are to forgive---and thank Him for His gift of loving grace that by His grace we have forgiven our debtors; for we know that if we cannot forgive we have a problem with our love relationship with Him.  For it is also written, “For if you forgive men of their transgressions your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men; then, your Father will not forgive your transgressions (Matt. 6:14-15).”

(Many translations do not contain the following line).  “Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil ----.”  Pray that we not be lead into temptation; but if we do encounter temptation let it not be greater than what our faith can withstand that we not enter into evil.  Let no evil be found in us that we may be found pleasing to our Father.  

“For Thine is the kingdom;” the word “thine” (yours) declares ownership; we are His and His own is the kingdom; a kingdom to rule and reign in His name that He be glorified in all the earth.  His is the “power” that subdues and rules and His is the “glory,” the moral beauty, perfection, greatness and authority that is manifested in His Son Jesus and His church--- 

"forever;” infinity---eternity!!  So be it!!  Amen. 

Jake Sanford

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“For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, in repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isa, 30:15fNASU).

[in repentance]  Godly repentance includes, (1) a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God's love, mercy and the outpouring of grace in the person of Christ Jesus; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps 119:128; Job 42:5,6; 2 Cor 7:10) and turning from transgressions of God’s law (sin) to faith in God through His Son Jesus; and (4) a persistent endeavor after a holy life in expressions of love toward God through obedience to his commandments.

[and rest you will be saved]  To love our Creator, our heavenly Father, is to enter into His rest; for love of God brings peace and quietness to the soul.  The enmity of the sinful flesh has been removed in Christ Jesus; we now have peace with our Father. The same is true of our fellowman.  If we have love for one another we have peace in our souls, for again, all enmity is removed in Christ Jesus.  To love one another is to love God and death no longer has any power over us (1 John 5:1-4). 

Jesus says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30NASU)."

Here, rest as trust in God's divine care and guidance, becomes symbolic of salvation itself. Therefore, rest for man’s soul ultimately involves a relinquishing of human self assertion, a letting go of even the desire for human control, and turning to a total trust in God’s care and guidance.

The psalmist exhorts us to "rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him (Ps 37:7 KJV).  Also, in divine rest there is a refreshing of the soul.  The Prophet Isaiah writes,

“Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isa. 40:31NASU).”

[Take My yoke upon you]  The yoke is a symbol of subjection or enslavement to burdensome labor.  Here our Lord is saying, put off the yoke of slavery to sin, ritualistic worship or worthless works and take upon you My yoke of rest.  Unlike the taskmaster of slavery our Lord says, “--- learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  God’s children must learn from their Lord to be gentle and humble in heart. 

[in quietness and trust is your strength]  “He made Him who knew no sin to be  sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21NASU).”  

“And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever (Isa. 32:17NASU).”

And joy is the result of faith and total trust in God and it gives strength and stability to the believer;

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength (Neh. 8:10ffNASU).” 

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7NASU).”

Anxiety about daily needs or worldly gains robs God’s children of their peace, quietness, confidence, faith and joy, thus they become weak and faint hearted.  Jesus urges His children to cease from anxious striving as they trust in Him to supply their needs (Matt. 6:25-32).

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matt. 6:33-34NASU). 

Jesus is saying, do not let the cares of the world distract you.  Keep your focus on the kingdom of God and His righteousness; that is where your riches are; they are not in this world. 

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!  Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:4-7NASU).”  Selah.

Jake Sanford

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The Doctrine of Salvation

When man is born, or brought into natural life, the first time he is born of Adam and into the sin of Adam; he is sin in the flesh.  All mankind was in the loins of Adam when he sinned therefore all share in the sin of Adam and are born in the sin nature of Adam. And because of sin he is separated from God, the Fountain of Life.  Thus man, who is soul (Gen.2:7) is born into death destined for eternal damnation.    

We open this study with some key scriptures in the doctrine of salvation.  These scriptures are very informative to the unlearned sinner and for the enlightened believer who is endeavoring to lead someone to the knowledge of salvation. 

Jesus while speaking with Nicodemus brings man good news and tells us there in hope through a new birth.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3NASU).”

Then He tells us why there is hope; and also how that hope through believing can be made a living hope.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16NASU).”

We see again in the book of Romans why we need salvation.

 “as it is written, ‘THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;’ (Rom. 3:10NASU).”

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom. 3:23NASU).”

But because God loves us he provided a plan for our salvation.

 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8NASU).”

And then we are to understand the results of sin and of God’s gift through His Son.

 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23NASU).”

Salvation is for all who will believe and call upon Him.

“for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED’ (Rom. 10:13NASU).”

It is to be noted that the doctrine of salvation is centered on the words grace and faith.  To properly teach this doctrine one must have a good understanding of the biblical meanings of grace and faith.  In our study of the men of old such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and etc. we see where God, because of His great love for mankind had mercy, spoke to these men, they heard Him and followed through by obeying Him; and God, by His grace (unmerited favor), imputed unto them righteousness.  In these we see the true definition of faith; hearing God, believing Him and obeying from a heart of trust and love.

The Apostle Paul writes,

‘So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17NASU).”

Our understanding of this verse is very important.  Let’s take the second part of the verse first, “and hearing by the word of Christ;” before it is possible for one to gain faith he must hear God.  When God speaks His word brings to life the inner man, his soul, and makes him alive that he may hear; for the dead cannot hear. Once he has been made alive he can see the kingdom of God (John 3:3); meaning that he can understand what God, by His Spirit is telling him.  Then God speaks with good news of salvation and eternal life and other promises; “so faith comes from hearing” the words of God.  When he has heard and understood the revelation, faith has been set before him.

If one believes and obeys what he has heard he receives the gift of faith from God.  If one hears and believes not, he rejects the gift of faith.  If he hears and believes and does not obey his faith is worthless;

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works (obedience) is dead (James 2:26NAS).”

“In the book of Romans, chapter 1, verse 16, the apostle writes, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

The word “gospel” means the “good news” pertaining to salvation through Jesus who has become the sacrificial offering for man’s sins providing salvation for all who will believe and place their trust in His work on the cross.  In other words God’s grace has been put on the plate through His Son for all mankind to receive through faith. 

The key word in this verse is “believe.”  The one who has been made to hear the good news must believe that which he has heard or it does not save but condemns; for Jesus says, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

The very heart of the doctrine of salvation is found in John 3:16;

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (NASU).”

 Also, the key word in this verse is “believes.”  Scripturally, the word believe is related to obedience. For example we look to Noah and Abraham again.  If either of these men had heard God and believed but did not do what God had instructed them to do what would have been their fate?  Noah would not have built an ark and when the flood came he would have perished with the unbelievers.  Abraham would have remained in his father’s house worshiping other gods and would never receive the promises of the one and only true God.

Looking again at the account of the flood we find that man had become so wicked that God repented that He had created man.  Then Noah found favor with God.  When God warned of the flood there originated among the people two categories, those who believed God and those who did not believe, thus there were those who perished because of unbelief and those who were saved because they believed.  Thus we see today the same categories of people, those who are perishing because of unbelief and those who are being saved by grace through faith.

In Eph. Chapter two, beginning in verse one, we see a description of the category of the perishing. 

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

[and were by nature children of wrath]

Children of wrath are those who do not accept the work of Christ on the cross wherein he took upon Himself the wrath of God that is due every man because of sin.  And because of their unbelief the wrath of God will come upon them just as it did in the days of the flood.  Thus because of unbelief for them there is no hope of salvation.

4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ( by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph. 2::4-10NASU).”

And God, because He loves man has mercy and has provided all these wonderful things mentioned in verses 5 through 7 for those who receive them by the gift of God’s un-surpassing grace through the gift of faith.  Hence we see salvation as being God’s creating of a new creature, His workmanship, created in---and in the likeness of His Son.  It is His gift to those who believe and walk in the things that He has prepared for them.

9 “There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even  to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:9-13NASU).”

Jesus, the word of God, has brought God’s light, His truths into the world to enlighten every man.  Through the carrying out the “great commission” his truth has gone out to the four corners of the earth, they are without excuse.  God’s grace has been offered; some have heard, believed and received.  Others have heard and rejected; some refuse to listen, some are indifferent and others are unconcerned; and then there are the deceived.   Nevertheless there remain two categories of peoples, those who are perishing and those who are being saved. 

Jake Sanford  

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It Is Enough                

Let us consider Gideon, a man of faith, who the Spirit of the Lord was upon to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Medianites.  Thus, with an army of just 300 men, God gave him victory over all his enemies and through him reconciled all Israel unto Himself. (see Judges, chps. 6, 7, 8 & 9).  And, also, there was the faith of Samson, the "Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily," and he, with only the jawbone of a dead donkey, slew one thousand of his enemies.  Consider the deadness of his weapon, certainly there was no power in it; yet, by grace working through faith, God gave him the victory. (see Judges 15:14-15).                          

And there was David, a shepherd boy, whom God had chosen to be victorious over Goliath and to be king over all Israel.  David knew, by faith, he had a covenant with the one and only true God.  He bore the sign of that covenant in his body; the circumcision of the unclean flesh.  See the faith of David as he removed the armor of Saul and picked five stones to slay the giants of the Philistine armies.  Why did David pick five stones?  Goliath had four brothers and David knew that God would deliver them all into his hand; thus he picked one stone for each giant. (see 2 Sam. 21:22).              

And again, witness the faith of David as he spoke to Goliath and the Philistine army saying, "--'You come to me with a sword and a spear, and a javelin; but I come to  you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. whom you have taunted.  This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.  And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord`s and He will give you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47). The Spirit of grace was upon David and God delivered Goliath into his hands. (see 1 Sam. 17:1-54).                        

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of host.  What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you will become like a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"'" (Zech. 4:6ff-7).  Not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of grace working through faith the mountains before God’s children become like a plain; victory belongs to God’s covenant people.  "For whatever is born (brought into the life) of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world---our faith." (1 John 5:4).                                    

"Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," (Eph. 6:10-18).         

"And He (Jesus) said to them, 'When I sent you out without purse and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?'  And they said, 'No, nothing.'  And He said to them, 'But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one.  For I tell you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me.  'And He was numbered with transgressors', for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.'  And they said, 'Lord, look, here are two swords; And He said to them, 'IT IS ENOUGH.'" (Luke 22:35-38).              

Here, Jesus is telling His disciples that circumstances are about to change from a somewhat peaceful surroundings to a more hostile environment.  The attitudes of the peoples are about to be much different than when He sent them out without any provisions.  As His followers they would not be received kindly, but, they must remember as it was before when He sent them out, they would not lack in anything.  He is telling them to be prepared to meet the enemy; and if they have a robe, sell it and buy a sword. When they told Him they had two swords, He replied, "IT IS ENOUGH."                        

Jesus does not want those of us who love Him to feel helpless, but yet, He does not want us relying upon our own earthy treasures and weapons; for their treasures and weapons are useless against the evil powers of the spiritual forces.  The battle is His and He will give His people the victory.  His love is ones only need to be strong in Him and the strength of His might; to "stand firm" in the things He has taught us, and to exchange our robe of the flesh for the robe of the Spirit; which is the "full armor of God."  He desires that we pray for one another, "be on the alert" and have faith in Him.  And it is of utmost importance that we remember to gird up our loins with the truth and set our minds on the things of the Spirit and not on the things of the flesh.  Also remembering to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace and walk in the truth and in the gentleness and kindness that His peace brings.  For the preserving of the heart and soul, take up the shield of faith; and wearing the breastplate of righteousness, put on the helmet of salvation that is in and through Christ Jesus.                         

Just as Gideon and his army of only 300 men, Samson, with the jawbone of a donkey, David and his five stones overcame their enemies, likewise, those who wear the armor of God will overcome, "not by might, nor by power," but by two living and active weapons; "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," and by the prayer of faith; --two swords---IT IS ENOUGH!!!    

Jake Sanford

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One of the greatest needs of man today is to be able to hear and recognize the voice of the Savior that he may have faith.  Salvation is by grace working through faith (Eph. 2:8); and faith is hearing God, believing and obeying Him from a heart of love.  The Word of God is the “corner stone” of faith; to believe in His Word is the root of righteousness, and one must hear to believe (Rom. 10:17).  And also, throughout the Holy Scriptures the word “obey” is related to the idea of hearing.  And obedience is doing that which one has heard, thus fulfilling the will of God 

In the following Scripture our Savior tells us that His followers hear and know His voice,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is a 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.  When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers (John 10:1-5NAS).” 

Here Jesus warns us of false teachers, men who have selfish motives.  He declares Himself to be the true Teacher and His people know His voice and they follow His instructions.  A voice is an expression of thought in words of understanding, but not necessarily vocal. If we are expected to hear and follow His instructions we must know His voice.  Then how are we to know His voice that we may follow Him??  Is the Scripture His voice???  Are we to interpret the Scripture and decide for ourselves what He is saying?  Not according to the Scripture (2 Pet. 1:16-21)!!   If we do that, are we not basing our faith upon the wisdom of men (1 Cor. 2:1-5)??

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you  (John 14:26NAS). 

The Holy Spirit teaches us through the writings of the Apostle Paul how to hear His voice. 

 "---Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so {likewise} the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words  (1 Cor. 2:9f-13NAS).” 

When we set our minds on the things of the spirit and yield our will to the things of God the Holy Spirit speaks the thoughts of God to our spirit in words we understand.  It is thought transference by the Holy Spirit from the mind of God to the mind of those who are spiritual, to those who have love and faith toward Him through His Son.  Therefore the Holy Spirit is the voice of our Lord speaking to us the word of God and so revealing to us the very mind of God; thus we know the things freely given to us by our Heavenly Father.  

How else are to be instructed by God??  Certainly not by our own intellect---that would be of the flesh!!!! 

“For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, (set their mind on, or rather yield their will to) the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him (Rom. 8:5-9NAS).”

The wisdom of man cannot achieve faith; faith and love are gifts from God through hearing God’s Son, The Word of God, by His Spirit (1 John 2:27).  Even if a student reads, memorizes and tries to intellectually achieve understanding of the Scriptures he has not heard the voice of God, therefore he cannot have the love of God or the faith that is from God.  Hearing the Word of God by His voice is the beginning of faith.

The Apostle Paul writes, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17NAS).” 

And Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me;  (John 5:39NAS).” 

Therefore we understand that the Holy Scriptures were not given to man as his tool or instrument for his own interpretation and understanding; they were given as instruments of the Holy Spirit (the voice of our God) for leading us to Christ Jesus (the Word of God) for justification, regeneration and sanctification.  

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and are Life (John 6:63NAS).” 

In summary, the Holy Bible is the textbook or written word given to us by the Holy Spirit; and it is He that is the voice that speaks, teaches and reveals the Living Word, Christ Jesus, to us (John 14:26).  

Jesus said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God (Rev. 2:7NAS).” 

To he who the Holy Spirit has taught the knowledge that produces obedience that leads to spiritual awareness and alertness, it is he that overcomes. The first time a person hears the voice of his Savior is when the Holy Spirit is convicting him of sin.  It is the Word of God anointed with the Spirit of God that causes the ear of the dead soul of man to hear.

Hearing leads to believing, and believing to obedience, and obedience is a positive active response to the will of God.  As the hearer responds in sorrowful repentance the Holy Spirit, speaking the Word of God, continues to do His work in him giving life to the his soul.  

As the believer prayerfully studies the Scripture the Holy Spirit reveals the deeper mysteries of God to him in a thought transference process from God’s mind to his; thus God creates, by His word and Spirit, a “new creature” in His image.

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man.  For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:14-16NAS).”  

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom. 8:14NAS).”

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