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      There is a popular notion that God is directing His children' lives through specific instruction and/or guidance, by means of spiritual impression or words heard in our head. Some refer to this as an “individual world” from God. Others describe it more as a feeling. But the result is the same: a denial of the sufficiency of Scripture. The Bible says that in the past God has spoken in various times and in a great many ways to the patriarchs and by the prophets. But in these last days [the days of The Church] He speaks “by His Son.” [Heb. 1:2]

      The Lord Jesus Christ is The Word of God: the “express image of God's person.” In Hebrews, chapter 2, we read how Jesus spoke to His disciples (the apostles and others) the message of Life. They, in turn, spoke to “us” (the folks who heard that message from the apostles and others). Their message being confirmed through signs and wonders and a variety of miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to God's own will. Where does that leave us?

      Well, regardless of what happened in the past, the revelation of God, today, is through Jesus. He communicated to the 120, who passed the message along to others, signs and wonders following to confirm that message as from God. But all of it under the authority and control of the Holy Spirit. There is no indication that any one was exercising miraculous gifts or doing miracles according to their own power or authority. The Apostles may be an exception since they possessed 'the gifts of an apostle.' [II Cor. 12:12]

      All this is consistent with Paul's explanation of spiritual gifts in I Cor. 12. Charismatics and others see a list of “gifts” in this chapter which Christians can expect to exercise. But the reality is different.

     v. 4  Paul speaks of spiritual endowments / miraculous faculties, following it up with the caveat that whatever they may be, they are all by the same Spirit that indwells true believers.

     v. 5  Then he speaks of gifts / abilities which are distributed by that same Spirit.

     v. 6 and how these gifts / abilities work, as they are being exercised, all under the authority and control of the same Spirit.   

      v. 7, concluding by pointing out that whatever these are and whatever they accomplish, they are expressions of God's Spirit at work to profit the group, not the individual.

      v. 8-10  This if followed by a list of representative expressions by which The Spirit may make Himself known in The Church. 

      None of this is designed to operate outside The Body, The Church of Jesus Christ. All of these are ways the Spirit manifests Himself to The Church. They are not spiritual gifts, in the sense of personal abilities available for use at will. No one had 'the gift' healing, or of tongues, miracles or prophecy, except, perhaps the twelve apostles. Everyone else was either given authority at specific times or depended on the Spirit of God to express Himself as He chose, when He chose. 12:11 ...distributing...as He will. [individually / personally]

      To say someone has 'the gift' of the word of wisdom and therefore greater understanding of God's will and/or purpose, aside from study of Scripture, or spiritual maturity, or experience, is to elevate certain members of The Body over others, and, of course, this is exactly what's happening.  

      God has certainly manifested His Spirit in The Church, through all these means, as is certainly free to do so again. But the idea that Christians are somehow endowed with the ability to do these things is not supported by Scripture, unless you ignore the words, the grammar and the over all doctrine.

       Allowing for a “word of knowledge” that provides additional instruction from God, or an “individual word” from God is a frontal attack on the veracity, sufficiency and infallibility of the canon of Scripture. Either we have all we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him Who called us.... [II Pet. 1:3], or we don't.

       It may be the proponents of this sort of direct and personal inspiration either do not understand the damage this doctrine does or do not know what The Bible teaches, or both. God tells us His [revealed] Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path [Ps.119:105] David rejoices in the “light” God's Word gives to the simple [119:130] What need to do we have for additional instruction/ light? Jesus relied on God's written Word in His battle with Satan, in the wilderness [Lk. 4].

      Why do we think we need more?

      II Tim. 3:16-17 teaches us that God's revealed Word is sufficient to make a man perfect [complete] and throughly furnished [fully equipped] unto all good works.

       I Cor. 2:7-13 declares that because of our access to the Holy Spirit, we can know the mind of God. By an individual revelation? No! By comparing God's revealed Word with itself.

      John 15 If you abide in Me and My [revealed] Word abide in you, you may ask anything you want and it shall be done unto you – that My Father might be glorified in your fruitfulness.

      John 7:17 If any man will do His will, he shall know of the [revealed] doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself.

      The early Church was to “try the spirits” to determine who was real and who was a false prophet [I Jn. 4:1]

      Peter warned about false teachers, saying you have a more sure word of prophecy [in the revealed Word], whereunto ye do well that ye take heed [to it!]... [II Pet.1:19]

       The Church at Ephesus ferreted out false apostles, no doubt by applying God's Word

       The issue is: If we need more, or more specific, instruction or direction that what we already have, then what we have is incomplete or insufficient. Do we really want to undermine that fundamental principle? Listening to the “voices” in your head or following the “feelings” you have regarding a particular choice is a recipe for being misled or deceived, at best. At worse, you become your own authority, where no one is able to correct or instruct you. You know what God has said to you and no one can change that....for you.

       What happens when you really believe God has told you to do something that is destructive to your family or to your ministry, or something counter to Scripture? If it's from God, you must obey!