Divine Guidance | Pastor Jon Neitzell

This powerful exploration into decision-making takes us on a journey through ancient Israel's methods of seeking divine guidance, revealing both their limitations and God's ultimate desire for intimate relationship with us. We discover how believers once relied on dreams, the mysterious Urim and Thummim, and prophets to discern God's will—methods that often felt distant and uncertain. The sermon warns us against the dangerous practice of consulting mediums and necromancers, reminding us that familiar spirits are deceptive and seeking them opens doors we should never open. Through the story of King Saul's tragic fall from hearing God's voice to desperately seeking a medium, we see the devastating consequences of spiritual drift. But the most beautiful revelation comes through Abraham's story in Genesis 18, where God shows up in physical form to speak directly to His friend. This is what God has always wanted—not dice-rolling or fortune-telling, but personal, intimate communication. Since Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit described in Joel 2:28, we no longer need intermediaries or mystical objects. The Holy Spirit dwells within every believer, ready to lead, guide, and speak directly to our hearts. We're challenged to develop that inner sensitivity to God's voice, to test what we hear against Scripture, and to trust that God loves us enough to communicate clearly when we need direction. The message is clear: we don't need gimmicks or go-betweens; we need relationship, patience, and a willingness to listen to the Spirit who already lives inside us.