What do I say to a believer who doesn’t believe that God speaks to men today?
God doesn’t speak through officially appointed prophets in the same way He did in Old Testament times, because He has spoken His complete message to man through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). But while hearing the audible voice of God is rare, I can personally confirm that it does happen. And untold numbers of born again believers would testify to receiving direct communication from God in one form or another. Sometimes it’s in a conspicuous answer to prayer. Other times it might be in an obviously supernatural orchestration of events or circumstances. For instance, a missionary receiving an unsolicited gift of money from someone he doesn’t know in the exact amount necessary to handle an unpublished need.
Also, the Bible is clear that some believers have been given the gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 12:7-11). Unlike the prophets of old, who were God’s official spokesmen, those with the gift of prophecy speak to men for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). They can also deliver personal messages from God when they have no way of knowing the circumstances surrounding the message. In cases like this confirmation will generally come from someone else who will unknowingly communicate the same message. I have personally witnessed this as well.
To believers who don’t think God speaks to us today, I would suggest that maybe they should try honing their listening skills and raising their level of awareness. Elijah discovered that the Lord does not come to us in a windstorm, or an earthquake, or a fire, but in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13).