I. God has promised to guide and give direction to His people

    1. Prov. 3:5-6; Ps. 32:8-9; Isa. 58:11 (As a result of fasting); Ps. 25:8-10; Ps. 37:23; John 10:27

        a. When you ask God for guidance you need not worry about getting another voice - Matt. 7:7-11; James 1:5-7.

    2. When we need direction from God the first thing we should do is meditate on His promises. As we do we will have confidence that He will do as He says and give us the direction we need.

II. Primary source of guidance: The Word of God

    1. Ps. 119:105; 130; Prov. 6:23

        a. Expect no other guidance from God until you have first learned to clearly follow that which is written.

    2. The Holy Spirit will always lead you in line with God’s Word.

        a. John 14:23-26

    3. People have asked, “Is that God or the devil speaking to me?” Here is an easy test:

        a. Does it line up with God’s Word?

        b. Is it earthly, sensual, devilish, and confusing? Or is it pure, peaceable, gentle, and without hypocrisy - James 3:15-18.

III. The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of man.

    1. God promises that the Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth.

        a. John 16:13-15

    2. Man is a TRIPART being. He is spirit, soul, and body.

        a. 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12

    3. The Holy Spirit usually speaks to our spirits, not our soulish realm or the physical realm.

        a. Mark 2:8; Prov. 20:27; Rom. 8:16; 1 Cor. 2:9-15

        b. Many of us spend time developing our bodies and our minds, but we spend little to no time at all developing our spirits. Yet, we wonder why we do not hear from God.

        c. Develop your spirit by meditating in God’s Word and praying in the Spirit (Josh. 1:8; 1 Cor. 14:2-4; Jude 20).

IV. The Holy Spirit and our conscience

    1. The conscience is a safe guide for the consecrated born again beliver.

        a. Rom. 9:1; Acts 23:1; John 8:9; 1 Tim. 3:9

        b. The conscience is the voice of our spirit and will lead us to do the right thing.

    2. Is your spirit at peace or is it troubled?

        a. Isa. 48:17-18; Col. 3:15; John 11:33; 13:21

        b. Your conscience acts like a traffic light from God. If you are going in a certain direction and you are at peace then this is the “green light.” Keep going. However, if you are going in a certain direction and you are troubled in your spirit then this is a “red light.” Stop and seek God for direction.

CONCLUSION: People often want guidance from God through audible voices, visions, angels, prophecies, and other supernatural phenomenon. Although God does do these things today, this is not His normal way of guiding His children. People who seek these things can be very easily deceived by Satan who is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) and who operates in the physical realm. When we follow God’s perfect way of receiving guidance, which is through the Holy Spirit speaking to our spirit, then we will be protected from any outside voices.

Note: For further insight into this subject I highly recommend the book How You Can Be Led By The Spirit Of God by Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin. Another good book to read is titled Secret Of Guidance by F.B. Meyer. A classic and available for free on the internet.

E-mail: victoryword@yahoo.com

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(c) Copyright 2001 by Troy J. Edwards and Victory through the Word Ministries