Introduction
The need is always there for us wanting to know which way to take in our daily decisions. We are always bothered about what right posture to take concerning issues that affect our life, business, ministry, marriage etc. . The reason for this is because no man is interested to go on the wrong side. We have all learnt from history that it is not profitable to live one’s life or approach whatever issue of life from a wrong side. The instinct of wanting to know bad from good is embedded in man at the beginning of creation. Gen. 3:1-5. The devil took the advantage of this to trap Adam and Eve into his, cage of destruction. Likewise today many people in the attempt and search for the right (godly) direction on issues of life like marriage, ministry, business etc. has entered their waterloo through the deceptive but easy broad and fascinating ways of the devil which they got through the counsel of false teachers/prophets, idols, occultic means, priests or even self-deceitful minds. Many of these people have been taken captive in their decisions by taking to the wrong side of life.
It is only who knows the right way and have the love ability plus the willingness of the heart to sincerely show the same that can show it. God alone is the only one who can teach us, lead us and show us the right directions to go in life. God is much more interested just as earthly mother is interested in her child to His children. He alone is the one that know the end from beginning and also has a prepared plan of life to show individuals that seek with interest. Jer. 29: 11; Is. 48:17; Ps. 107:20, Isa.46:10
(i). Definition
(ii) Aids to Divine Direction
(iii) The ways our God leads.
Definition
Divine Direction. Going by the words available in the above statement the subject under discussion simply means finding out Godly guide. This is so because to determine means to search, seek, or find but, divine means holy, Godly or God based and Direction stands* for the way, guide-or leading. To determine a divine direction is to find out the way God wants one to go on a particular issue at a particular time. Heb. 13:8; Ps. 89:34; 119:89. It stands for the ability and the strength of man to receive guidance from God on the different issues confronting him every day.
It is processing the will of God and gaining the wisdom for the way He wants us to go about it.
(ii) Aids to Divine Direction: The following are the points that is capable of helping us to gain God’s direction or guidance.
(a) The inner realization of the fact that there is always a way that God wants us to go as touching any issue of our life. This stand for the knowledge and the acceptance that God has a will of His own, a way He has made available for whatever issue at hand to go. Is. 48: 17,30:20.
(b) The belief that He will lead us when we tell Him to. This talk of the forming of our faith in His love, ability and willingness to show us the right way, knowing that as Christians we have the right to be led by God, because Jesus Christ has become the shepherd of your soul i.e. guides Ps. 23; I Jn. 10:27,5).
(c) Identify with the position and the personality of the Holy Spirit to bring God’s guidance to us in any form He chooses.
(d) Positioning our self-right to receive, Receptiveness or quintal of the spirit, flexibility of the spirit, of our mind to be open to what form He choose to communicate to us. When He speaks, our readiness to carry it out will help us to receive more instruction as follow up.
(e) We should be ready to seek for it so possibly earnest prayer and fasting, watching with sensivity and wisdom, counsel.
(b) Characteristics of Divine Leading: The following are few points that usually characterized the leading of God. It goes to assure us that God is leading us.
(a) The leading of God always come with peace Is. 48:21
(b) When He leads, He heads right. Jer. 29:12
(c) It is not always usual. Not stereo typed or static. God is dynamic and His doings including His guidance is dynamic. He chooses the way He deems fit to lead His people.
(II) The Ways God Leads: In God’s hand are different kinds of means of leading or guiding His children and all His ways are good and Godly. The ways He leads our fathers (the children of Israel of old) are recorded in the Old Testament.
(a) Old Testament Survey God leads through: –
1. Pillar of cloud and fire Exo. 13:21-22; Num. 9:21-23.
2. Sounds of some special kind instruments like Urimatumim Exo. 28:30 3. Through or by prophets Heb. 1-2,1 King 19:1-7; Isa. 9 4. Fleece Judges 6: 36-40 5. Dreams-7:9-11 6. Angels-6:11-12 (b) New Testament Survey 1. Dreams 2. Prophecy
3. Visions of the night of trance
4. The Holy Spirit Acts 1 :8; I John. 5:5: Acts 5 5. The word of God (Heb.-l: 1-2; In. 6:63,
(c) The way God leads today The ways by which God lead today is as varied as both the Old and the New Testament period.
A. The Ways Of The Word – Pure, Sure, Worthy Ps. 12:6 i.e. Receiving revelation from the word in understanding and conviction for guidance following Bible in its simple presentation of instructions I Cor. 6:18; Gal. 5:19-21; 2 Tim. 2:22. Referred words – One can hear a verse or chapter or content of the Bible given to one for guidance. It is also possible for one to be reading and get a word magnetized to his heart as God’s means of guidance for Him on an issue at hand. Such words do come from reading the Bible, anointed books by the anointed teachings or preaching or counseling His anointed servants. On. 9:2-4; Lk. 4:17-19; Pr. 20: 18; 19:20. In relating with men of wisdom, words of direction can also come.
B. The Ways of Spiritual Signals I King 13:3 Signaling is speaking with signs or demonstration. When a road warden lifts up his hand, vehicles stop on our road. God also use spiritual signals to direct or guide His people. However, we should be careful to differentiate our emotional feelings i.e. feeling we have and sustained in us but originate from what we see, hear, smell from external between the spiritual signal which is often unrelated or depends not on outside situations are or demanding. Spiritual signal depends on the state and strength of the spirit of man for His clarity, accuracy and loudness. Negative state of the spirit man like unsteadfast spirit Ps. 78:8, hasty or foolish Ps. 14:29, haughty spirit (pride) Ps. 16:8 or worldly spirit Lk. 21:34-36 Eccl, 14:17 can hinder the flow of spiritual signal. But positive spirit, contrite heart which gives confident expectation in God and not on self helps Ps. 34:18; 51:37; Ps. 16:19; 29:23; Isa. 57:15; 16:2. Also meek or quiet spirit I Pet. 3:3-4. A fervent spirit which implies strong, vibrant, active, alert, our reaching stirred up and aggressive spirit is helpful Acts 8:25. This does not mean a perfect one but a sort of building up as victory over depression, bored weak and bolted up spirit. Spiritual signals include: 1. Conscience, that is what makes you guilty or not guilty. It informs you that the steps you took or about to take is right. This inner census if we obey it -continually, you will tend to become closer to God. ‘Close to it is intuition or inner knowing or inward witness. Rom. 8:6. 2. Inner feeling – a burden, deep feeling in the spirit. It makes you identify with other people’s pain and put you on to do something. It’s like inner compassion Neh. 1:6 3. Ideas. In praying, studying or meditating, God do drops ideas on people’s mind that can lead them to the step they should take.
C. The Ways Of The Voice God do speak, differing out His voice sometimes especially us not to forget. Sometimes He does it to reassure us of His protection or presence. The voice can be spoken to our inner man – inner voice or loud to us on the external – other voice Deut. 4:12, 36. Hearable with physical ears, the people around may hear and they may not Act, 9:4-7. A voice has to be tested to be sure it is God speaking. Isa. 3:3-10.
D. The Mind Ways 1. Also discipline mind can be used to receive God’s leading for Christ name through: Sanctified imaginations – holy and mature minds predicting a likely result from a given trend of events. Thoughts on issues can be very accurate if the mind is pure, there are men who practically think their way but of confusion concerning business of church not marriage etc. Acts 6:2; Gen. 39:7-12. 2. Spiritual reasonableness – The use of the mind to discern between good and bad, detecting issues that make sense spiritually when one’s mind is exposed to the thoughts of God. Heb. 5:14; I Cor. 2:15-16.
E. Dreams – experience of seen pictures, hearing words that could show us God’s way. It occurs when people sleep, Job, 37:14.’ Some can be perfect and direct without interpretation Gen. 20:2-10, some are proverbial Gen. 41: 14-35. Some are night mares – God allow us through His mercy to see the plans or activities of Satan and his agents against us, beloved one, nation, Church etc. Some are nothing but dreams as a result of business. Exod. 5:3.
F. Circumstance – Some circumstance of events is not an accident but deliberately designed and permitted by God to guide us. Some favorable circumstances are telling that it is God’s will for us to go ahead, sometimes it is contrary with the negative one. The ways God lead today are many. What is essential is for each Christian to keep with the Holy Spirit the simple life of faith that God will always leading out in any circumstances of life.
Let me conclude with the letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, Rev.3:8, “…for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. With these three-divine observation by the Spirit any man that can abide with them shall enjoy the open door that can never be shut. AMEN. Extract from the Theological Teachings of Re. Dr. Olugbenga S. Onasanwo JP. FCTI President/Rector, URCCM Theological Seminary/Bible College, Lagos, Nigeria.
