“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14
It is a very wrong concept to believe that God will not guide us, specifically lead us clearly in His will. After all, did not Christ die that we might know His Life and power, be filled with His Spirit, and being filled with the knowledge of His will, be led by the same Spirit? The problem is not whether God will guide us, for He has promised to do so. The problem lies in the lack of the surrender of our minds and hearts to Him, to believe Him to guide us when we cannot understand the way, nor the circumstances in which He has called us to live victoriously for His glory. So then, how does a Christian live in the light of God’s certain leading, even in difficult circumstances which cannot be fully understood? The answer lies in the matter of TRUTH, and what God has spoken to the believer, that one who will believe and obey Him, concerning His promises. Let us begin with the experience of David in the Psalms.
In Psalm 32:8, we find that the Lord revealed to David His will for him. He said, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” These are the words of the Eternal God to an individual believer who is called of God, submitted to God, and is willing therefore to follow Christ according to His commandments. In order to be led, consciously led with the revealed hand of God working in the life, the believer must be willing to be instructed. Teachableness is the first condition to being taught as a disciple, the willingness to be learn from God. However, in the economy of God, instruction has a goal. It is given for the realization of a certain purpose. We discover this reality in Paul’s writings to the believers in Rome. He writes: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Here we have Paul being LED to write of circumstances which might not be understood, or grasped, but which God has allowed in order to respond to the heart of faith, and to reveal His glory. That which we see under the surface of this sea of the sovereignty of God is the leading of God in the life of the believer. The believer cannot fully grasp how God leads, for he cannot see the wind. God’s works are like the wind. Nor can the believer understand something truly too wonderful, and grand, so very complicated and intricate that Paul would later write: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33) The believer who would be led by the Spirit, instructed of God and taught by Christ, is that one who has surrendered his intellect to Christ, willing to believe that some things will be revealed to him, but realizing that his capacity to receive all that God would desire to teach is very limited. Even the Lord Jesus told certain disciples, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (Jn. 16:12) Here the disciples apparently had a teachable spirit, but they were very limited in what they could understand at that time.
In Psalm 32, we discover again that God’s leading by the Spirit always has an objective, in this case, that the believer should be taught “…in the way which thou shalt go.” (v.8) Leading always involves direction, the way and the manner. God never leads contrary to His will, His nature, nor His purpose. He is sovereign in HIs love, all wise in HIs instruction, and all powerful, to give to the believer the grace and strength to follow Him by faith. God is faithful to do it.
Dear Father, Guide us today wiith Thine eye. In Jesus’ name, Amen.