Divine Guidance
Proverbs 3:5-6 say, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (KJV).
“The LORD shall direct thy paths.” First, by His Word: not in some magical way so as to encourage laziness, nor like consulting a cookery-book full of recipes for all occasions, but by warning us of the by-ways of sin and folly and by making known the paths of righteousness and blessing. Second, by His Spirit: giving us strength to obey the precepts of God, causing us to wait patiently on the Lord for directions, enabling us to apply the rules of Holy Writ to the varied duties of our lives, bringing to our remembrance a word in due season. Third, by His providences: causing friends to fail us so that we are delivered from leaning upon the arm of flesh, thwarting our carnal plans so that we are preserved from shipwreck, shutting doors which it would not be good for us to enter, and opening doors before us which none can shut.” A.W. Pink
When concerning Divine guidance and the scriptures, A.W. Pink gives us the scripture, the Holy Spirit and God’s Providence as Divine guidance in the ability to follow God’s Holy Writ.
First, the Scripture is the truth “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). This is our firm foundation in which we need to stand on; it is our plum line and standard of guidance.
Second, the Holy Spirit is the presence of God in all believers. Exodus 33:15 says, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” (NKJV). This should be our desire as well, to go nowhere without God’s presence and influence on our life. After all I, cannot do anything without God (John 15:5).
Third, God Sovereign Providence, God works all things to my good. Romans 8:28 says, “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.” All things are both the good and the bad. We must then look at all of our situations as a learning and refining experience to become more like Christ.
God’s Divine guidance in relationship to His word gives us the understanding for the paths of righteousness we need to follow. We must look to His word to find out what God loves, desires, and hates. Then follow after what God loves and desires while avoiding those things God hates. Let us not lean unto our own understanding but trust in the Lord with all of our heart and then He shall direct our paths.
When we conform to God’s word and the characteristics of Jesus Christ in the Bible we are becoming obedient to God and becoming Christ-like. As we continue this progressive action to be molded into the likeness of Jesus we unknowingly walking in Divine guidance. It takes belief in the word of God as absolute truth, complete surrender to God, and an emptying of one’s self so the Holy Spirit can fill you and you become an instrument of God and not the world or self.
In Christ,
Greg