Divine Guidance
Dr. Arnie Smith
Lesson 1: Guidance is Learned, not Automatic
1. The enemy wants to direct us:
2. We are to be led by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13,14 – guide into all truth; glorify Jesus)
A. Matt. 4:1 – Jesus led of Spirit into the wilderness
B. Rom. 8:14 – led by the Spirit to be sons of God
C. Gal. 5:18 – led by Spirit not under the law
D. II Cor. 3:5,6 – letter kills; Spirit gives life
3. Need to learn; not automatic
A. John 10:27 – sheep hear/know voice; not lambs (takes time to learn)
B. Heb. 5:8 – Jesus learned
C. Heb. 5:14 – mature learned by experience
D. Prov. 16:21,23 – increase learning
E. II Tim. 2:15 – study to show self approved to God
F. II Pet. 3:18 – grow in knowledge
G. Col. 1:10 – increase in knowledge
H. Ps. 103:7 – know God’s ways, not only acts
4. God wants us to know His will
A. Rom. 12:1,2 – Prove will of God (good, acceptable, perfect – all parts of His will)
B. Prov. 3:5,6 – He WILL direct (if we allow Him)
C. Ps. 32:8,9 – He’ll direct us with His eye if we’re close enough and looking
D. Mark 3:35 – all who do God’s will are family
E. Eph. 6:6,7 – doing the will of God
5. Commanded to do His will
A. Heb. 10:7-10 – Jesus came to do the Father’s will
B. I Pet. 2:15-21 – will of God revealed
1. Well doing will silence the world
2. Freedom – not license – use wisely
3. Honor others (Phil 2:3) – esteem highly
4. Honor those in charge
5. Patiently suffer wrongfully – easier when wrong than when right
6. Jesus is our example - to follow His steps
6. Reward for doing His wlll
A. Deut. 28:1,2 – honor and blessings overtake us
B. I Pet. 5:10 – after suffering awhile we are perfected established, strengthened and settled
C. Col. 4:12 – perfect and complete in the will of God
D. Heb. 2:4 – demonstration of power and gifts
E. Heb. 10:36 – receive the promise after doing God’s will
Lesson 2: Four Sources of Guidance
1. Self
A. I want, will, etc.
B. Titus 1:7 – not to be self-willed
C. II Pet. 2:10 – presumptuous; self willed
D. I Cor. 2:14 – natural man can’t comprehend things of the Spirit
E. James 1:23 – being hearers, not doers of Word
F. Deceived – convinced as being right, but not
1. Jer. 17:9 – heart
deceitful
2. Matt. 24:5 – many deceived
3. Rom. 7:11 – sin deceives and kills
4. I Cor. 3:18 – possible to deceive self
5. Gal 6:3 – deceive self
G. Own desires easily get in the way of God’s desires
1. Rationalize – explain according to fleshly terms
2. Justify – point out advantages
3. Convince – determine your will must be God’s – Jonah
H. Prov. 14:12; 16:25; 21:2 – man’s ways right to him; bring death
2. Others
A. Family
1. Mark 10:29,30 – leaving family for God’s sake is rewarded
2. Luke 18:29,30 - same message
3. Matt. 13:22 – cares of this life keep from being fruitful for God
4. I Cor. 7:33 – must take care of wife – can interfere with the will of God
5. Can be most influential – determined they know best; must not go against
B. Friends
1. Jer. 23:16 – prophesy desire of own heart, not from God
2. Care for person clouds vision and perspective
3. Person wants to please his friends
C. Foes - not necessarily obvious ones
1. Matt. 10:36 – often own household against will of God for us
2. Acts 2:35 – foes to become footstools
3. Matt.5:44; Luke 6:27,35 – love your enemies – will have some
4. Most often will operate as sweet and nice, but actually out for destruction
3. Satan
A. Angel of Light (II Cor. 11: 13-15)
B. II Thes. 2:8-10 – all deceiveableness
C. Rev. 12:9 – deceived the whole world
D. Rev. 13:14 – deceive by miracles – don’t follow signs
1. Mark 16:15-20 – signs to follow believers, not vice versa
2. Matt. 7:21-23 – not signs that are important, but knowing the Lord is
E. John 8:44 – Satan is a liar and father of lies
F. Some of the ways Satan works – all deception
1. Urgency – must act immediately (no prayer or consideration)
2. Boldness – HAVE to do whatever he wants, not an option
3. Guilt – if don’t do what he wants
4. Good – can be something good, just not God (isn’t always bad he wants)
5. Supernatural manifestations (Deut. 18:10)
a. Call for sacrifices – Solomon offered sacrifices (I Kings 11:4-8)
b. Witchcraft/spells – phychics
c. Fortune tellers – crystal balls, astrology
d. Terrot cards/ouija boards
e. Spiritualist – familiar spirits
f. Necromancer – talk with the spirits of the dead (demons)
g. Demonic manifestations in people
6. Pose as godly – really, deadly
a. Many think they’re of god – psychics, witches, fortune tellers
b. Most deny any involvement with the devil
c. Gal. 5:19-21 – devilish things lead to death
7. Jesus’ example – Matt.4 – temptation
a. V.3,6 – enemy challenges Jesus to prove He’s the Son of God
b. V.9 – enemy promises wealth for Jesus’ worshiping the devil
c. Jesus defeats the devil by using God’s Word
8. Uses his people to rob God’s people (Mat. 7:6)
4. God
A. How He speaks
1. The Word – Bible
a. John 1 – The Word was God…manifest in flesh (v.14)
b. I John 1 – Word of life
c. Heb. 1:2,3 – spoken to us through Jesus
d. Ps. 138:2 – honors Word above His name
e. II Pet. 1:19-21 – sure word, spoken through Holy Spirit
f. I Pet. 1:23-25 – incorruptible, enduring forever
g. Study/receive the Word of God
1) Ps. 107:20 – He sent His word and healed and delivered them
2) James 1:21 – receive engrafted word
3) II Tim. 2:15 – study to show self approved of God
4) II Tim. 3:16 – word is profitable
5) Rom. 10:17 – faith comes by hearing the word of God
6) Rom. 16:25,26 – revelation comes
h. Specifically written instructions give direction
1) Commandments
a) Ten Commandments – Ex.19
b) Greatest Commandments – Matt. 22:36-40
i. Love God w/ all we are and have
ii. Love neighbor as self
c) Great Commission – go into all the world and preach the gospel
i. Matt. 28:18-20 – teach all nations
ii. Mark 16:15-20 – signs follow believers
2) Conduct
a) Eph. 4:1-3 – keep unity
b) Eph. 4:17-5:4 – put
off old man and walk in newness of life in Jesus
c) II Cor.6:14 – not unequally yoked
d) Prov. 11:15 – don’t co-sign on notes
e) James 1:19 – be swift to hear, slow to speak or get angry
3) Promises
a) Acts 16:31 – saved and household as well
b) Phil. 4:19 – God supplies all needs
c) III John v.2 – prosper and be in health as soul prospers
d) Ps.103:1-5 – healing and deliverance from sin, renewed youth
2. God’s Voice
a. Throughout scripture states “god said” or god spoke in some way
b. Audible voice – may be loud
1) Many times w/ Moses
a) Numb. 19:1 – the Lord spoke…
b) Numb. 13:1 – the Lord spoke…
2) Gideon – Judges 6:11 ff – mighty man of valor
3) Paul/Saul – Acts 9:4-6: why are you persecuting Me
c. Still, small voice (I Kings 19:11,12
1) Not in the wind
2) Not in the earthquake
3) Not in the fire
4) Not in the spectacular, but almost unnoticed
d. Inner witness: know in knower
1) Not necessarily a specific thought
2) An awareness of knowing within
3) Develops as grow in the Lord & walk more in the spirit
4) Ps. 32:8 – God wants to guide us with His eye (intimate)
e. Recurrent – repeated several times until we get it
3. People
a. Pastors
1) Have responsibility to speak into lives of sheep (Heb.13:17)
2) I Thes.5:12,13 – to know those over us in the Lord
b. Prophets – Rev.19:10: testimony of Jesus is spirit of prophecy
1) Numb.12:6-8 – God will make Himself known to a prophet
2) II Chron.20:20 – listen to prophet to prosper
3) I Thes. 5:20 – despise not prophecy
4) I Cor. 14:29 – to judge prophecy
5) I Cor.13:9 – prophesy in part
6) Purpose of prophecy (I Cor.14:3)
a) Edification – build faith
b) Exortation – encourage particular action
c) Comfort
c. Teachers
1) Classes and services
2) Tapes/CDs or DVDs
3) Radio/tv
4) Deut. 6:7 – teach diligently
5) Ps.51:13 – teach ways of God
6) Matt.28:19,20 – to teach all nations
d. Anyone God chooses to use
1) All to be teachable
2) Own children can teach
a) Isa. 11:6 – little child shall lead them
b) Luke 18:17 – receive as a little child
3) Balaam’s donkey used to speak (Numb.22)
4) Counselors (Prov.15:22)
5) Eccl.4:13 – don’t get set in ways, unwilling to learn
6) Even those angry and critical can teach us
4. Signs and wonders
a. Exceptional, not the norm
1) One burning bush – not the church of the burning bush (Ex.3:2)
2) One giant fish for Jonah (Jonah)
3) One shining light for Saul/Paul (Acts 9:3)
4) One time when the dove descended upon Jesus (baptism – Mat.3:16)
b. Primary reasons for
1) Major guidance
a) Significant change coming
b) Tremendous cost involved – emotionally, financially
c) Becomes a benchmark – place to refer to when doubt comes
2) Attention getter – can’t ignore
a) Not paying attention
b) Afraid to step out
c) Unwilling to obey
c. Some examples
1) Moses’ call to deliver Israel from Egypt (Exodus 4:1-17)
2) Judges 6:36 – Gideon’s fleece
5. Visions and dreams - exceptional
a. Less reliable means of direction
b. Jer.23:25 – too easy to confuse with own heart
c. Valid dreams
1) King Nebby – Daniel 4
2) Pharoah – Genesis 41
3) Joseph – Matt. 1:20; 2:13 – Lord appeared in a dream
d. Visions
1) Gen.15:1 – God appeared to Abram in a vision
2) Isa. 1:1 – the vision of Isaiah
3) Acts 11:5-10 – Peter’s vision happened three times consecutively
6. Circumstances
a. Least reliable of all ways of God’s direction
b. Provides confirmation
c. Must line up with rest of directions
d. May have nothing to do with the situation
1) Test to prove – coincidence or God-incidence
2) What is likelihood of circumstances being as they are
e. Provides a green light or open door making direction possible
1) God told me to teach when a decision was being made about teachers
2) Led to move and a new job comes open in the area moving to
7. Combinations of the above
a. Any combination of several ways God speaks
b. Could be all of the above
c. Greater the change and challenge, more ways involved
d. May be more over time
e. May be many sources
1) Many people – some unknown
2) Many circumstances
3) Many dealings from God
a) Read Word, radio program, pastor – all say same thing
b) Keep being confronted with same situation
B. Illustrations
1. Joseph (Gen. 37 – 50)
a. Has dreams – tells family
b. Has no control over circumstances
1) Thrown into pit
2) Sold into slavery
c. Faithful regardless of situation
1)
Rejects temptation with Potiphar’s wife
2) Takes leadership in prison
3) God prospered him even in prison
d. After many years dreams are fulfilled – he’d even forgotten them (Gen.42:9)
2. Water baptism
a. Pastor taught on need for being baptized
b. Directed to baptism in personal Bible reading
c. Radio/tv programs spoke about being baptized
d. Date for doing baptisms set at church
e. Got the message and was baptized in water
3. Decision regarding starting own business
a. Already working to start own business
b. Read Word while waiting to see a prospect (Phil.2:14-16)
c. Word came alive giving very clear message
1) Light flashed, page went blank, new words written in
2) Also heard audible voice as I read the new words
3) The message and the word lined up with circumstances
d. Changed decision as a result
4. Direction to move to Sebring, Fl.
a. Worked in Sebring briefly as part of advertising sales job
b. Met a number of Christians there who thought we should move there
c. Got several letters asking us to consider moving
d. Heard the word “Tampa” over and over in my spirit over several months
e. Finally decided to go to check if we were to move to Sebring or not
1) Looking for answer to job and housing possibilities
2) Lady met us and said she had several houses available
3) Man said I could work for the “TAMPA” Tribune
4) Went to the Tribune and moved shortly and started a church
5. Call to the Islands
a. First missions trip in 1979 was to Haiti – returned in 1980
b. 1981 went to Jamaica for the first time – returned for 18 years taking teams
c. July 1983 God gave word from Jer.1 – when it said “almonds” I was walking on them
d. 1988 God opened door to the U.K. – been every year for 17 years, spring and fall
e. Been ministering in Trinidad as well for several years
f. Been to and involved in the Andaman Islands as well
g. Isa.42:4,10,12 given as well to confirm island ministry
Lesson 3: Ways to know Divine Guidance
1. Direct – ways just taught
A. Major direction
B. Lots of input as shown above
C. Several sources of input
D. Happens over time
1) God’s not in a hurry
2)He knows when we’ll be ready (Prov. 3:5,6)
2. Indirect – not conscious of direction
A. Walk in the Spirit – led
by the Spirit (Gal.5:16,18,25)
B. Give life to God – follow Him
C. Not consciously seeking His will directly
D. Examples
1) Ruth and Boaz – Ruth
2:3: happened into his field to glean
a. Obedient and faithful to do what needed to be done
b. Not intentionally planned to be with Boaz
c. Becomes part of lineage of Jesus as a result, although a gentile
2) Paul and Silas – Acts 16
a. Ministering as usual
b. Not aware of significance of situation
c. Get thrown into prison
d. Worship God in spite of difficulty – miraculous deliverance
e. Jailer and family saved as a result
3) Particular personal
experiences
a. Choice of a store led to meeting former co-worker
not seen in years
i. Went to other stores, didn’t seem right
II. Chose the next one, turned out to be right
b. Desired a vacation – lady not seen for years
offers her condo
c. Wales: decided to go through mountains –
avoided hours of delay
d. Ken Gaub receives phone booth call while on
vacation - ministers to lady
3. Knowing God’s will
A. Major factor is PEACE
1) Isa. 26:3 – perfect peace when mind stayed on God
2) Isa. 32:17,18 – work of righteousness is peace… dwell in peaceable
habitations
3) John 14:27 – peace I leave with you…
4) Phil. 4:6,7 – peace of God passes all understanding
5) James 3:17,18 – God’s wisdom is peaceable…
6) When God’s way is chosen, His peace follows
B. All indicators line-up
1) God’s Word as received in various ways taught previously
2) Circumstances – opportunity and provision
3) Peace of God will be evident – relief; knowing in knower
4. Recognize importance of decisions
A. Affect lives of family and friends
B. Ripple-effect affects many others
C. Important even if seems insignificant
1) Never know what can result
2) Decision to go out to dinner – resulted in our
receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
D. Realize as Christians we’re being watched
1) English pastor told she was being watched for 40 years
2) I Sam. 15 and 30 – Saul’s disobedience leads to stress
for David and his men
3) I Pet. 5:2,3 – being examples
4) I Pet. 2:21 – Jesus is our example for us to follow
5. Where God guides He
provides
A. Obedience draws necessary resources
B. Provision is where God is
1) Provision moves with the cloud
2) Change requires a change on our part
3) Example – Job God gave quit supplying when He wanted a change
6. Need up-to-date instructions
A. Old methods won’t keep on working
B. God is a God of variety - O.T. Battles won various ways
1) Gideon – pitchers and lamps (Judges 6,7)
2) Chron. 20 – sent praisers first
3) Josh. 7,8 – Ai: Tries to do as Moses; defeated; obeys and succeeds
7. Relationship with God the key
A. Answers not always readily apparent even in scripture – have
to go to Him
B. Sometimes there will be a conflict or contradiction from
various sources
C. As we make God Himself the focus of life, all works out right
(Rom. 8:28)
E. Prov. 3:5,6 – trust in the Lord with ALL heart; in ALL ways acknowledge Him
F. John 17:3 – to know Him is eternal life