TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING HOW GOD LEADS PART 2B

God directs us principally by His word and by His Spirit. Isaiah 34: 16. The two main ways God leads His people are by His Word and by His Spirit. Psalm 119:105. When the Psalmist said the Word is a lamp unto my feet; he meant that the Word of God gives you direction for the now/immediate. The direction you need is personal, there are no general directions. When the Psalmist said thy Word is a light unto my path; he meant that the Word of God gives you direction for the future.

When the Lord is the one leading you, you enter a lack-free zone of life. Psalm 23:1. When God is leading you, regardless of the economic situation, you can never be stranded. 1kings 17:14-15. In the midst of famine, God was feeding Elijah through a Raven, despite the stingy nature of the raven, it was giving bread to Elijah. When God is the one leading, stingy people will bless you against their will.

God’s leading comes majorly in two basic ways Psalm 23:4

1. Correction: The rod is for correction. At times, direction comes as correction. If you hate correction, you will never get direction.

2. Instruction: The staff is for instruction. God puts correction before instruction because He knows that when you collect the instruction first, you will never collect the correction.

In life, everyone can always give you food, but it is those who love you that will give you correction/advice. 1 Philippians 4:19 Psalm 145:15-16. If you see or have people who are correcting you, hold them firm and don’t let them go.

Few passages to see and learn through the life of God that He uses to guide His people:

1. Isaiah 41:17-20: There is a difference between the poor and the needy. This passage was addressing a group of people called the poor and needy.

1. Poor and Needy: Those who are disenfranchised, those in need and trusting God for supplies. It cuts across race, location, tribe, gender, geographical location. It is possible to be rich and classified as a needy person. Every poor man is needy, but not every needy man is poor. There are influential people who cannot sleep at night. But there are poor people who sleep peacefully. The needy talks about people who are in need of something, it may not necessarily be money.

2. Water: this talks about everything that pertains to life and sustenance. your returns will come through men, but God did not put their names. He can use anyone to bless you. Luke 6:38, Isaiah 41:10. God is able to use His resources to help us and answer us in our seasons and times of need.

How does God lead us?

Isaiah 41:18. Isaiah 41:17 paints a picture of need, and verse 18 paints a picture of supplies. From verse 18, there are four different expressions of water, and they show us the channels God uses to bless us. God supplies all our needs at different places and from different sources, and they minister to different people and their situations.

1. Rivers in high places/desolate places: This talks about people who are rich, big businessmen, etc. They are seen to be in high places, yet things are not working. How does this affect us? This refers to influential people who are in need, but people see them as rich men.

You can be high and be dry. God is saying I will provide for people who have attained a high place in life and still have a need, when they genuinely cry to me for help. Instead of the river flowing downwards, God has promised to break protocols for the rich and influential by causing the river to flow upwards to where they are. Luke 19:2. Zacchaeus was rich and powerful, but he sought to see Jesus and get salvation. Normally if you are the one seeking salvation, you are the one to go and look for Jesus, But Jesus broke protocol for Zacchaeus and went to meet Zacchaeus in his house. God breaks protocols and helps the needy in order to bring salvation to them.

2. Fountain in the valley. Those in the valley are seen as the nonentities. They are hidden, nobody knows them. They can be in an assembly and not be noticed. They can also be hopeless, yet they choose to struggle and earn a living honourably. The fountain is the source where the river flows through. The fountain of a river is usually very narrow, but as it flows down, it will gather momentum.

To those in the valley, God is saying that he will open to you a fountain, it may not look big, but do not despise it, because it is coming in a small volume.

Do not despise the fountain, it is the source of a great river.

God can meet those at the top and still meet those at the valley.

Job was a rich man, and he was afflicted by the devil, but his restoration came in double folds, even the people he had helped, gave to him a piece of money, trickles of gold started coming in and it brought about increase.

3. Pool of water in the wilderness: The people in the wilderness are those who labour yet there is nothing to show for it. But God is saying to those in this category, He will create a pool of water (an oasis) to quench their thirst and supply them food. Gensis 21:19-20

River’s flow, fountains flow, but a pool of water is stagnant.

4. Springs in dry land: Dry land is not necessarily void of water. But because of absence of rain, they experience draught. These are the category of people in their dry land. They are people who used to be in abundance but now they are experiencing dryness. God is saying to this category of people that He will bring springs of water. God promised to break protocols and bring water from the depth of the land, He will give them an idea that will launch them back into their place of original glory.

It does not matter the category you belong to; God will surely meet you at the point of your need. He will visit you on every side, as long as you open your heart to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour. Isaiah 41:17