DIVINE DIRECTION

DIVINE DIRECTION

INTRODUCTION

Divine Direction is the supernatural release of knowledge with wisdom for accomplishment from the throne room of grace that empowers us to be lead in the way that leads to fruitfulness in our endeavors. It is the leading of God in man’s affair; it makes us to know God’s leading and understand where, what, how, when and with whom to do what God is leading us to do. It is the accurate leading of God that leads to profit. Man’s direction always leads to frustration, contention, disappointment and failure. Man’s direction leads to rebellion and eventually witchcraft [1 Sam. 15:22].

WISDOM IS PROFITABLE TO DIRECT

Divine wisdom is the knowledge and the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships, insight and judgment. Right away we must understand the place of Godly wisdom in divine directions that is why the word states that he will lead us in the way that we should go. Wisdom is the Hebrew word “chakmah” and it is characterized by skill, craftsmanship, cleverness and cunning, and prudence in everyday matters. Biblical patriarchs like Daniel, Ezra and Joshua were filled with the spirit of wisdom; and it brought them great success.

“And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Act 16:8-10 

In the above scripture God appearing as a man of Macedonia led Paul and other missionaries to go to Macedonia instead of Bithynia and they had successful trip having obeyed the directive of God. One small mistake being in the wrong spiritual placement will cost you dearly in fulfilling Kingdom mandate or even in making it in life.  Many have run into so called “open doors” only to find out that they are traps in disguise to inhibit progress or ensnare. Many had been deceived by the glitter of certain business open doors only to discover pits therein. All that glitters is not gold, we must double check some prophetic proclamation or test all spirits. Remember King Ahab who was wrongly led [“prophe-lied to”] by 400 prophets while it was at the insistence of king Jehoshaphat that Macaiah spoke the truth [1 King 22:7-24].

GOD DESIRES TO LEAD US

“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he reveals his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” Amos 3:7-8 [Check Num. 12:6, Hos. 12:10, 13]

God desires to lead us so that He can make known His will unto us. We must not be disobedient to the heavenly vision. God has mapped out His will that He wants to accomplish in and through us in the Word of God. He wants to provide for, protect and prosper us if we follow His ways and directions [3 John 2], and He seeks our best interest [2 Chron. 16:9, Jer. 29:11]. Divine directions keep us from pride [Job 33:15-17], being self-willed and from destruction [Job 33:18]

“For God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep fall upon men, in slumbering upon the bed; Then he opens the ears of men, and seal their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword” Job 33:14-18  

We must not allow our impressions, blinding emotions or other pressure-packed forces to influence our decision making, else we will not be guided by divine direction in our pursuit of the will of God for our lives and ministry on planet earth. However other negative influences includes wrong assessment, overconfidence, procrastination, immediate gratification, patterning or mirroring what we are to do with what others [like our mentors], are doing, and limiting the search for viable answers; these are among the culprits that misguide our choices and bad choices in life and ministry.

God is the source of all wisdom. He created us all and placed His gifts and callings within us so that we can use it to His glory and understand the worth of the gifts. God will lead us in a path that will fulfill His plans for our lives and ministry. He is the one that direct our path in order to fulfill His plans for He alone knows the direction we are to follow and will lead us accordingly.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shall go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee” Psalms 32:8-9 

BE SPIRIT LEAD

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” Rom. 8:14 

The Lord who is the Spirit is the one that will lead and teach us in the way that we should go and we must be constantly obedient to His leading. Human beings from the inception of creation are meant to exercise dominion and the new creation cannot effectively walk in complete and continuous dominion except we exercise authority based on what we have been shown in dreams and visions, what we have heard or seen in the Word of God or inspired in our spirit man.

INSTRUMENT OF MATURING THE SAINTS

Divine direction is also an instrument of consecration and sanctification for it is what we hear and see spiritually that helps us to do away with carnality and walk in the spirit so that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. We must create a spiritually serene atmosphere for us to hear the direction that God will want us to take. There is a way that seems right but the end thereof leads to path of death [Pr. 16:25]. Man in his best state is incapable of making reliable and durable decisions. No human effort can make God’s directions

GOD’S LEADING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Israelites coming out of Egypt were led in the Old Testament by the pillar of cloud and fire [Deut. 8:3-4]; and through the Urim and the Thummin [Numbers 18:24-27]. They were later led by the Prophets [1 Chron. 15:18, Amos 3:7-8]. They were also led through dreams [Gen. 28:11, Judges 6:11-12], also by angels [Luke 1:17]. We are led in the New Testament by prophets, word of God, intuition, visions and trances [Acts 9:11-12 – Ananias and Saul].

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” Isa 30:21 

LED BY ANGELS

The Shepherds at the time of the birth of Jesus were first led by Angels and later led by stars [Matt. 2:9]. There is also the inner witness [Romans 8:14] which is accentuated through constant studying and reading the word of God, and constant prayers. You can also have inner voice directions, and godly counsels which must not contradict the word of God. We do not know the way and we must allow God to lead the way. We will always need God’s guidance! Misdirection will lead to many years of setback. We must locate ourselves in God’s master plan. We must manifest the spirit of obedience to God’s perfect will.

BEING WARNED OF IMPENDING DANGERS BY GOD

The woman who Elisha spoke to the King about left her properties after Elijah prophesied about Famine for seven years and moved to Philistia. She was warned of the coming famine and she obeyed in seeking temporary dwelling in Philistia. Later when she returned all her properties were restored unto her. We must recognize and obey the word of the Lord that is spoken by those who God gave spiritual oversight over us. As you take a step of obeying the directives of God, the doors shall open before you [Prov. 4:12]. This woman had to leave all her properties behind in obeying divine leading but they were all restored because she walked in obedience to God’s directive. Provision and restoration come with obeying God’s counsel. Jesus Christ said the sheep hears His voice and follow Him [John 10:4]. We must have internal respectability to God’s voice. Even Jesus obeyed the leading of the Father to the core. He always say I always do what pleases the Father or as I hear so I do.

BEING LED TO FULFILL DESTINY

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf” Gen 37:5-7  

Joseph was shown two dreams about what his future hold [1 Kings 8:1]. Delayed or partial obedience is disobedience, just like King Saul killed part of the Amalekites and spared the king and the choice animals when instructed to totally annihilate them by God. These divine revelation top Joseph shaped and directed his life to follow after until God Himself led him until by divine ordination that dream was brought to pass in the natural.

It is the Spirit that always drive us to understand the mind set of God for his ways and thoughts are higher that our own thoughts or ways. The Word of God is the other side of the coin of the Spirit that God uses to lead us to understand His will.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isa 55:8-9 

 

DIVINE PLAN OF GOD

God has a divine plan for all our lives. It is the duty of God to hide such plans like gold deep down the earth but it is our prerogative to search them out. It is not our responsibility to create a plan, purpose, future or ambition but it is our responsibilities to find out the mandate of heaven for our lives so that we don’t carnally operate our lives and ruin our maker’s objectives and goals. [Jer. 1:5]. There can only be fulfillment, achievement and flourishing when we correctly locate God’s plan so that no unnecessary tears will be shed, or we go through lifetime of hardship when purpose is not known and misdoing is inevitable.

We will be lost if we follow the wrong directions or make the wrong moves. God will or may not reveal the whole plans at one time but a continual following of His ways, obeying His dictates and hearing to do through His Spirit will help us to continually hear His directives, prosper in our ways and obtain. We must be consistent and daily check with Him so that we can follow and do His plans that unfolds in phases and some things must be done specifically before others. We must not put the cart before the horse. There is a way that seems right to man to follow in pursuit of God’s will but the end of such road is destruction.

VISIONS OF GOD

Vision is the unfolding of God’s master plan while direction is the steps you must take in order to accomplish the vision. We must follow God’s plans appropriately for wisdom is profitable to direct [Eccl. 10:5-7, 10]. Once you locate God’s directive, navigating through life becomes easy like Sunday morning. It is divine direction sandwiched in double layer of wisdom that helps to make vision work out effectively and powerfully. Knowing divine direction helps you traverse through life without stress or fear. It helps to locate the inherent talents and gifts placed in you by God so that you are empowered to cruise effortlessly.

GOD LEAD AND TEACH US IN ORDER TO PROFIT

We must locate where we belong in destiny and get the direction on how to get there so that our lives do not end up in frustrations and struggles because of lack of direction.

“Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teach thee to profit, which lead you by the way that thou should go. O that thou had hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea” Isa 48:17-18 

God promised in the scripture above to teach us what to do in order to profit, and to lead us in the way to go and the end result will be peace and righteousness.

“You have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence will fill me with joy” Act 2:28 GNB 

God specializes in showing us what we need to do in order to lead us to life here and after and when we follow that path, His Presence will fill us with joy [Psalms 16:11].

WHY DO WE NEED DIVINE DIRECTION

1. To succeed in life and ministry [David asked, “shall I pursue” 1 Sam. 30:8]. A race is set before us to run and we need God’s direction in order to be successful in it according to the Word of God.

2. It is an evidence of the Presence of God in our lives. “Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to SHOW you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day” Psalms 103:39

3. It gives light in decision making; divine illumination exposes all the alternatives [there is a way that seems right unto man – Prov. 14:12], and shows both the best way and the pitfalls ahead. Only God’s direction gives light…“Moreover thou lead them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go” Neh. 9:12 

4.  It is necessary for cheap victory in all battles of life. It is God’s help to the         children of Zion [Romans 8:14] and foster a closer walk with God hereby bringing maturity and perfection. Potentials are developed and executed when God directs.

5. Divine direction helps to accomplish God’s plans and purpose in our lives. You will develop strength when you walk in divine direction.

LOCATING DIVINE DIRECTIONS

The word of God and the voice of the Spirit are the two ways to locate divine directions and they work together.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path…The entrance of thy words give light; it gives understanding unto the simple” Psalms 119:105, 130

Spend time with God in His word and the light that direct and guide will shine forth in your path. All failure can be traced to scripture violation and disobedience to the voice of the Spirit who says “He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church”.

Philip was led by the Spirit to join the chariot on the road that lead to Gaza [Acts 8:29] and he ministered powerfully to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Peter was led in a trance while Cornelius was led by angels.

“While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them” Act 10:19-20 

GUIDANCE OF THE SPIRIT

Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all the truth [John 16:13] so that we can effectively fulfill kingdom mandate. The Spirit does not speak his own words but will communicate unto us whatsoever he hears the Father speak. If you struggle to follow or walk in line with God’s will for your life and ministry then you are planning to fail and be stagnated and struggling in all facet of life. If you are challenged in fulfilling God’s will, your progress may be slow but you will move forward nonetheless. Only the people who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior [John 3:3, 5] qualifies to be led by Him. Other factors includes being meek like Moses [Ps. 25:9] and such are the ones God reveals His ways to like Moses [Ps. 103:7]. We must understand that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him by faith [Heb. 11:6].

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Act 13:1-3 

Fellow=shipping with the brethren and in the Spirit helps a lot to reveal the mind set of God per time so that the body of Christ can be appropriately led by the Spirit. We must be like Jesus who waking up early in the morning looked for a quiet and solitary place in order to commune with the Father [Mark 1:35], for it is in quietness and in confidence that our strength is perfected [Isaiah 30:15]. Thanksgiving, praise and worship must be a continual lifestyle of those who understand divide direction [Read Psalms 138:1-3].

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee” Gen 12:1 

The impetus of God is to always show us the place that He has set for us to prosper. It may not look the place of prosperity like the land where Isaac planted [Genesis 26:1-12] but if you stay with God, you will definitely reap a hundred fold.

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and SHOW you great and mighty things, which you know not” Jer. 33:3 

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will SHOW thee things which must be hereafter” Rev 4:1 

Divine direction gives us the boldness to go through difficult tasks after we have heard the directives of God. That was what gave Joshua the boldness and confidence to fight the giants in the Promise Land [Joshua 1: 1-9] because he knows that God that cannot fail has promised him [Numbers 23:19].

WISDOM WAYS

1. Know that only God has the answer: God is the source of all wisdom and the answer or solutions to all our problems… For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding… Then shall thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path” Prov. 2:6

2. Ask in prayers for wisdom. We ask and God releases wisdom to help in the time of need. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him” James 1:5 

3.  We must believe and have faith that God will definitely guide us. We must recognize the fact that God actually want to communicate with us and help in understanding what His will is per time. “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining even brighter till the full light of day” Pro 4:18. It is only as we pray that our decisions becomes clearer and matches with the will of God. 

4.  Our faith in God’s kind of wisdom must be backed up with works that is applying the directives of God to get godly results. We move applying godly directives by and we explore every godly creative abilities to get godly results

 

5. We must always check our decisions if they are in line with the word of God and characteristic of true godly wisdom… “This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be in-treated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” James 3:17

The below stated scripture categorically says that it is only those who are led by the Spirit of God that are the children of God and will eventually prosper in their endeavors. To be led is that Greek word “ago” which is to be driven by a force.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” Rom 8:14 

We have come to the season when we must be piloted and told what to do by the Spirit of God if we want to prosper. All that we will do must not contradict the word of God if we want to prosper thereafter.