DETERMINING DIVINE DIRECTION.
OBJECTIVES OR AIM:
i. To understand the wisdom in Divine Direction.
ii. To possess a working knowledge of working in Divine Direction.
iii. To appreciate the need to live a life of continual obedient to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
INTRODUCTION: PSALM 16:10-11 (The path of life). Isaiah 48:17 (The way you ought to follow) proverbs 19:21; 14:12 (The way of death).
Definitions:
DETERMINING mean to find out something or to know something.
DIVINE: From God or like God
DIRECTION: The course taking by a moving person or thing.
It mean: to know God’s leading.
It mean to understand the WHAT, the WHEN, the WHERE and the HOW of God’s direction.
Its the direction that makes vision to be fruitful
4 QUESTIONS OF VISION?
WHAT-What am I suppose to do? (Vision)
HOW-How am I ought to do it? (Strategy)
WHEN-When am I suppose to it (timing)
WHERE-Where am I suppose to do it (location)
THE ESSENCE OF DETERMINING DIVINE CIRECTION-Why
Following divine direction is a necessity. [ps.100:2-3.] vision + direction= Distinction.
To succeed in life and ministry. There is a race that is set for you. [Heb.12:1.] success is fulfilling God’s mandate for your life.
It is the evidence of God’s presence in your life. [Exo.13:21-22; Ps.105:39.]
It is your birth right. [Rom.8:14]
For cheap victory in the battle of life. [1Sam.23:2-3.]
For protection. [Ps.105:13-15; 144:1-15.]
For provision. [Isaiah 48:21; Ps.105:40-41.] For every vision, there is always provision.
DIVINE GUARDIAN IN THE SCRIPTURE
Through the pillar of the cloud and fire. [Exo.13:18-22.]
Through the instrument of URIM and THUMIM. [Exo.28:30.] URIM: light and perfect symbol of guardians. THUMMIM: truth and completeness.
By the prophets. [Heb.1:1; Amos 3:7; Joel 2:28]
Through dreams. [Gen.28:10-15; 37:1-5]
Appearance of angel. The ministry of angel is real. Angels are for you. [Gen.18:1-5; Luke 1:28-38; Jug. 6:11-22; 13:2-5]
Fleece: [Jug. 6:36-40]
HOW DOES GOD LEAD THIS TIME? [ISA.42:16; Ps.32:8; Jn.10:4, 27]
Via His word. [Ps119:105; 2Tim.3:16-17; Heb.1:1-2; Jn.1:1-5; 6:63; 2Pet.1:2-3]. Bible is God’s manual. There is something in the Bible written concerning you. [Luke 4:17-21; Isa.61:1-3]
Via Holy Spirit. [Rom.8:14; Jn.14:26; 16:13]
PREREQUESITES FOR SUCCESSFUL LEADING
Be a covenant child-you must be born again. [Jn.3:3-6] Unborn again is spiritually death. [1Cor.2:14]
Meekness: humility. [Ps.25:9.]
Faith. Our life is determined by faith. [Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17; 2Cor.5:7; Heb.11:6; Rom.10:17]
INGRIDIENT OF DETERMINING DIVINE DIRECTION
Fellowship with the Holy Spirit. [1Jn.1:20; Rom.8:11,16]
Quietness of spirit. [Isa.30:15; 1Kings 19:11]
Love. [1Jn.4:8; Jn.13:34] You cannot hear God, until you work in love because God is love.
Liberty of the spirit. [2Cor.3:17]
Confidence. [Pro.3:5-6; Heb. 10:35; 2Tim.1:12]
Joyful heart. [Isa.30:29-30] Your sorrow and crying cannot move God. [1Sam.1:9-11; Joel 2:12; Ecc.5:20]
Obedience. [Isa.1:19] Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Vigilant in the spirit-be watchful. [Hasb.2:1]
Openness of heart. [Matt.18:3-4]
HOW TO MAINTAIN SENSITIVITY
Develop a constant pattern of scripture reading
Praying in the spirit-communion in the spirit. [Jude 1:20]
Fasting. [Isa.58:6-8] It enhances your spirit man to be spiritually sensitive.
HINDRANCIES TO DETERMINING DIVINE DIRECTION:
i. FEAR. It is the opposite of faith. [1Jn.4:18; Job 3:25] Fear is the false evidence appearing real.
ii. Doubt. Doubt is unbelief. [Heb.3:12] It separates you from God. [Heb.10:39; Jas.1:8]
iii. Sin. [Isa.59:1-2] It hardens your heart. [Heb.3:13]
iv. Pride. [Pro.16:18; 15:33]
V. Anxiety. Being anxious [Matt.6:25; Phil.4:6]
Vi. Tradition. [Mark 7:13; col.2]
CHARACTERISTICS OF DETERMINING DIVINE DIRECTION:
i. God’s leading is always in line with His word. [Jn.1:1-2; Num.23:19; Titus 1:2]
ii. Peace. When God lead you, you will have peace of mind. [Ps.23:2-3; Isa. 26:3] Hebrew word for peace is “wholeness”. [Phil.4:6-7; Isa.48:17-18]
iiLove. When God lead you, you will not be afraid. [1Jn.4:8,18]
Confidence and assurance. [Phil.1:6; Ps.23:4]
Will not override our will. [Gen.6:3]
Never in haste or hurry. [Isa.28:16b] Learn to be patience. [Heb.6:12,15]
Accuracy [1Sam.30:8,18]. There will always be accuracy of what the Lord have says to you.
LEARNING DIVINE DIRECTION:
There is three ways:
i. The inward witness.
ii. The inward voice.
iii. Authoritative voice of the Holy Spirit.
THE INWARD WITNESS: Spirit perception, not a physical feeling. [Rom.8:16; Acts 27:10; Pro.20:27; 1Cor.2:11; Jn.16:13] Do not seek to hear the voice of God. God does not speak in audible voice. Learning to follow my inward witness: A. Spend time praying in the Spirit. [Jude 1:20] B. Spend quality time with the word. [Jn.6:63] C. Fasting [Acts 13:1-3]
THE INNWARD VOICE: This can also be called the “still small voice.” Outward man also have voice-audible voice. And also the inner voice is conscience-God in man or God being in human being. Conscience accuse and excuse you.
TYPES OF CONSCIENCE:
A. Weak conscience.
B. Dead conscience.
C. Evil conscience.
D. Good conscience.
Always listen to your conscience.
AUTHORITATIVE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT. To hear God’s voice. [1Cor.2:11]
OTHER WAYS THAT GOD SPEAKS VIA HOLY SPIRIT:
i. Godly counsel. Seek knowledge from those that is spiritually higher than you. [Pro.11:14]
ii. Prophecy. Prophecies are inspired words. [2Pet.1:20; 1Cor.14:3]
iii. Via vision. God open your inner eye to the clear picture of a thing. [Hab.2:1-2.]
HOW TO TRAIN OUR SPIRIT:
The same way you train up your physical body and your mind and intellect, so also you need to train up your human spirit.
THREE WAYS TO TRAIN HUMAN SPIRIT ARE:
1. MEDITATION: act of digesting the word. Until you meditate on the word it did not benefit you. Actual memory cannot come until you memorize the word. It means rubbing your mind with the mind of God.
2. PRACTICE THE WORD: [Jas.1:22-25; Heb.5:14]
3. BY CONSTANT OBEDIENCE: delay obedience is disobedience. Every step of obedience you take help you to have confidence in God and makes you to take higher step. [Luke 16:10-12]
WHY CHRISTIANS FAIL TO FOLLOW DIVINE DIRECTION:
Many believers are too busy with the natural affair and thereby not having time for the spiritual affair. Spiritual dictate the natural.
Because they followed their own plan instead of God’s plan. [Pro.19:21] there is different between ambition and vision. Vision is the preferable picture of the expected future.
THEY NEVER LET GO OF THE PAST. Any time you are looking back, you are going back. [Phil. 3:13]
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