Guidance and leading are a question mark in the minds of many of God’s people. Do I have scripture that guarantees me the right to seek guidance from the Lord? Am I to just do the best I can and hope for the best. No, dear friends the Lord is very much interested in helping us go in the right direction.
The Lord is truly involved in leading His people.
Ex 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people. NKJV
In the OT there are no less than four different words to describe how the Lord leads His people.
Isa 40:11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. NKJV
The Word of God invites us to come for guidance.
Ps 25: 4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. NKJV
Isa 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. NKJV
Devine guidance does not have to be hit and mis.
Ps 48:14 For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death. NKJV
Prov 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. NKJV
Prov 20:27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. NKJV
Even in dark difficult times He has promised His guidance.
Isa 42:16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them. NKJV
The principle
Prov 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. NKJV
The price for not seeking God’s guidance.
1 Chron 10:13 So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. 14 But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
NKJV
Josh 9:14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. 15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. NKJV
When we keep God’s Word, guidance is assured
Ps 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; ESV
Ps 121:3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore. NKJV
Ps 32:8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. 9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
NLT
Those who seek direction from the Lord will receive it.
Job 34:21 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. ESV
Ps 25:4 Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. NKJV
Isa 30:21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. NLT
The Word of God
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. NKJV
Prov 11:5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. NKJV
Those that meditate in God’s Word store up wisdom that will guide them into right decisions.
1 Sam 24:1 Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, “Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3 So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.) 4 Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 And he said to his men,”The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul. And Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.
8 David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. 9 And David said to Saul:”Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’? 10 Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. 12 Let the Lord judge between you and me, and let the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. 13 As the proverb of the ancients says,’Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you. 14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? 15 Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” 16 So it was, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said,”Is this your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17 Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. 18 And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. 20 And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. 21 Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my father’s house.” 22 So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold. NKJV