The Lord Leads His Own

He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning until the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 AMP 

God Has Plans for Us

God has plans for all of our lives, and He desires to reveal them to us, but we must seek Him. He has placed His divine purpose in our hearts, and with God’s help, we can draw it out. God does not reveal everything to us all at once. Instead, He reveals His will to us little by little.

Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” If we seek Him out God will lead us. He will bring what’s in our hearts into our minds.

Step by Step

God freely gives us His wisdom, but He reveals it to us step by step. God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105) When a person carries a lamp along a darkened pathway, it lights the way revealing more and more of the journey with each step.

The Lord often conceals His will before uncovering it, and He uncovers it when we seek Him. In order for us to receive His direction, we must have an intimate relationship with Him. We must also have a desire to go His way and not our own way.

There is also an element of faith involved with finding and following the Lord’s plans for our lives. We don’t always know what to do. We see the way as if peering through fog, but God leads us when we look to Him in faith. Faith believes that God gives us wisdom when we ask.

How Do We Receive His Direction?

God desires to reveal His purposes to us. But how do we receive His direction? The primary way we hear from God is through His written word. The scripture teaches us to love the Lord and to love others. It instructs us to fear God and to walk in humility and holiness. It instructs us to always be thankful. God’s word compels us to tell others about Jesus and His plan of salvation for them.

After we commit to obey God’s written word, we can look and listen for His other means of direction. Here are some of the ways God can communicate with us…

1. Through visions or pictures.
2. Through dreams.
3. Through a still small voice
4. With peace as a confirmation.
5. Through good counsel from others.
6. Through outward circumstances.
7. By recognizing our bents and passions using them for God’s glory.

The Holy Spirit is our Friend and Counselor. He gently leads us when we look to Him in love, faith and obedience. James 1:5-6 tells us that if we ask Him, the Lord will lead us freely. But we must ask in faith, otherwise we will not receive God’s wisdom.

The faithful believer longs to do God’s will, and the Lord desires to lead His own. He is our Good Shepherd and we know His voice; the voice of a stranger we will not follow (see John 10:3,5).

Test with Scripture

Though there are various ways that the Lord leads us, we must always test our impressions with the surety of Scripture. Anything that does not agree with God’s word we must reject.

God has a vision for each of our lives. Let’s seek Him and let’s be open to Him, For the Lord leads His own. Isn’t it good to know that Jesus does not leave us alone. He is Emmanuel, our God who is with us. He leads His children and helps them along the way.

Every Area

God has a specific plan for all of our lives. This is true for every area of our existence. Jesus has a plan for our relationships, for our health, for our finances, in the area of winning the lost, and in our service at our local church. He wants to lead and guide us to serve Him and to serve others. Will you seek the Holy Spirit’s specific leadership? Will you develop your spiritual hearing so you can discern His leading? Remember, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. He wants us all to hear and heed His voice. Truly, the Lord leads His own, And He only has good things in store for us.