DIVINE GUIDANCE

What if we could receive FREE divine guidance? Would we submit to it? Would we want to remain connected and directed to "walk this way"? How would we discern if this way is the best for us? Statistics show us that 20 million Americans consult astrologers or pychics each year and over 70,000 spend $4.00 per minute on the physhic hotline each week. So it is true that people want guidance and they are seeking it from persons that are sitting ready to take money for such guidance 24 hours a day. Darwin's 'theory' of evolution changed how many think, perceive God or beliefs about divine guidance. TRUTH from God includes helpful WARNINGS. "The thief comes only to steal (seeds of truth) and kill (hope in God) and destroy (dreams); I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." How cunning of the thief to use men such as Darwin and ------to convince people who seek guidance that there is no God. However, all the words found in the bible are God breathed. "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." Darwin was NOT divinely guided to write his books, his theory is man-made. Who do you count on in times of confusion? Who is quick to listen, and forgive? Where can you go to get a free guide book? What could you tell a friend in confidence and know that you would get an apt reply? The Holy Spirit is ever present, He is quick to listen, and respond with truth as He gives you understanding of the Holy Scriptures. He will lighten your load and show you the way! God chose the authors of the Bible, who were Spirit filled and enabled to write words of truth, guidance and encouragement to His people. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." Let this eroding sculpture represent a person who accepted Christ. We each shall die, our body will decay. By asking for Jesus to come into our heart, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, (the white dog) and the sinful nature of man, (the black dog). The dogs are always fighting over the soul that the Holy Spirit wants to use for good, and the liar wants to destroy. Which dog wins the battle? The one the person feeds the most! In order to stay on the right path, to remain connected and directed by the Holy Spirit, we must feed the Holy Spirit to maintain our close relationship. Walk with the Holy Spirit, speak to the Holy Spirit, rely on the person of the Holy Spirit to guide you in times of decision, choice, direction and trouble. WHO do you call, at what hour of the day, to ASK to receive the divine Person, the all powerful Person, the One who gives the gifts, the One who does the supernatural work in people? In order to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you must call out to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, at anytime, night or day. ASK JESUS to take residence in your heart, and He will send the Holy Spirit as your Counselor, your Comforter, to dwell in you forever. BELIEVE He is One with God the Father, the Father is in Him, and He is in you. Then get yourself a bible and read the book of John. If you have asked, and you have believed, then you will receive the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will give you understanding of what you are reading. "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." Before His last supper, Jesus said 'walk this way' and He also said "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." Jesus always spoke the truth "I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." God and the liar speak to us through people, and through books. How do we know who is guiding us? Test and compare what you hear in the holy sciptures. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you understanding. Go to a man or woman that has mature faith and get counsel. Scriptures teach us 7 ways that the Holy Spirit works through us. 1) Sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks directly to you. "The Spirit told Philip, 'Go to that chariot and stay near it'" -- Philip obeyed what the Spirit said and the result was that Philip led a guy from Ethopia to believe in Jesus. That new believer spread the gospel throughout Africa. (Acts 8:29)
2) Sometimes through prayer and fasting. Esther prayed and fasted for three days and the Holy Spirit gave her words to speak that saved the Jews. The Holy Spirit gave her comfort, patience, and courage to go before the King, to risk her life to save the Jewish people.
3) Sometimes through circumstances. "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been KEPT by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia." (ACTS 16:6) Have you been nudged "don't go there"? You felt a tug, a pull towards a different direction?
4) Sometimes through dreams and visions. "After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (ACTS 16:10) Dreams mostly occur while we are sleeping, visions are generally thought to occur while we are awake.
5) Sometimes through inner prompting. "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me." (ACTS 20:22) Have you ever felt compelled to travel somewhere without a clear purpose? Think back and reflect that journey --- What surprise? How were you blessed? .
6) Sometimes through other believers. "After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." (ACTS 21:10) So when Paul was imprisoned, he was forewarned by the Holy Spirit - and from prison Paul wrote the book of Ephesians.
7) ALWAYS the Holy Spirit speaks through scriptures. "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet..." The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise that every believer NOW has testimony to witness. How has the Holy Spirit illumined your mind? When did the Holy Spirit transform your confusion into understanding? In what circumstance did the Holy Spirit change your fears into faith? "Ask and it shall be given."