Courtney Gilmore When God led the people out of Egypt He made Himself visible in a cloud. Then when Jesus came, He was a visible leader to the people. It is tempting to want His visible leadership today. It seems like it would be so much easier if we knew He was in the cloud and we could just follow where it moved. Or even better, wouldn’t it be nice if we could walk and talk with Jesus everyday, visibly & audibly? Jesus knew we would feel like this and reassured His disciples with these words.
“Now I go away to Him who sent Me… Because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send Him to you… When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:5-13
The reason it is better that Jesus isn’t here anymore is because we now have the Holy Spirit. Jesus, could only guide those that were physically with Him. Also it was primarily a collective type of leading even though He did speak individually with some people. But the Holy Spirit has the ability to be with each of us personally, all of the time, guiding us specifically in our own lives.
So, how do we follow the Holy Spirit if we cannot physically see or audibly hear Him? Well, we pray, we listen, and we pay attention. James 1:5 says that “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally & without reproach, & it will be given to him.” So the Holy Spirit can give us wisdom about where we should go or what we should do, if we just ask Him.
Jesus also told His disciples in Luke 12:11-12 “When they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” So the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, can even tell us what to say if we will just pay attention.
But what if we don’t even know what to ask for? In Romans 8:26-27 Paul told them that the Holy Spirit can speak to the Father for us. “The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings with cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” So, since the Spirit knows our hearts and also the will of God, He can also work everything together for our good and the Father’s glory.
Jesus also told His disciples in John 14:25-26 that the Holy Spirit would remind them of His words. “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things & bring to remembrance all things that I said to you.” Since we were not alive when Jesus walked this earth to hear His instructions, they are written in the gospels. Not only that, but we have the law of Moses that was given to the Israelites, the rest of the experiences & teachings given to the Jews in the Old Testament, and the words of the disciples and letters to the churches, written after Jesus died. We have more in the Holy Spirit than they had in Jesus, but we also have more of God’s word than any of those generations before us. So not only did the Holy Spirit remind the disciples of the words that Jesus spoke to them, but He can also remind us of His words today, written in the Bible.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God’s word teaches us and rebukes us, then tells us the correct way. It also equips us to serve Him. So, before we read the Bible, we should ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what the scriptures are saying to us and then listen to them.
But, how can the Holy Spirit instruct us or remind us of God’s Word, unless we know it. Jesus compares Himself to a shepherd and us to sheep in John 10:1-5. He says that “He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” So if we want Jesus to lead us, then we have to know His voice. The way we get to know Jesus, is the same way we get to know anyone. We spend time with Him and listen to what He says. Just as we can know our spouse or best friend so well that we can anticipate what they would say or do in a certain situation, it is the same with God. The more we listen to His words, the more we can differentiate His voice from someone else’s. The more time we spend with Him, the more we are able to determine what He would do in any given situation.
So, let God lead you. Pray. Read His Word. Get to know Him. Know His voice. Let Him teach you the Truth. Let Him help you. Let Him guide you in all His ways.
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of His heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11
Excerpt from Episode 58 “How God Leads Us” on Podcast & YouTube
