Where are we going? Numbers 8-10

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%208-10&version=NIV

"At the Lord's command they encamped, and at the Lord's command they set out."
- Numbers 9:20

As I read about how God lead the children of Israel with a cloud and a pillar of fire, my thoughts were that I wished God lead me like that. Wouldn't it be great if he told us where we where to go, when where were to move, and showed us the way to get there? And what I'd really like is if he made it as clear to me as he did to the Israelites – cloud here, you stay – cloud lifts, you go. Go where? Just follow the cloud.

Ultimately, the truth is that he does still lead like that. Sometimes I think we miss it because we want to know where we are going, why, how long it will take to get there, and what route we’re going to take. Realistically though, when we look at the word of God, we know that he simply does not lead this way. God wants us to trust him, and that type of leading takes no trust.

Let’s go back to the Israelites. Go never told them where they were going beyond the fact that he was leading them to the promised land – and since they had been in Egypt over 400 years, certainly none of them had seen this land before. He never told them how long they would travel each day or how long they would camp or why – he just told them ‘go’ or ‘stay’. And because they were relying on him, that’s exactly what they did. He didn’t give them a GPS either – or set a map out in front of them and explained the route they would take. He led them in a way that required total trust and total reliance.

It’s the same way he lead Abraham. It’s the same way he lead Christ as he ministered on earth. The same way he led the disciples in the book of Acts. The same way he led Paul through his ministry.

He told Abraham – “go to a land I will show you”. – Genesis 12:1 And so Abram left.
The Spirit led Christ into the wilderness. – Matthew 4:1
He said to Phillip “Got south to the road – the desert road- that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza”. And so he started out. – Acts 8:26-27

I have no question in my mind, friends, that when God has a specific purpose for you in a specific place, he will lead you there. How does he lead? Often through the promptings of the Holy Spirit – listen to those little tugs at your heart – sometimes we aren’t even aware that it’s the Spirit working. I pray that God gives you spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear his direction – to know that it is Him who is guiding you.

He leads through confirmation in his word. How do you know whether God is speaking to you, or whether it’s your own desires getting in the way? God’s spoken work will never contradict his written word. As Priscilla Shirer teaches in “He Speaks to Me”, many things in our lives can interfere will our ability to receive God’s messages. Scripture can descramble the message by either authenticating or disapproving what we thing we’ve hear. “As we seek God’s direction and listen for His replay, we must verify that the voice we hear in response is God’s and not our own, much less Satan’s.” We discern truth based on Scripture.

God leads and directs through wise counsel or mature believers. Believers who themselves have heard and understand God’s voice and leading and can help us discern our way through what we believe God is saying.

God leads and directs through open and closed doors. The sound of opening and closing doors is one way we hear from God. By doing this head leads when our ambitions get in the way.

Finally, God leads through peace. God gives peace as a means to discover where he’s leading us. When we walk in God’s will, peace will rule our hearts regardless of our circumstances. In making decisions that glorify God, we must constantly ask, “Am I experiencing God’s peace regarding this decision?”

We can be sure and certain God will lead us when we are obedient to seek his leading and obedient to set out or to stay put. We can be sure and certain because His Word promises that he goes before us and behind us and that his hand is on us – Psalm 139:5. We can be sure and certain because he not only promised the Israelites that he would guide, He promises us the same.

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide, even to the end.”
– Psalm 48:14.