When it comes to guidance, we may be tempted to pick up a Bible, turn the pages, and randomly point to a verse in the hope that God might speak to us like an omen. We misinterpret what God is trying to say.
2. The second way through which God leads us is through his compelling spirit. In Acts 20:22, Paul says:
Now, in the service of the Holy Spirit, I am on the way to Jerusalem and I do not know anything about what will happen to me.
According to one definition, a Christian is a person who is guided by the Holy Spirit. When you encounter Jesus and invite his spirit to live in you, his spirit will slowly speak to you and guide you.
Jesus says that his followers will recognize his voice. And the more you know Jesus Christ, the more you will recognize His voice. As we read the Bible and pray, the Holy Spirit speaks to us.
It is written in the book of the Acts of the Apostles that on the day when they were fasting and worshiping God, the Holy Spirit said to them (Acts 13:2). Prayer is a two-way conversation.
It’s like when you go to the doctor. You don’t go to him just to voice all the requests and complaints and then storm out. You speak but you wait to hear the doctor’s words as well, and this is similar to when you are praying. It’s not like we’re the only ones talking to God. We also listen to God’s words. Sometimes the Holy Spirit leads us by giving us a great desire to do something.
Paul says in Philippians 2:13: It is God who creates in you both the decision and the power to do what pleases him by his powerful action.
Sometimes God guides us in very unusual ways: prophecies, visions of the future, photographs, dreams, impressions, or sometimes even some with an audible voice.
3. The third way through which God guides us is through the advice of holy people.
In other words, receiving guidance from other Christians shows the specialness of the church and being part of a community of other Christians, a community where we can help each other.
It is written in Proverbs that a wise person listens to the advice of others. So it is recommended to look for people who are wise and experienced. Listen to their advice and make an informed decision, and in the end, the final decision is ours, but it is wise to get advice.
But how do we know if it is God who speaks to us through the Spirit and through our friends or if it is us who thinks about what we want to do? Of course, we may make mistakes or misinterpret what we hear, but the Bible helps us test the truth of what we hear.
John says: Test the spirits to see if they are really from God. So first we have to see if it is in line with the teachings of the Bible? Second, is it empowering, encouraging, and affirming? Does it increase love? If there is no love, then it does not come from God.
Third, do you feel God’s peace about this decision? Paul writes, let the peace that Christ gives you be the judge of your conscience. So if you don’t feel comfortable with your decision, then it’s probably not the right one.
4. Common sense is the fourth way through which God guides. When you become a Christian you don’t lose all logic and yourself. You are still yourself. God’s promises of guidance are not meant to save us from the problem of thinking.
The Bible tells us the general will of God. For example, we know that celibacy is a sublime calling. Jesus Christ did not marry, but in general, marriage is customary.
But the Bible does not tell us who we should marry. You should use your common sense and ask yourself if we are compatible.
Business decisions are the same. Sometimes after people become believers, they wonder if I should quit my job.
Paul says that everyone should stay in the state that God has appointed for him and called him in that state. Everyone stays in the state in which he accepted God’s invitation. God has purposed in calling you in that job.
Today in the article : How does God guide us? Part II We reviewed useful information about the Bible and the way of Jesus. If you wish, you can view other articles of Ali Vahidi about Christianity
