Mensa Otabil - Lead Me, Lord (10/01/2025)
We are in the New Year and need to walk in the paths that God has made for us, so it’s important for us to be led by the Lord. Exodus chapter 13, verse 21 states, «And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so as to go by day and night.» We call it a new year because we have not experienced it before; it’s something new, and we are exploring it. When exploring anything, we need guidance. If you were a hiker, you would need a compass; however, as we walk into this new year, we need something more reliable than a compass, and that is God Himself to lead and guide us.
In this passage, we see how God led the children of Israel through the wilderness. They were also in a territory they were not familiar with; they had not been there before, and God led them. The Bible says that He led them by day with a pillar of cloud and by night with a pillar of fire. God was leading His people by day and by night, and what He used to lead them by day was different from what He used to lead them by night. Each time God leads us, He shows us His way. There are two primary ways that God leads us: His Word. His Word leads us, gives us clarity, and tells us what is right and what is wrong, and what to do and what not to do.
When we say that God is leading us with a pillar of cloud by day, it means that God gives us clear direction. When we read the Bible, that’s what we find: clear direction. Where God has given us clear direction, we must obey Him. If God says don’t do something, don’t do it; if He says do something and it will be well for you, do it, because that’s how we follow God. It’s not a mystery; it’s clear out there—it’s a pillar of cloud by day to give us clarity and purpose. When we don’t know what to do and there are things we are not too clear about, His pillar of fire gives us light and illuminates our path, which talks about the Holy Spirit guiding us.
There are going to be things that are not very clear to you. For example, if you want to make an investment or someone tells you to do something for him, you may not know whether to do it or not. Or, if you are a lady and someone proposes to you, you may not know whether he is the right person or not. If you are a man wanting to propose, you might not know if that is the right woman. These are not things you can read in the Bible to find answers to, and that’s why the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us to guide and direct us.
You will need the Word of God to show you broadly what the will of God is, and you will need the Holy Spirit to show you specifically those things that require important decisions. So this year, there are two guidance systems you will rely on. Just as a hiker relies on a compass, you will rely on the Word of God; you will read it and find out what God wants you to do. Then, you will learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that you will know His will for your life and follow it. Throughout this year, I will be providing knowledge and information on how to be led by the Word of God and how to be led by the Holy Spirit, allowing you to have the right tools for making the right decisions in your life.
2021 is going to be a fruitful year for you, and God will cause your paths to drip with abundance. He will do great things for you through His Word and through the Holy Spirit. Are you ready to be led by God? Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, lead me by day and by night throughout this year, and let Your Holy Spirit be my guide. In Jesus' name, amen.» Remember, it’s the Word of God and the Holy Spirit leading you throughout 2021. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.