Mensa Otabil - Led By the Lord
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We are in the New Year, and we 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 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’re exploring it. When you’re exploring anything, you need guidance. If you were a hiker, you would need a compass. For us, 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 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. Thus, God was leading His people both 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. Every time God is leading us, He is going to show us His way.
There are two primary ways that God leads us: His Word. His Word is what leads us and gives us clarity, telling us what is right, what is wrong, what to do, and what not to do. So 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 just have to obey Him. God says don’t do something-don’t do it! 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. It’s a pillar of cloud by day to give us clarity and purpose.
Then, when we don’t know what to do, and there are things that we are not too clear about, His pillar of fire gives us light and illuminates our path. This talks about the Holy Spirit guiding us. There are going to be things that are not very clear to you. As you find in the Bible, it may say don’t do this or don’t do that. For example, you may want to make an investment, or someone tells you to come and do something for him, and you don’t know whether to do it or not. Or, if you’re a lady, someone proposes to you, and you don’t know whether he’s the right person or not. If you’re a man wanting to propose, you don’t know whether that’s the right woman or not. These are not things you can read the Bible to find answers to, and that’s why the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us and guide us.
So you’re going to need the Word of God to show you broadly what the will of God is, and then you’re going to need the Holy Spirit to show you specifically those things on which you need to make important decisions. This year, there are two guidance systems you’re going to rely on. Just like a hiker relies on a compass, you’re going to rely on the Word of God. You’re going to read it and find out what God wants you to do, and then you’re going to 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 so that you can have the right guidance tools to make the right decisions in your life. 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.