Romans 8:14

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God

DAILY READING Matthew 15:21-39; Leviticus 26-27; Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26

God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the course of life. It is by His help we can escape traps. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. We profit by the divine guidance He gives. He leads us to our ordained place and also leads us away from danger.

In Mathew 24, Jesus speaking by the Holy Spirit warned His disciples about things to come. He told them, ‘when you see Jerusalem encompassed about with armies, know that the desolation thereof is near, let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains’. Though Jesus was speaking prophetically about the end of the age, He was also giving them insight of an impending doom. History records that in A.D 70, as the Roman armies began to advance towards Jerusalem, the disciples remembered the warning of Jesus, to flee to the mountains, and so they fled from Judea across the Jordan River to the mountains of Petra. This was how these Christians escaped the Roman invasion. They were not affected in the destruction of Jerusalem that followed, where many Jews died. Today, if you go on a tour of Israel, these mountains of Petra where the disciples fled to can be seen.

The Holy Spirit was active in guiding them away from danger. In the book of Acts, when Paul was to go up to Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit spoke through a number of prophets warning him of what lay ahead. It was also through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that Paul was able to escape the several attempts to capture him. By the guidance of the Spirit, Peter was delivered from prison a day before Herod would have killed him. During His earthly ministry Jesus Himself was dependent upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For thirty years, He could do no miracles until the Holy Spirit came on Him and then there was an explosion of signs and wonders. Several times when the Jews tried to kill Him, The Holy Spirit helped Him to escape. One time they took Him to the brow of a hill to cast Him down, but He simply walked out on them! The Holy Spirit blinded their eyes so that they could not see Him. Jesus did not die because He could not escape the Jews; rather, He died because He cooperated with God to carry out the salvation plan.  He lay down His life voluntarily in line with the salvation plan and when He was leaving the earth, He prayed the Father to also give us the Holy Spirit, because He knew we need Him to survive.

Today, the guidance of the Holy Spirit is available to the believer. As we draw towards the close of this age, we need Him more than ever before. These are indeed perilous days. As the hearts of men grow colder and the world grows darker, we need the Holy Spirit to navigate us to safe havens. We need Him to reveal the Father’s will to us and also to empower us to dominate every opposition. We are now in the days of power. There is a serious power tussle in the realm of the spirit.

You either attack or be attacked. There is no more room for spiritual laxity. A believer who will survive and thrive in these times must be clothed with power. If you lack power, evil forces will make mincemeat of you; you will become a plaything in the hands of the devil and you will wonder why your life is careening out of control and all manner of calamities coming your way. As a believer you must take charge. We have been given the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions; it’s time now to begin to exercise that power. There is no more room for lukewarm Christianity. It is either you are hot or you are not. There is no middle ground. The war is on, and the Holy Spirit is at hand to guide and empower us. Let us therefore begin to take advantage of His ministry. We need His wisdom for discernment. Not every opportunity that opens before us is from God. Not everyone that claims to be a Christian is one. It is only by the guidance of the Spirit that we know always what to do. By His guidance we are able to stay safe even as we pursue the will of God. The last days are the climax of spiritual warfare. We can’t continue operating merely by mental knowledge or common sense. Let us therefore through prayer begin to engage the help of the Spirit.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to seek the guidance of Your Spirit in all I do. Let me always seek first Your counsel before I make any move. 

Quote

When you obey God’s instruction you are delivered from destruction

 [ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]