Last evening I kept hearing a scripture over and over in my spirit. Actually, a portion of scripture; those that are led by the Spirit of God. I know God well enough to know that He wants to talk to me about something if a scripture keeps coming to me. Therefore I sat down and listened. Let’s take a closer look at this scripture:
Led means to bring to a point of destination. It also means to attach one’s self as an attendant. Spirit in this scripture is referring to not only the Holy Spirit, but also to the part of man that feels, thinks and decides. A son is a descendent or a follower. Therefore God is saying ‘those who are led or brought to their destination by the Spirit of God and by their decision to continue on with the Spirit of God – these are my followers, these are my descendants.
You can ask any Christian if they want to be led by God, and they would say ‘of course.’ However, I have found that most want to be led by God depending on where He is leading. If He is leading them into the Promised Land they are ready to go. If He is leading them into prosperity, they are eager to follow. However, if He is leading them to a fiery furnace as He did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that’s a different story.
I have also found that to be led by the Spirit of God, truly led, you have to go anywhere He leads. He can lead you to some deserted places. If you are a true follower of Christ, you only have two options – you can go willingly or fighting every step of the way. He will be with you, walk right alongside of you, and hold your hand so you don’t fall – but He will lead you into some hard places. Yet He will never take you anywhere that His grace can’t keep you and He will always cause you to come out without the smell of smoke from the fire.
When I think on this subject it always reminds me of my grandson, Bryson. When He first learned to walk, he was a stubborn little fellow. I would try to get him to hold my hand and he would pull his little hand out of mine. It was as if he was declaring ‘I can do it myself, I have it all figured out now.’ As we walked around outside, he would fall over and over again. Eventually, he held my hand and allowed me to lead him. He discovered I was not only trying to lead him but I was always trying to keep him from falling and getting hurt.
We often do that as Christians. We get a little bit of revelation or insight from God and then we take off running, declaring ‘I’ve got this God, I will call you if I need you.’ Just like Bryson, after we have fallen down a few times, we come back and take His hand and allow Him to lead us. It’s only when we allow Him to lead us that we cease falling and then we are the sons of God – His followers.
We love to sing that song ‘where He leads me I will follow.’ But do we mean that? I can only speak for myself but I can honestly say that I have not always wanted to go where He led me. Several years ago, when He led me to donate a kidney to someone, I really didn’t want to go that way BUT I did want to know the kind of love that would lay down its life for its brother.
There have been many places He has led me that I didn’t want to go. It happens to all of us – it even happened to Jesus. Remember in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus said ‘Father, if there be any other way.’ He didn’t want to go that way, who would? Yet He said ‘nevertheless, thy will be done.’
You see, anytime God leads us down a path that we wouldn’t choose for ourselves, it always, without fail, works something in us and works out for our better good. The key is to be led while you are being led. By that I mean, when you are led into a dark place or a hard place, continue trusting God. Don’t question Him. Don’t ask why me. Trust Him. He will work all things out for your good. He will bring you out to a good end.
During those times, continue to say what the word of God says – don’t agree with the enemy, agree with God. When all hope is gone – continue to hope. The Bible says Abraham hoped against hope. Have you ever been there? Have you ever been in a place that seemed hopeless? I know I have. Yet, I chose to continue to trust God, hoping against hope and He has never let me down – not once. Even in the times it ‘appeared’ He let me down, looking back, it all worked for my good.
God has a destination in mind for you and everything you walk through can prepare you and should prepare you for that destination. At times we may not understand what is going on, at times we may doubt our ability to make it through, we may even doubt our faith – but never doubt your God. Jesus told Peter ‘Satan desires to sift you, but I have prayed for you that your faith would not fail.’ If Jesus was praying for Peter, then He is interceding for you as well. I can assure you, if Jesus is praying for you – your faith will not fail. You have been given a measure of faith and that is enough faith to make it to your destination.
Many times we get our eyes off God and onto the situation – don’t do that or you will sink, like Peter did. Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will be able to walk on water. This God, Jehovah, El Shaddai, Adonai, He is awesome. He had never failed, not once. If He has taken you before Kings, He will give you favor and the words to say. If He has led you to a Red Sea, He will part it. If He has allowed you to go into the fiery furnace, He will be with you and bring you out without the smell of smoke. If He has led you into a lion’s den, He will shut the mouth of the Lion. He will not fail you. He will not allow one word He has spoken to you to fall to the ground – every word, every single word He has spoken to you will come to pass. You simply have to believe it and stand on it.
Remember Joseph, God gave Him a dream. Before Joseph knew it, he was in a pit, then in prison. Joseph had reason to doubt God, to think he must have missed it on that dream. But God did not fail him. Not only did the dream come to pass, but God allowed Joseph to deliver the very ones who tried to kill him.
How about you? Did God give you a dream that you have yet to see come to pass? Have you placed that dream on the shelf? I encourage you today to get that dream out, place it before your face again and declare it fulfilled. I read something the other day that really rang true in my spirit. It said that everything that would be accomplished would be through decree. That means, whatever you declare will happen, as long as it lines up with the word of God, it will come to pass. But it will only come by decree. Friends, it is time to start declaring things that you desire to see come to pass.
It is like I have been saying for the past few months, bring your confession into the now – talk like God talks. Begin to say that it is already done. Even before I read that prophecy about decrees, I had noticed that the things God was having me decree and declare were happening quickly. I want to see the same thing happen for you. Allow the Spirit of God to lead you continually, all the way to your destination. After all, you are a son of God, right?
