DIVINE GUIDANCE

ISAIAH 45:5

A. "I AM THE LORD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE, THERE IS NO GOD BESIDE ME; I GIRDED THEE, THOU HAST NOT KNOWN ME"
  1. These words are part of the message to Cyrus, the King of the Medes and the Persians:
    1. God put it in the thoughts of that mighty King to allow God's people to return to their homeland
    2. The divine persuasion was not easy, it took a number of days - Dan. 10:13-20
  2. But, God, who rules among the nations used King Cyrus to open the way for the captives to return home:
    1. Now Cyrus was a Pagan at heart, who did not know the God of Israel
    2. Yet, like Nebuchadnezzar, he learned to know that the God of Israel is able to use kings and nations to do His sovereign will B. DIVINE PROVIDENCE
  3. Divine guidance is promised in the Bible:
    1. "For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death" Ps. 48:14
    2. "Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and after receive me into glory" - Ps. 73:24
    3. "And the Lord shall guide thee continually" - Is. 58:11
  4. How divine guidance functions:
    1. Said the Lord, "I will guide thee with mine eyes" - Ps. 32:8
    2. "The Spirit of truth will guide you" - John 16:13
    3. Best of all, if that is possible, Jesus made a promise to His people - "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" - Matt. 28:20
  5. How important is God's guidance for His people?
    1. Without His guidance we would all go astray - Is. 53:6: Ps. 119:176
    2. Our Saviour used the parable of the lost sheep to emphasize man's lost condition - Matt. 18:12-18
    3. Wrote Peter, "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" - I Pet. 2:25
  6. The road to the kingdom of heaven is beset with many ever present pitfalls and dangers, and we are in great need of divine guidance.
  7. The importance of divine guidance is well illustrated in the experience of ancient Israel:
    1. The road through the wilderness was unknown to them
    2. It was beset with many enemies which sought to keep them from making progress toward the promised land
    3. Moses was aware of the difficulties and he told the Lord that they would not go unless the Lord would go with them - Ex. 33:12-16
C. IT IS WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT OUR CAPTAIN HAS NOT LEFT HIS REMNANT PEOPLE TO THEMSELVES
  1. He has given us the Bible for our guide:
    1. Said the Psalmist, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path - Ps. 119:105
    2. Prayed the Psalmist, "O send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacle" - Ps. 43:3
  2. He has given us His holy law, the ten commandments, to guide us in our moral relationship to God and to our fellowmen:
    1. Promised the Psalmist, "I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart" - Ps. 119:32; Is. 40:31
    2. They are God's road map giving us guidance in our relationship to God and to our fellowmen - Ex. 20:3-17; Is. 8:20
  3. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit, too, guides us into all truth - John 16:13
    1. It is He who enables us to understand the Bible - 2 Pet. 1:19-20
    2. It is He who sets up a standard in our defense when the enemy comes in like a flood to destroy us - Is. 59:19
    3. He guides us when we pray - Rom. 8:26
    4. He comforts us in sorrow - John 14:26; 15:26
    5. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of sin and righteousness - John 16:7-9
  4. Do we feel grateful to God for the divine guidance?
    1. I humbly acknowledge that had it not been for the guidance of the Lord, I would not be here


Design © John Bryant 2011