Garry spoke tonight about the Holy Spirit as our guide. When we think of directions, we often need a plan or map to show us how to get to somewhere. These days, we often use a SatNav, but if our phone battery dies, we can be stuck before reaching our destination! Sometimes having a compass is a useful way of being guided in the right direction, but even a compass can be distracted by magnetic forces at times. There’s nothing quite like having a personal guide to help us in life.
Ps 5:8 says, ‘Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness… make your way straight before me.’ God is our Shepherd, who guides us as His flock; His word is a light for our path (Ps 119:105) He’s the best guide of all, and He has given us His Holy Spirit as our advocate, the One who will remind us of all truth (John 14:16-17, 26). The Holy Spirit is with us to lead us and guide us, but so often, we block His gentle voice from our lives, allowing circumstances or feelings to dictate how we feel. Paul told the Ephesians not to grieve the Holy Spirit and warned against bitterness, rage and anger. (Eph 4:30-32). Bitterness is like a corrosive poison that harms us; rage is that boiling volcanic fury which can make it impossible to hear God’s voice. Anger is more a simmering fury which again dulls our ears so that we cannot hear what God is saying to us. If we want God to guide us through the mazes of life, we have to be prepared to be ruthless with these things so that we can yield to what God tells us to do. Eph 6:10-12 reminds us that we are in a spiritual battle and must put on the armour of God if we are to stand in God’s power. When we do this, He will guide us into all truth and the truth will set us free.
