God’s Guidance
By Mark A. Finley
Have you ever wondered how we can be certain of God’s guidance in the decisions we make? What are the principles of receiving guidance from God? How can we be sure we are following His will and not our own? In today’s lesson we will explore four biblical principles in receiving guidance from God. We will discover an all-knowing God who longs to guide His children in their decisions, and how we can be open to understand His will and let Him lead in our lives.
1. What three things does God promise to do for us? Read the text below and write your answer on the lines provided.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps. 32:8).
God promises to
(a) ________________________________________ you,
(b) ________________________________________ you,
(c) ________________________________________ you.
2. How constant is God’s guidance? Write your answer in the following blank.
“For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death” (Ps. 48:14).
God promises to guide us each day of our lives, even to ________________________________.
PRINCIPLE 1—PRAYER
3. What invitation did God give us to receive His guidance?
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).
God invites us to ask for (what) _____________________________________________________
and He will give it (how) _________________________________________________________ .
There may be times when we pray regarding a decision and wonder whether or not we actually are receiving an answer from God or simply following our own desires. God’s answers generally come in the form of growing convictions, not impulsive actions. A divine impression is a growing, constant awareness that God wants us to do something, not usually some split-second impression that may be here today and gone tomorrow.
PRINCIPLE 2—COUNSEL
4. How does God balance our convictions to help us avoid wrong decisions?
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14).
“Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established” (Prov. 15:22).
God provides us with ______________________________________ to help us make good
decisions. If we are wise we will seek out godly counselors in the significant decisions we make.
PRINCIPLE 3—PROVIDENCE
5. As we seek God for guidance in prayer and are open to godly counsel, what specific instruction does God give for knowing His will?
“My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Prov. 23:26).
“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men” (Ps. 66:5).
God invites us to ________________________ His ways and __________________His works.
When we seek His will, God’s providence will operate in our lives. As we look for doors He opens and observe His ways we will discover His will.
PRINCIPLE 4—THE WORD
6. What illustration did the psalmist use to describe God’s Word as a source of God’s guidance?
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).
The principles of God’s Word are like a ___________________ and a ____________________ .
God’s will never leads us to where God’s Word is not guiding us. If we make decisions that lead us contrary to God’s Word, we can be certain they are our own decisions and not His. One overriding principle in discerning God’s will is the willingness to do whatever it leads us to do (Ps. 40:8; Matt. 26:39; Heb. 10:7). Another way we can be sure we are following God’s will and not our own is if we are willing to give up the very things we long for the most in order to put God’s will first. Only as we surrender our decisions and their outcomes to Him will we be certain of His guidance.
God longs to guide us. As we follow these biblical principles of guidance, we will make good decisions to the glory of His name, and our lives will be blessed.
What does the Bible say about overcoming addictions? We will address that topic in next month’s Bible study.
