We live in a world full of diverse uncertainties, but one of the provisions made available to us as believers to navigate this perplexing world is the ability to be led and guided by God. He led the Israelites through the pillars of cloud during the day and pillar of fire at night; He’s still leading and guiding His children. However, the inability to comprehend how God leads and guides has crippled many destinies and deprived many people of the ability to manifest destiny fully. Many are running helter-skelter, looking for those who will foretell the future or reveal God’s mind on a particular situation. To worsen the situation, many end up in the hands of fake prophets who keep feeding on them and add to their problems for failing to grow in their walk with God and master how God leads and guides His people.
The sad thing is that many believe you must hear God’s audible voice or see visions, dreams, or revelations before God can lead you. As a result, they spend years waiting for dreams, visions, or revelations before making destiny decisions. Sometimes, they put their trust in prophets by constantly consulting them before taking steps. Beloved, the purpose of this article is not to undermine the office of the prophet but to enlighten believers on how to have an effective walk with God. As a co-laborer in God’s vineyard, I cherish and honor the office of the prophet, and I encourage every believer to grow spiritually and become their own prophet. The Bible tells us, “By a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved” (Hosea 12:13). Therefore, whoever despises the office of the prophet does so to their own peril. However, it’s not God’s desire for us to put our trust in prophets or any minister of God, even though God uses them mightily to guide His people. God wants us to honor His prophets and ministers while we still trust Him. That’s why He desires to have a cordial relationship with every one of us in order to be consistently led by Him.
So, the question is, how does God lead, and how does he guide? Indeed, God’s leading and God’s guidance can be used interchangeably, but there is a clear distinction.
The book of Psalm 32:8 sheds light on this.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8).
The Lord leads His people through instructions and teachings from His Word (the Bible) and guides with His eyes (the Prophetic). God’s instructions and teachings represent the pillar of cloud the Lord used to lead the Israelites during the day, and His eyes represent the pillar of fire He used at Night.
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night”
Exodus 13:21
During the day, you can easily differentiate between right and wrong because His Word teaches us what to do and what not to do. That is why the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). The book of Proverbs confirms this by saying, “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life” (Proverbs 6:23 NIV). Walking in the light of God’s Word leads to being led by God. God’s Word is a compass that can safely lead us to a safe destination. It is a guide that contains instructions to live a peaceful and successful life. More importantly, it’s an ever-potent manual given to us by God for directions. I often say this: the more you are filled with the understanding of God’s Word, the more you become sensitive to God’s leading. If you can be diligent enough to study the Word of God, you will discover that the picture of your future is in the scripture, and the path to follow can be found easily in it.
You need to understand that God’s Word is the Wisdom of God. Therefore, being filled with God’s Word makes you operate in the realm of the supernatural Wisdom to know what to do per season like the children of Issachar who had the understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). When you begin to operate at this realm, the eyes of your understanding concerning all that pertains to your destiny will open. That is why the Bible says,
“The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:8).
In addition, cultivating the habit of meditating on God’s Word is another way of receiving divine directions through God’s Wisdom and inspiration.
Besides, walking in the light of God’s Word and being filled with its understanding make you spiritually sensitive and discerning because the Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”
Hebrew 4:12
However, walking in the light of God’s Word requires absolute submission to God’s Word. Many read the Bible to fulfill all righteousness without submitting to God’s Word. That is why they find it difficult to be accurately and consistently led by God. I often say this: The level of honor and regard you have for the Word of God determines the quality of God’s leadership and guidance you receive. Honoring God’s Word means submitting to the rulership and leadership of God, which reflects your fear of Him. When God sees that you tremble at His Word, He pays close attention to all that concerns you and directs your path. That is why the Psalmist says, “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Psalm 25:12).
The next question is, how does God guide? According to Psalm 32:8, the Lord guides through His eyes. Let’s check Psalm 32:8 again from another version.
“I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress” (Psalm 32:8 TLB).
As He leads you through His Word, He is watching over your steps through His eyes. This is where dreams, visions, revelations, inner still voice, audible voice, and the prophetic office come into play. The Lord uses these prophetic means to guide His People by revealing deep and secret things that may not be explicitly stated in the Bible, yet their interpretations must conform to God’s Word. The truth is, the quality of God’s guidance you receive largely depends on your fear of Him, which also reflects your submission to God’s Word. The Bible tells us, “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Psalm 33:18-19)”. When the Lord sees an iota of fear of Him in you, He opens your heaven and ensures that the secret of the enemy is not hidden concerning you. He may choose to speak with you through dreams, visions, or even through His prophet, but when such heaven is closed, probably through the lack of the fear of God, dreams, visions, and other prophetic guidance may become scarce commodities like in the case of Saul that the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets after inquiring from the Lord. (1Samuel 28:6).
The major problem we have in the body of Christ is that many solely focus on these prophetic means as a way of receiving divine leading and guidance, forgetting that the devil and his agents can manipulate the prophetic. They think those who prayerfully plan and execute their plans without waiting for dreams and revelations are not spiritual. As a result, they don’t do anything tangible with their lives until they receive revelations or dreams, all in the name of being spiritual.
Beloved, one of the ways the Lord speaks to His people is through dreams, visions, revelations, and other prophetic means. However, over-dependence on these channels without the understanding of God’s Word can have an adverse effect because there are times when God will not speak to you through visions, dreams, and other prophetic means. When this happens, the Lord expects you to do one of the following: Seek Wisdom from God’s Word, Seek Godly professional counsel, Wisely do your due diligence in acquiring the rightful information.
That is why the scripture tells us, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” (Proverbs 4:26). Seeking Wisdom from God’s Word for direction is more potent than any form of revelations because it is written is more effective and greater than I saw. However, He still watches over you whenever it seems He remains silent. If the step you are about to take will lead to disaster, He will guide you by speaking to you through any of those prophetic means. But one thing is very important: do not be wise in your own eyes, but commit your plans to God’s hands and allow His Word to guide your thoughts and plans. Scripture says, ”In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6).
Please listen to this: I encourage every believer to stir up the prophetic gifts in them. However, we need to understand that the prophetic realm is a spiritual advantage to believers. The fulfillment of prophecy, whether positive or negative, hinges on your attitudes and actions that should have been molded through God’s Word. The right attitude and action can turn a negative prophecy around, and the wrong attitude and action can render a positive prophecy impotent.
Hezekiah’s attitude and action turned negative prophecy around (2 Kings 20:1-6). Conversely, the chief baker that Joseph interpreted his dream did nothing, and his negative dream came to pass (Genesis 40:16-22). Therefore, your attitudes and actions toward life are the two main things that largely determine future occurrences. When you ignore this, you may be moving around looking for people to foretell the future. Instead, examine your attitudes and actions through the lens of the scriptures, and you will be able to foretell the future accurately.
In conclusion, the Lord leads and guides through His Word and eyes, respectively. In addition, live a life full of faith through God’s Word and be sensitive in the Spirit when the Lord communicates to you through prophetic means. However, scrutinize every prophetic encounter through God’s Word so that the devil will not take advantage through manipulation because what is written in God’s Word is more potent and powerful than any form of revelations or visions.
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