How Christians Can Know They Are Led Of God

Roy Mason

There is all sorts of room for error in the matter of Christians being led. We are persuaded that very often the devil gets people to do the wrong thing, by giving them the impression that they are being led “by the Spirit.”

Let us note some examples:

Cases where people have killed because “God told them to” as they expressed it. We had the story of a person who killed a child - his own child, mentioned in the newspapers a few months ago. He said the “Lord told him to do it.” Did He? Of course not. He got his wires crossed somewhere.

Cases in which people “after much prayer” are led to do something that the Bible tells them not to do. We think of a girl who prayed and then bobbed her hair. “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” Evidently she thought the Lord suspended the meaning in 1 Corinthians 11:14-15, temporarily in her case.

We have known women to “do some praying about the matter” and then go to preaching. “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.” Evidently, they thought that God suspended 1 Corinthians 14:34 in their case for the time being. But beyond question they were mistaken, for God does not tell us in His Word to do one thing, then slip around on the side and whisper to us that we can do something quite different.

Cases in which people are “told of the Lord” to do this or that.

We think just here of a man of our acquaintance, whom the Lord is forever telling to do this and that and the other. “The Lord told me to come over here and tell you to do such and such a thing.” That is his attitude. A young woman said to us, “I wonder why the Lord didn’t tell me to do that instead of sending Brother so and so to tell me.” Beware of those whom the Lord is forever telling to do things and say certain things. Chances are they want to do certain things themselves, but lay it upon the Lord. To say that the Lord wants you to do something, when you were acting upon your own impulses, is simply lie on the Lord.

Impressions are tricky things and we need to be careful about following them.

A WARNING

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

For instance, people have the impression that Christian Science is just the thing, but a reading of 1 John 4:1-3 make plain that it is not of God, for they DENY that Christ came in the FLESH.

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (1 John 4:1-3)

THE BEST PLACE FOR GUIDANCE

Where is the best place to go for guidance and leadership? The answer is to the Word of God.

Let us see what we are, told about this in Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” The Word in here said, to keep one from sinning. How? By imparting the knowledge of God’s will.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Here in Psalm 119:105 the Word is spoken of as a lamp to guide the feet.

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Here in Psalm 119:9 we are told that a young man may cleanse his way, by taking heed to the Word. Certainly that means that he shall receive guidance.

2 Timothy 4:2 – “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

James 1:22 – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

Psalm 119:67 – “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

These and many other passages make clear that God gave His Word to guide and lead.

Now it is true that one may be directly led by the Holy Spirit, but let us remember that the Holy Spirit leads in accordance with the Word and not contrary to it. If supposed-to-be-leading is contrary to the Word, then it is of the devil, and not of the Holy Spirit. For instance, suppose one thinks he is led to consult a spiritualist medium. He may know that this is of the devil, for the Scriptures in olden time command that those who did such be put to death.

Also, one might be guided in some matters through an impression or impulse from the Lord, but one needs to guard very carefully against deception in such a matter.

God may also guide through a series of circumstances or events. To get guidance we need first of all to reach the place of being surrendered and willing to obey God no matter what He says. Then having prayed for guidance, we need to look for the answer. Maybe He will show us the way through the turn of events. Maybe by directing us to read a certain passage. Maybe through unmistakable impression. But in all, we need to be careful that we do not let the evil one slip something over on us.

The Baptist Examiner

May 24, 1980