RCCG YAYA SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S’ MANUAL 10TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2023; DIVINE LEADING (PART 1)

[3]Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

[4]Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

[5]Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

[6]And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

[7]Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

INTRODUCTION: Divine leading is about being directed by God. Being led or guided by God is a necessary key for Christians. It is the only way to fulfil God’s will in every of our decision-making processes (2 Kings. 3:11). Therefore, we need to learn the avenues through which God leads His people. Moreover, in this dispensation, the leading of the Holy Spirit is inevitable and indispensable.

Through this study, students are expected to:

a. Know what divine leading means.

b. Understand the different avenues by which God leads.

c. Discover ways to recognise divine leading.

In the passage above, the psalmist highlights four rewards of those who trust in the Lord, delight themselves in Him, and do good.

i. …………………………………………….

ii. ……………………………………………

iii. ………………………………..…………

iv. ……………………………………..……

He also encourages believers to patiently wait on God and not to be bothered about those who prosper through wicked devices.

A. It is important to note that God, in His sovereignty, can adopt any or several means to lead those who put their trust in Him. Here are some of them:

1. Through the word of God (1 Samuel 3:21; Hebrews 1:1-2).

2. Through a witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:14, 16). The witness of the Spirit can also come in the form of God’s peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).

3. Through the voice of the Spirit. This is beyond just a witness; it is a hearing:

i. This hearing can be inward (which means no one else, around you, hears it).

ii. The Bible calls it a “still small voice’- like the sound of a gentle whisper (1Kings 19:12).

iii. Sometimes the voice comes in the midst of a godly thought (Acts 10:19).

iv. The voice of the Spirit can also be outward; in which case you look around as if you heard or somebody else heard what you are hearing (1 Samuel 3:3-5; Acts 9:3-5).

4. Through revelations – dreams, visions, trances (Joel 2:28).

i. Dreams can come from your thought (Ecclesiastes 5:3), or the devil – scary and tormenting (nightmares), or from God – insightful, instructional, or revelational(Job 33:14-17). Dreams happen when you are fully asleep (day or night).

ii. Vision can come when you are awake and see something like a still or motion picture (day or night) -Daniel 2:19.

iii. Trance is like the average between a dream and a vision (you are half awake, half asleep) when the physical senses seem to be suspended (Acts 10:10-11).

5. Through ordained situations or circumstances (Jeremiah 18:1-6). God can take you by or through a happening to give you a clear direction for life.

6. Through prophetic utterances and confirmations (Hosea 12:10). However, believers are cautioned against living at the mercy of prophecy (1 John 4:1).

7. Through diverse means as deemed fit by God (Hosea 12:10).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should mention other ways God speaks to them.

A. The Holy Spirit takes on the role of a Guide and Counsellor, leading us in the way we should go and revealing God’s truth (Luke 12:12).

B. Some of the most important ways to recognise the Holy Spirit’s guidance is to be familiar with God’s word:

i. The Bible is the ultimate source of wisdom about how we should live (2 Timothy 3:16).

ii. Believers are to search the Scriptures (John 5:39), meditate on them, and commit them to memory (Psalm 1:2).

iii. The word is the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), and the Spirit will use it to speak to us (John 16:12-14) to reveal God’s will for our lives.

iv. He will also bring specific scriptures to mind at times when we need them most (John 14:26).

C. We must always test our inclinations against the Scriptures. This is because:

i. The Holy Spirit will never push us to do anything contrary to God’s word (1Corinthians 14:33). If it conflicts with the Bible, then it is not from the Holy Spirit and should be ignored.

ii. It is necessary for us to be in continual prayer with the Father (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

iii. Not only does this keep our hearts and minds open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, but it also allows the Spirit to speak on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27).