How To Be Led By The Holy Spirit – February 2K10 WOTM

Submitted by John Mabry

How would you like to be correct 100% of the time? Or always be assured that everything you attempted to do was going to turn alright regardless of how things appeared? It’s quite possible to always be correct and to have the assurance that the outcome of your pursuits will be successful.

Numbers 9:15-23 relates a beautiful account of one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament about how the Holy Spirit revealed Himself to the children of Israel through a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. It reads, as follows:

And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. (Numbers 9:15-17)

Here we see a beautiful picture of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as God assures the children of Israel that He had not forsaken them. Of course, they did meet difficulties frequently, but always they were directed by God, and their needs were supplied. They were led by the pillar of cloud and fire. They were given manna and quail for their food. In their battles with hostile tribes, they were led to victory. Miracles were very frequently employed to provide the necessities for their experiences in the wilderness. Time after time, God kept His promises and led them in the way.

They didn’t have AAA to rely on; they didn’t have a GPS; they didn’t have MapQuest. There was no Safeway, Blooms, or Giant anywhere in sight. Yet they never got lost nor did they run out of food and water. Their existence was so simple. All they had to do was follow the cloud. The cloud was the evidence and seal of the Lord’s presence. If the cloud did not move, then they rested. For in next verses we read:

At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and journeyed not.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know exactly what you were going to do from one day to the next? The children of Israel did—as long as they obeyed God. They simply looked out of their tents to observe the cloud. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know exactly what God wants us to do with our lives? All we need to do then is simply follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will actually keep us on a pathway that is God ordained. Our challenge is to continually “step aside” and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us so that we might have the mind of Christ.

Notice that throughout Israel’s journey in the wilderness, they experienced one victory after another as long as they were obedient to God. Our ability, then, to always make a perfect score or be on target 100% of the time must mean that we be obedient to the commandments of God . . .“for obedience is better than sacrifice.”