How to be led by the Holy Spirit to be at the right place at the right time? Yes, even doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions?
You let God be God! You let God lead, and you follow!
When the Lord leads you, it may sometimes boggle some people's mind. They may not understand your decision based on God's leading in your life, and they may even question your decision. But if you have a deep relationship with God, and you know that you know it's God who has spoken to you, you just follow. One day, they will understand. Yes, this applies in the area of relocation, career choice, vocational choice, ministry direction, family decision, and every other aspect of life.
Each one of us should seek the Lord for His specific direction and 'blueprint' for each time and season.
For example, where should you be moving to?
When you flow with Him, He will always know how to lead you to the right places and at the right timing.
So, let Him lead you, and you follow.
Another example is, how do you know if you should be moving or you should be staying put?
Listen to the Holy Spirit inside of you. Follow His leading.
Direction and confirmation from the Lord can come through the sense of peace or no peace inside of you regarding a matter.
It can also come through still small voice of God inside of you.
It can even happen while you are praying in the spirit, and all of a sudden, a thought that you've not premeditated just 'drop' on you, and you know that you know it is He who has spoken.
He can also speak to you while you are reading His Word.
Of course, He can also speak to you through dreams, through visions, through prophecies (prophecies have to be tested), through angelic visitations, or even through an audible voice.
Let's look at some examples in the Scripture.
In Matthew 2, this example is in the context of a family's decision. Here, Joseph had to make some key decisions right after Jesus was born.
Matthew 2:13 says, 'Now when they (the wise men) had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child (Jesus) and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."'
As news broke out that Jesus was born, King Herod (the king at that time) wanted to know where Jesus was. King Herod was feeling threatened and troubled by this birth.
Matthew 2:14 says, 'When Joseph arose, Joseph took the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary) by night and departed for Egypt, and was there all the way until the death of King Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."'
Joseph heeded what the angel of the Lord said to him. He took the young Child (Jesus) and the mother (Mary), and fled to Egypt. They stayed there until there's further word from the Lord.
Matthew 2:19 says, 'Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and this angel said, "Arise, take the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary), and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."'
Again, Joseph heeded. He arose and took the young Child (Jesus) and His mother (Mary), and came into the land of Israel. As you can see here, Joseph was a man who feared the Lord. He obeyed the leading and the direction of the Lord every step of the way.
Matthew 2:22 says, 'But when Joseph heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."'
And that's how Jesus grew up in the city called Nazareth.
As you can see again, Joseph was led by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time, every step of the way!
I pray that you will also be like Joseph. You will also be led and guided by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time in every season of your life!
Let's look at another example now in Acts 16. This is in the context of ministry or vocational direction. This can apply to your ministry, if you are a leader in a ministry of the Lord. Or this can also apply to any vocation in your life that you have dedicated to the Lord.
Acts 16:6-7 says, 'Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of God did not permit them.'
How did they know this?
Because they were walking with the Spirit of God! The Spirit of God led them (to go ahead or not to go ahead), and they followed.
Acts 16:8-10 says, 'So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.'
Paul heeded this vision in the night, and he immediately made preparations with his fellow ministers to go to Macedonia to preach the gospel there.
As you can see here, Paul and his team too were led by the Lord to be at the right place at the right time, every step of the way, during their missionary journeys!
Prayer:
"O Lord God, we acknowledge that You are God and we are not. You lead, and we follow. Lead us to be at the right place at the right time in each time and season of our lives. Sensitize our spirit-man to 'catch' what You want to say to us. Sensitize our spirit-man to hear from You, and to see how You see and what You see. Open our spiritual ears. Enlighten our spiritual eyes. Whatever You say, we follow. We humble ourselves before You. We want to obey Your voice and Your leading. That's how we are being led by You to be at the right place at the right time, doing the right things, saying the right things, and making the right decisions in our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen."
