*Note: Transcript from Pastor Finley's class on listening to God's guidance. Was very helpful for myself, and thought others may appreciate it.

How do you know when God is guiding you? Those apparent divine providences, are they from God? Could it be Satan? How can you tell the difference between momentary feelings and the lasting convictions that this is the guidance of God? Are you sure this is not just your mind is not just playing out a convincing charade upon your imagination?

God promises that He will guide us:

   Psalms 32:8, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go."

  Isaiah 58:11, “The LORD will guide you continually. . ."

First and most importantly: God will guide us. We are not left to figure out our own decisions and plans. Trust in God. He will direct and guide the decisions that we make. We don't need to become depressed or discouraged. God does have a specific plan.

    Psalm 48:14 “For this is God, our God, forever and ever He will be our guide even unto death.”

Of course, God guides us. But how? As I talked with Sheryl, I was driven to study this question out for myself. Following are four principles, based upon the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy which when followed leave no question as to the direction God has for each of us.

I. Prayer

James 1:5 “If any  of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

When facing a decision, get on your knees before God. The greater the decision, the greater the need of wisdom. The greater you need of wisdom, the more time you should spend in prayer. Christ spent hours alone in prayer. How much more should we, who are not divine, spend considerable time in prayer seeking our Heavenly Father's wisdom.

As we pray, one must be careful to distinguish between a human impulse from prayer and a divine impression. Notice the following differences between impulse and divine guidance.

   

    1. Are you willing to wait?

        Impulse is often flighty, and has to act now. Where as divine guidance is willing to wait.

        Saul, moving from human impulse, offered his sacrifice before Samuel arrived. He believed he was following God's will, but was unwilling to wait. As a result of moving upon impulse, he lost the kingdom, and eventually his salvation.

    2. Is there a growing awareness that God wants you to do this?

        As you spend time with God on your knees, is there a growing conviction that God is leading you in a certain direction.

        I think of my call into the ministry. I had struggled with this decision for years. Each time I was on my knees asking the Lord for guidance, the answer that came back was, "I have called you into the ministry." I couldn't shake the conviction.

        Let the prayer be, "God if this is your will, then deepen this impression within me."

    3. Are you willing to give up the thing you most cherish?

        Matthew 26:39, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will but as You will.”

Every fiber in Christ's being cried out for him to save Himself. Reason, feelings, emotions all cried out for deliverance. And yet, Christ was willing to give up his most cherished dream (of spending eternity with his created beings), to follow God's will. He couldn't see through the portals of the tomb. He honestly did not know if He would ever live again. He plead three times to be released from the responsibility. But at the end of each prayer, he surrendered his cherished dreams, that God's will might be fulfilled.

“Our plans are not always God's plans. He may see that it is best for us and for His cause to refuse our very best intentions, as He did in the case of David. But of one thing we may be assured, He will bless and use in the advancement of His cause those who sincerely devote themselves and all they have to His glory. If He sees it best not to grant their desires He will counterbalance the refusal by giving them tokens of His love and entrusting to them another service. . . . Often our plans fail that God's plans for us may succeed.” —Ministry of Healing 473

2. II.Counsel
   

    Must balance conviction with counsel. God not only uses my personal conviction, he also uses the counter balance of others.

    Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety”

    Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry. But in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

    Ex. David Koresh—best illustration of this. He would take people and study with them from 8:00 in the evening till 5 the next morning. People became exhausted. They began to rely upon him to think for them. Then David had them move to Waco, where they were cut off from all counsel.

    Proverbs 19:27, “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.”

    Ps 55:14, “We took counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng.”

3. III.Providence
   

    If God shuts one door, that may be his will in telling you that this is not the way he would have you go.

    Ps 66:5, “Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.”

    When you seek a counselor, don’t go after someone who will tell you what you want to hear. This is not counsel, just confirmation of what you already knew. Go to someone who will look you in the eye and tell you their honest opinion.

    What opportunities, etc is God bringing you?

    Ex. Russian Cremlen. Knew God was guiding, but refused to go into debt (would break principle 4). Wouldn’t move forward until the money came in.

    —Must be careful with these, but do not base your faith on these.

IV. The Word

    You never violate the word of God.

    Ex. Stadium, $300,000. Contract said $200,000. Wanted $100,000 in cash. Said they would loose stadium if not paid. But was a bribe. When they stood for what was right, God came through.

    Ex. Young man with exam on Sabbath. Appealed, but principle said he would fail if he didn’t take. He refused to take because of principles found in:

        Ps 119:105, “your word is a lamp unto my feet a light to my path”

        Ps 119:114

        Ps 119:165

        God’s will never guides us where God’s word doesn’t lead us.

    Back to story: He could have convinced himself that it was God’s will. But this would break this foundational principle. Thus he decided to not take the exam. Professor gave out exam, on his way home was robbed. The only thing taken was his briefcase with the tests in it. The principle had him take the averages of the course and give that as the final grade.

    Is 55:8, 9, “‘For my thoughts are not our thoughts, Nor are your ways my ways,’ says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher then the earth, so are you My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

    Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts I think towards you.”