DIVINE GUIDANCE
Neil C McKay
Divine persons have undertaken to lead us and to guide us, for we need much guidance. We tend to look for these things in other places, but soul progress requires divine direction. Romans 8 shows us that the divine thought is that divine Persons, the Spirit Himself in that chapter, should control us, take charge of our bodies. The Holy Spirit is not here simply as an influence or to be called on as required, but is here to take charge - we are to give Him control of the ship, you might say. Much of our weakness and lack of understanding, and not seeking guidance when spiritual guidance is available, is because we neglect that.
We had a remark in our local reading from a younger brother who had observed that, in speaking to persons about Christianity, and about their faith, often what occupied them was how that faith helps in our circumstances, meets difficulties we find in our lives, and how the Lord and the Spirit help us in our employment, family life and so on. All of that is true - Christianity is nothing if not practical. However, it is helpful to see that divine guidance comes in in relation to the things of God, that God is operating with regard to His own purposes. Whatever guidance and help we get from divine Persons, it is not simply to help us in our immediate circumstances; it is always in line with God’s operations and the formation of Christ in the believer. It is not always therefore what we expect. We often look for help in immediate issues and turn to the Spirit when it is some trouble of our own making, through our own wilfulness. Divine guidance is working in view of the purpose of God, and whatever way divine Persons help us, the answer to your needs is not the most important matter. It is that God should form you according to His own purpose and grace in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8 was mentioned in that reading: “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”. The truth in this chapter corresponds with the section of scripture in Numbers chapter 21 through to 24. The brazen serpent and the springing well represent a point in the wilderness journey where the people of God prove the benefit, typically speaking, of the Holy Spirit and from that point move into the land. In Romans we see that: “God, having sent His own Son in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh” (v 3), which corresponds to the brazen serpent, speaking of God’s condemnation of sin in the flesh; and the Spirit is then brought in as the power for the believer - corresponding to the children of Israel singing to the well, and consequently moving towards the land. It is the dividing point between their wanderings in the wilderness and their journey into the land, a definite point in their history when they cease wandering aimlessly and move directly towards the land. The difference is in the judgment of the flesh and the appreciation of springing well, the Holy Spirit - those that walk according to Spirit, mind “the things of the Spirit” (Rom 8: 5), who “are not in flesh but in Spirit”, v 9. And “if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. They live and move towards the land, representing God’s mind for them. They then find things which are against them, as seen in Balaam’s prophecies in Numbers 23 and 24. These answer to: “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who against us?”, Rom 8: 31. God would not allow the people to be discredited or to be cursed. God is supporting and maintaining His people and they are now moving in the right direction.
The children of Israel had had guidance previously in the pillar of smoke by day and the pillar of fire by night, and in the tabernacle system. They encamped around the tabernacle system - that is, everything in their wilderness life had to take reference from the tabernacle; their guidance depended on that - when the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire moved, they moved, and when it ceased to move, they stayed. The testimony is a moving thing; there are always exercises involved in how to carry out the will of God in difficult circumstances, and these should always take reference from the tabernacle, where the presence of God is known among His people. There was guidance there, which for us would involve our local company and the saints generally.
How does that work out in our lives? If it is the case that believers are to be occupied with exigencies and difficulties here, why do we so often speak about spiritual things, and why do we have readings in Ephesians? I think one answer to this is in these scriptures. While we are here in the wilderness, everything is to take reference from the tabernacle system, from the truth of God there and the place of the children of Israel was determined around the tabernacle. Their blessing was determined by their protection of what was most valuable and their ability to recognise the movements of the testimony, and to move in accordance with it.
From Numbers 21 to the end of the book, there is no more mention of the things which had previously been a guide to them. Aaron and Miriam died in the previous chapter, Moses was somewhat marked by failure, and the ark is not mentioned again in this book. The great point in the teaching now is the leadership of the Spirit towards the land. It is a landmark when we begin to be governed by the Holy Spirit.
When we are exercised that way, spiritual leadership is necessary. The chapter is very practical; it says, “if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. As long as we carry on with the deeds of the body, actuated by our own wills, we are not going to enjoy spiritual life. This chapter devolves upon us taking up the exercise: we have the Holy Spirit now, He is going to guide us, but we need to take on that exercise. We have to walk according to Spirit. It does not say that you let the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body, but you recognise that there are things that you cannot go on with any more, and your intention and determination is to judge and reject these things that are fleshly. When that is your intention, you recognise the Spirit’s power and ask Him to come in and help you - that is how it works out practically. You do not expect the Spirit to do it all, but you give Him scope to do it, you recognise that there is a new Commander in charge of your body and that is the Holy Spirit. He is going to bring in life, but you must go down this moral road to find that. You will not find any further help or guidance until you do; you are not going to move towards the land until you recognise that. There is always this encouragement: “ye are not in flesh but in Spirit” (Rom 8: 9): that is not what you are, you are not a fleshly person anymore, you have every capability of being spiritual.
From then on, Israel defeated Sihon and Og, features of the flesh, and have the Spirit’s help in that victory. It is not that Moses defeats them exactly, nor the ark going round as it did around Jericho, it is the children of Israel going on in the power of the Spirit. How did they avail themselves of the Spirit? It says, “princes digged,” Num 21: 18. That is, there were noble persons there among the company who worked on spiritual lines, sowing to the Spirit. You might liken it to our local companies. Am I sowing to the Spirit, making room for the Spirit? Am I digging out things that are extraneous, things not needed, things that are hindering the Spirit’s operations in me and in the company locally? Are we making room for the Spirit in our local places? That is where the Spirit comes in to lead. It is not only that we are governed by basic right or wrong, but our lives are on a different line. We are moving towards the land, occupied with spiritual things, and the Spirit helps us in this.
Then: “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”. Why does Paul put it in this way? Further on, in verse 23, “we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, we also ourselves groan in ourselves, awaiting adoption, that is the redemption of our body”. We are awaiting the full glorious result of redemption. We have sonship now, but redemption has not been completed in regard of our bodies. The work of redemption has been accomplished by Christ, but redemption as to us will be completed when we have a body of glory like Christ’s body of glory. Then persons will see we are sons of God. I suppose in the millennium persons will recognise us as sons of God because of our glorified condition. We will be evidently sons of God, as having a glorious body like Christ, in suitability to the work of God in us. It will be a body that shows that we are sons of God. But now there is no outward evidence that we are sons of God. The way to tell, according to this scripture, is by recognising those who are led by the Spirit of God: only sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. It is remarkable is it not? You see someone walking in the Spirit, evidently enjoying divine things, led by the Spirit - there is one of the sons of God. We will soon be dignified with bodies of glory, but now there is a tremendous dignity accorded to persons who are led by the Spirit of God, who are walking according to divine guidance. They are sons of God. Paul helps us to understand the dignity and the glorious character of those who give room to the Spirit and are characterised as being sons of God.
I wonder if we see this in the Acts of the Apostles. There was definite movement of the testimony in Numbers 21, the Spirit leading in the journey towards the land. Here is another movement of the testimony. There is an assembly in Antioch, distant from Jerusalem, the original centre of God’s operations. But now the testimony is moving further afield, and the Spirit is operating distinctly in Antioch with this in view. There are very many signal marks of the Spirit’s operations in Acts which belong to the beginning of the dispensation. We do not see such evident manifestations of the Spirit these days because of the broken day in which we are. Mr Coates said about that, ‘It is a day of departure and ruin, and it could hardly be expected that God should accredit in a public way a condition of things which is contrary to His mind’, Letters, p83, 84. The present time of breakdown has meant that things are weak, and we must understand that there should be exercise in seeking where the Spirit is speaking. I trust we accept that the Spirit does speak, and that our safety and salvation lies in listening to what the Holy Spirit says. It says in the Revelation that the Spirit speaks to the assemblies (Rev 2: 7); that is, in every place you would recognise that the Spirit has prerogative to speak: “let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies”. Divine guidance comes into our gatherings together by the Holy Spirit’s speaking and leading us.
It says, “there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon …, Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen …, and Saul”. It would seem that in the assembly there, these were the prophets and teachers, and “they were ministering to the Lord and fasting” - providing suitable conditions for the Spirit to operate. They were digging the well, they were working in their local assembly exercised that it should prosper. It is a fine thing to do in your local company - to minister to the Lord and forgo other things which you may normally enjoy, in order to gain spiritual power. And in those spiritual conditions, “the Holy Spirit said, Separate me now Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed” - with further fasting and prayer, they recognised and accepted the Spirit’s speaking, and “having laid their hands on them, they let them go”. They sailed away, sent by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was in charge of the testimony; He governed the spread of the testimony westward as we see throughout the book of Acts. He continues to speak and to guide. Paul writes to Timothy, “the Spirit speaks expressly”, 1 Tim 4: 1.
There is a very unjealous atmosphere here: these five men are named, and two of them are sent out on this first missionary expedition around Asia Minor. The others accepted the Spirit’s authority regarding this movement of the testimony. How needful these men were, being left in Antioch to maintain what is for God in the local company. I do not say that we should not go to visit other companies; it is important that the saints visit each other, but it is also important to maintain local responsibility in each local assembly. What would be maintained locally in a place? They would maintain the truth, as it says, “Keep, by the Holy Spirit which dwells in us, the good deposit entrusted”, 2 Tim 1: 14. The only way they could maintain the truth is by the power of the Spirit. They would maintain the Lord’s supper and the service of God, every local place where there are enough persons would be exercised to maintain those. That would be of utmost importance. No doubt the gospel would be preached; it is not an assembly function exactly, but a local assembly would be exercised that persons would hear about the redemptive work of Christ and be converted and receive the Holy Spirit and be added to the company. Those persons whom the Holy Spirit left in Antioch would maintain discipline; I do not think a local assembly can continue or prosper if they do not exercise discipline in a place. We do not often like to speak about it, but it is imperative. Every local assembly is bound to exercise discipline in order to maintain the economy of local assemblies and enjoy practical fellowship with them. What a responsibility these brothers were left with - to shepherd the assembly and maintain these assembly functions. They would no doubt maintain ministry; think of the weekly calendar we have, all in accord with scripture. The prayer meeting: in Matthew 18: “where two or three are gathered together unto my name” (v 20), would include the prayer meeting. In 1 Corinthians 14 you get the ministry meeting. Acts 20 would set out the reading meetings, and also 1 Corinthians 3, “Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God” (v 16), the place of enquiry. All these things are in scripture; these persons would be exercised to be used under the Spirit’s guidance to bring in the help that was needed for the brethren. When I was young, I used to ask why we were going to these meetings all the time? We need them. We need the Spirit’s help, we need the constant guidance, we need to hear what the Spirit is saying, we need to understand the movements of the testimony.
Then we have in Acts 14 that Paul and Barnabas returned to their own company, “and thence they sailed away to Antioch, whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled”, v 26. The Spirit was with them; under His guidance their commission was completed. The Spirit records that there was no lack in that work. Whatever He gave them to do was “fulfilled”. They came back, and “having arrived, and having brought together the assembly, they related to them all that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations. And they stayed no little time with the disciples”, v 27, 28. What a fine company that must have been! And so we have Paul and Barnabas returning with such tidings to those who had maintained the company in its local place. It was from there the gospel spread westward - from a sphere in which persons were ministering to the Lord and fasting. They were governed by the testimony and guided by the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4 shows that the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus both lead us. Both are available to us, and both are in charge of the testimony. The Lord is in charge of the testimony from heaven; the Holy Spirit is in charge here. When the saints are raptured, taken to be with the Lord, it is the Lord Himself who comes; He does not delegate that action to any. Now in times when the Lord’s headship is known and experienced, namely the service of God, we understand that the Lord comes in Himself and leads His own; it is not so much the Spirit’s leadership that is known. The Holy Spirit is needed; He is the power to enjoy, “access by one Spirit to the Father”, Eph 2: 18. He will always be with us; we will never be in a state where we do not need the Holy Spirit, and will have the Spirit eternally. But in Thessalonians the Lord comes Himself, with no intermediatory. That is the next great movement of the testimony; until then we are left in the testimony here and it is to be our guiding rule.
So the period of the testimony will finish; we will be forever with the Lord and continue to have the Holy Spirit. We will not need guidance then; we will not be worried about exigencies then or difficulties at work then. What will really matter then is not the difficulties that we faced last week or the week before, but what God has formed in us for His eternal glory. That is what God is operating towards, all according to His own purpose and grace. As it says in Romans, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose”, chap 8: 28. That is, God is not operating with us as He operates with persons in the world: He is operating with us with regard to His own glory. That is why it is so important. Eternally what will have value is what was worked out in our souls by divine Persons during this present period. I do not believe the truth of God is known and understood in the way it ought to be. We are outwardly very weak and ought to be very humble, but nonetheless, if someone were to ask where persons are who really know the truth of God, I would be able to answer them. There are many places where there is a real and genuine love for the Lord Jesus, but where is the Spirit leading? He is guiding persons into the great things of the purpose of God. He does not lead persons to different companies; He is leading persons to the land and leads only in that direction.
May we be encouraged, for His Name’s sake.
Birmingham
10th May 2025