I cannot count the many times that my car’s GPS has saved my bacon.  Somehow I had gotten off course or didn’t know where I was going in the first place, but my trusted GPS gave me precise directions to my destination.  The Holy Spirit is waiting to do the same in our personal lives by providing guidance and wisdom.

Wisdom
Hiker woman searching direction with a compass in the mountains. Point of view shot

G.P.S. stands for Global Positioning System.  It’s the US government’s navigational system that works through very powerful satellites that are located in space.  They circle the earth several times daily sending signals all over the world.  Many nations, corporations, and people rely on GPS for all sorts of information including traveling direction.

God has a much better GPS.  He is the Holy Spirit who abides in every Jesus follower.  Jesus said in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and shew us things to come.  This remarkable promise is not empty and unreliable.  It’s an assurance from the Lord Himself that we don’t have to figure out life or waste time making wrong choices.  He has given us the best GPS known to man.

If that’s not enough assurance, in John 16:15, Jesus said all things the Father hath are His, and the Holy Spirit will reveal those things to us.  This marvelous promise assures us that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the mind, mysteries, wisdom, and knowledge of God.  Think of that?  How cool it is to have access to all that God knows.  WOW!  Apparently, Jesus does not want us in darkness, void of understanding and insight.  He wants us to be equipped with guidance and foresight so we can make wise choices and reach our eternal destination.

That said, many Jesus followers miss the will of God for their lives frequently.  Unfortunately, I have also.  Those occasions can be costly although God’s Grace always see us through.  Hence, I encourage you to begin doing a few things consistently that have helped me over the years dramatically reduce those occasions of missing God and making bad life choices.  Practice these disciplines and watch Heaven’s GPS start guiding you directly to good success.

Consistent Bible Study

First, spend lots of time studying the Word of God because the Holy Spirit never contradicts the Word of God.  When you are seeking God for direction, your mind will receive information from different sources.  With knowledge of the Word of God, you’ll be equipped to judge and reject information that is not coming from the Holy Spirit.

Daily Prayer Time

Second, spend time with the Holy Spirit daily so you can become better acquainted with His voice.  The Holy Spirit is a real person albeit He’s not human.  He desires to fellowship with us so, among other things, we can learn His voice.  Consistent prayer time will sharpen your spiritual antennas and ability to recognize His voice.  This ability is critical since life can be noisy and the Holy Spirit usually doesn’t shout at us.

Ask in Faith

Third, when you pray for direction from God believe in the heart that you received it during or after praying even if it seems like you didn’t.  That’s faith, and James 1:5-7 says we must ask God in faith whenever we need wisdom from Him.  In fact, everything we need from God comes thru faith.  Thus, to emphasize this critical point, remember faith must claim and believe it received wisdom, often before wisdom manifests.

Confess You Have Wisdom

Fourth, after you pray for wisdom, don’t say, “I don’t know what to do.”  Remember, you do know what choices to make because the Holy Spirit abides within you and He is speaking to your spirit daily. Therefore, boldly and confidently confess that the Holy Spirit lives in me, and He has already shown me all things.  Often, we miss His voice because we are unacquainted with Him because of prayerlessness or we fail to get quiet and tune into Him.

Thank God for Wisdom

Lastly, praise God for wisdom even when it seems like you don’t have it.  Praise is the ultimate expression of faith.  It’s our way of thanking God for wisdom, confident that He always keeps His promise to guide us into all truth.

Conclusion

Remember, these five things the next time you need and seek direction and wisdom.  Rest in the fact that the Holy Spirit abides within you and He is not trying to conceal information from you.  Just the opposite, He gladly reveals the Mind of Christ to us so we can stay in the Will of God.  He wants His children to be successful in life and thus He happily gives us the wisdom needed to fulfill His purposes.

Question:  Have you ever made a wrong decision that really affected your life, but God’s grace brought you through it?