Direction

Acts 11:9 But the voice answered a second time from Heaven, "What God has made clean, do not call common"

Acts 11:12 And the spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.

When I felt led to start my own business about 13 years ago, my initial start was with great resolve. I was tired of working for others who didn't exactly want to serve customers in the way I felt was needed to be exceptional, and that fueled my launch. As time marched on we had our ups and downs, and as a result of one of those down times I begin to have my doubts. One night I went home and began to express these doubts to Evie my wife. I will never gorget her reply," I have no doubt that you will be succesful, you can do anything you set your mind to". The resolve and confidence that sprung from that statement was enormous. Her encouragement that night was greatly needed as she pointed me back to my original purpose. There were many days were those words kept my feet shuffling in search of work.

I think one of the great mysteries, and unfortunately greatest debates in Christendom, is the role of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. I tend to over simplyfiy things, but this one seems rather clear to me. He is God in us. The precepts found in the Word of God, he echoes. The work of God, he leads us to and empowers. The words of God, he creates in our souls to express to the world. The sin that tries to invade, He convicts and attacks like a father defending His house form a midnight robber. He leads, guides, clarifies, empowers, convicts as He burns with Holy embers of God's glory in our souls.

When you look at the verses above, you will see Peter rely on the Holy Spirit with great confidence. God has shown Him a vision three times to preach to the gentiles. God sets the stage as gentiles show up as the trance of visions comes to end. Peter has been given clear direction to go with them and preach Christ. But then notice verse 12, " And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinctions". Peter knows the Spirit's voice intently and has great confdence and trust of it. He not only has God's revelation and direction from outside His body, but from inside the depths of His soul. That is the only way He had the resolve to do something as bold as break all of the Jewish laws about association with Gentiles (Acts 10:28). Peter knows what to do, has it confirmed from the inside of His soul and is empowered by that Holy Spirit to make it happen. Therefore the work he set out to do was clearly revolutionary and miraculous, because it was not his, it was God's.

I know there are times when I struggle for clarity with the Holy Spirit. The times when I hear his voice clearly, as it magnifies the work of Christ, are the most content and sweetest days I know of. The work that He has done through me in those times are truly way above my pay grade, and have Holy finger prints all over them. This clear conversation between me and a Holy God is the number one thing I want and seek in this life, as it was the very thing I was designed to be.

So where do you stand in this picture of dialogue with the Spirit. I hope deep and clear. If all of this sounds strange and mystic to you, I would encourage you to pray for the Grace to sit at the feet of Jesus until you learn to know His voice. Jesus himself said, "My sheep know my voice". We initially hear it from outside our bodies but the Spirit shouts Christ from deep within. It is a gift beyond expression to be able to walk through life with God's intimate direction blazing the trail in front of you. Is that going on in your life?