Guidance

Guidance from Father is either personal or corporate. Recognizing the need and understanding the principle is crucial to avoiding error.

When we look at Mary, then already betrothed to Joseph, the angel Gabriel appeared to her to offer/inform her of a matter that would affect her personally.

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to... Mary.

And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:26-28 NASB unless noted)

Thereafter, however, all guidance was directed to Joseph in matters affecting Yeshua’s safety—fleeing to Egypt, returning to Israel, and settling in Nazareth.

an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife (Matthew 1:20)

the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13)

an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise and take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel (Matthew 2:19-20)

And being warned by God in a dream, he departed for the regions of Galilee, (Matthew 2:22)

Israel too, under Moses, evidenced this principle where all guidance was directed through Moses. Challenges to this fact by Miriam, Aaron, and by Korah, Dathan and Abiram were swiftly and decisively corrected.

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses… they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?" And the LORD heard it. (Numbers 12:1-2)

Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action, and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. And they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?" (Numbers 16:1-3)

Miriam became a leper for seven days and the clans of Korah, Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up by the earth.

Paul, the apostle, demonstrated a fear toward leaders when it was pointed out that he had unknowingly spoken harshly toward the high priest:

But the bystanders said, "Do you revile God's high priest?" And Paul said, "I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'" (Act 23:4-5)

Yeshua, too, evidenced a respect for the high priest:

And when He had said this, one of the officers standing by gave Jesus a blow, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"

Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” (John 18:22-NAS)

God, our Father, is very serious about his leaders and the fact that his guidance and directives come through those He has chosen or appointed to be leaders.

The principle is simple: in matters that affect us personally guidance will come to us personally, in matters that affect the family, congregation, city, nation, etc. guidance comes to the leader(s) chosen or appointed by Father.

©2018, Dr Steven Bydeley, a man.

All publishing rights reserved. Permission is herewith granted to reprint this article for personal use and to link or refer to it; however, no commercial re-publishing of the material in this article is permitted without prior written consent.

Steven is the author of Fathered by God and with his wife Dianne, co-author of Dream Dreams and Dreams the Heal and Counsel. He has been a guest on the Miracle Channel, Trinity Television, and Crossroads Communication, and has taught internationally on various topics.

Without Prejudice. © 2023, Steven., house of bij de Leij., of man.