God’s Guidance Through Scripture: How God Directs Our Steps

Onisim Moisa 15.01.18

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God’s guidance through Scripture is one of the most important ways Christians learn to recognize His direction for their lives. When we face an uncertain future, difficult decisions, or a season of transition, we naturally want to know what God wants us to do.

Yet God’s guidance does not always begin with receiving a detailed answer about the future. Often, He begins by drawing our attention back to what He has already revealed in His Word.

Joshua experienced something similar. After Moses died, Joshua faced enormous responsibility, uncertainty, and opposition. He needed God’s direction. However, when God prepared Joshua for what was ahead, He pointed him repeatedly toward His Word.

Joshua 1:8 gives us two important principles for understanding God’s guidance through Scripture.

At the end of the book of Deuteronomy, we read that Moses died. However, Moses was the leader of the children of Israel for 40 years. And God used him to take His people out of Egypt. And not only that, but he was employed by God to build the Tabernacle— the place where God’s Presence rested.

Moses was feared by some Israelites and loved by others. However, all of them respected Moses. But now he is dead. The man who took them out of Egypt and talked with God face to face is far gone. However, before he dies, he appoints Joshua, his disciple, to take his place.

And that was not an easy task for Joshua. He knew how many problems Moses did encounter with the Jews. And how many times they did rebel against him and God. And Joshua knew how stubborn and stiff-necked the people he has to lead are.

Moreover, I am sure Joshua had so many things to think about at that time. He had three million people he had to be responsible for, and he was about to take them into the land of Canaan. And Moses was not there with him to help. He also had to think about the enemies they would face in Canaan. And not any enemies, but giant enemies.

The people all around Joshua were preparing their shields, swords, arrows, bows, spears, and slings. They were talking about Moses’ death and wondered if Joshua would be the right leader for them. For all of them, this was a step of faith. And they did realize they would have to leave the past— their wilderness and the age of Moses— in the past, and move into the promise of God. Because you see, none of us can enter God’s promise for our lives without leaving our past in the past.

And the entire situation could have been overwhelming, as there were so many things for Joshua to think about and plan. However, in the midst of the craziness, God shows up and gives Joshua the secret to success for the season ahead of him.

In Joshua 1:8 (TLV) we read God’s words for Joshua:

This book of the Torah should not depart from your mouth—you are to meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will make your ways prosperous and then you will be successful. 

So what can we learn about guidance from this verse?

1. God’s Guidance Through Scripture Begins With Knowing His Word

Even though Joshua had lots of other things to think about and meditate on, God is telling him to think about Him— about His Word. God’s Law was not to depart from his mouth— he had to declare it, eat it, read it, know it, and keep it close to his eyes and head. That was his duty and responsibility.

Think about how a cucumber becomes a pickle. It remains immersed in the brine until what surrounds it begins to penetrate and change it.

In a much deeper spiritual sense, God’s Word must do more than occasionally pass before our eyes. We need to remain in Scripture long enough for its truth to shape our thinking, desires, priorities, and decisions.

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to renew our minds and make us more like Christ.

God can guide our steps in life through His Word more than we realize. If we want God’s direction for our lives, we must become people whose minds and hearts are continually shaped by His Word.

2. God’s Guidance Becomes Clearer as We Apply His Word

Christian meditation is very different from Hindu mediation for example. In the Oriental types of mediation, people mediate with the purpose of emptying their minds from whatever is there and somehow connect themselves with the universe. That’s what they say at least.

Joshua was not commanded merely to know God’s Word. He was told to be “careful to do everything written in it.” Biblical guidance therefore involves both revelation and obedience.

Sometimes we ask God for new direction while ignoring something He has already made clear in Scripture.

God is telling Joshua to meditate on His Word day and night with the purpose of doing everything written in it. Therefore, we need to always and continually meditate on how God’s Word applies to our lives, no matter the situation. We always need to ask the Holy Spirit to guide our minds and hearts in His Word, in every circumstance.

We need to ask: Holy Spirit, what does the Word of God say for my situation? How can I apply the Word to my life for my current status? Scripture does not give us a specific answer to every practical decision we will ever face. However, God’s Word gives us the truth, wisdom, and principles we need to make decisions that honor Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the scripture where you can find the answer to your question. And ask for His help to see it and apply it.

How to Seek God’s Guidance Through Scripture

When you need God’s direction, begin with what He has already revealed rather than searching for a verse that simply confirms what you want to do.

First, pray for wisdom. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand Scripture faithfully.

Second, read Scripture in context. Do not isolate a sentence simply because it seems to fit your situation.

Third, look for biblical principles. Scripture may not tell you which job to accept or which city to live in, but it clearly teaches principles about wisdom, integrity, relationships, stewardship, holiness, and obedience.

Fourth, obey what God has already made clear. Sometimes the next step becomes clearer only after we faithfully take the step already in front of us.

Finally, test your desires against God’s Word. The Holy Spirit will never guide us in a direction that contradicts the truth He has already revealed in Scripture.

Start With What God Has Already Said

When we face uncertainty, we often want God to show us the entire road ahead. Joshua did not receive a detailed explanation of everything that would happen in Canaan. Instead, God called him to remain close to His Word and faithfully obey what He had revealed.

The same principle remains true for us.

God’s guidance through Scripture begins when we stop treating the Bible merely as a place to search for quick answers and allow God’s Word to shape the way we think, choose, and live.

So if you are asking God for direction today, begin with a simple question:

What has God already said in His Word, and what would obedience look like in my situation?

You may not see the entire road ahead. But you can faithfully take the next step with God’s Word before you.

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Onisim Moisa

I am a blogger, writer, pastor, Director of Zion Romania Bible School, husband to Olguta, a father and, most importantly, a child of God. I also completed my studies at the King’s University where I earned a B.A. in Theology with a concentration in Messianic Jewish Studies. I love Israel and I love the ‘Jewishness’ of the Bible.