Seeing More Of God’s Provision And Guidance In My Life Series

SEEING GOD GUIDE AND DIRECT: Why don’t we see God’s daily provision and guidance much today?

- Luke 22:7-13.

- We say that we believe in God and that is still working in the world today, but we don’t see as much of His provision and guidance as we would like.

- How can we see more?

- This passage gives us a dramatic, memorable example of God’s provision and guidance. What can we learn from it?

WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FOR PETER AND JOHN:

1. God orchestrated a divine appointment.

- Luke 22:10a.

- A divine appointment is when God puts you in the right place at the right time to serve Him. It might be running into someone who needs witnessed to. It might be encountering a friend who needs prayer really badly in that moment. It might be coming across someone in need who you can help.

- It’s those moments when you know that it was not an accident that you were there.

- Here we see orchestrating a meeting of Peter and John with a man walking along with a jar of water.

2. They had to start not knowing where exactly it led.

- Luke 22:10b.

- If you ask people if they want to see more of God’s provision and leading in their lives, most will say, “Yes.” But then comes the hard reality: if you want to be led by God, you have to be willing to go where He leads. That is not welcome in many lives. We want to choose the course of our lives and have God help us get here.

- Here Peter and John start out not knowing exactly where they are going to end up. That’s not an easy thing to do.

- Beyond single situations, this is something that many of us struggle with in broad terms. We don’t know where exactly God is leading. Keeping it to “go to church on Sundays and be nice” allows us to maintain a measure of control.

- Signing up to follow wherever Jesus leads – you have no idea where you may end up. What if He calls us to offer forgiveness when we don’t want to? What if He asks us to give up money we want to spend on ourselves? What if He requires me to remove sinful habits that I don’t want to give up?

3. They had to ask for resources they didn’t have.

- Luke 22:11-12.

- One of our problems is that we only undertake things where we already have all the resources and ability to make it happen. We say we rely on the Holy Spirit, but we act like we don’t need Him.

- The painful reality is that what we can do in our own power and strength is pretty unimpressive.

- What is required, of course, is a step of faith. An expectation that God will use His resources to provide what we are lacking and help us to move forward to do great things.

- This is what we are asking for, most broadly, with our prayers for “fire from heaven.” We cannot transform our county or our church in the dramatic terms we are asking – it requires the power of God.

A FIRST FAITH STEP FOR US: Move forward presuming that you can rely on a promise from God’s Word.

- Romans 4:21; Romans 8:31-32; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 4:16.

- Isaiah 42:3 (struggling); Jeremiah 29:11 (future); Matthew 6:33 (money); Matthew 9:36-38 (harvest); Matthew 23:12 (powerful movement); Philippians 4:6-7 (worry); Hebrews 13:5 (presence); James 1:5 (wisdom).

- Having a verse helps move us from wishing to confidence.

- It’s a more advance thing to be able to discern God’s leading in everyday situations where there is not a Biblical imperative. So let’s start with the simpler thing: expecting God to move in a situation where He’s made a specific promise.

- Review one of the first line: verses about God’s promises.

- Unpack some of the second line: some of God’s promises.