The Mystery of God’s Leading: How DOES He Do That?!

Do you never wonder about that thought that crossed your mind and how it led you to make a decision that was smart, wise, or beneficial in some way?  And I am not talking about just the big decisions – like a life partner, a job offer, purchasing a home or a car or planning a family, which path to take in a big medical decision – I’m talking about purchasing stock for my shop from this particular vendor at this particular time only to find out they are running a one-day sale I wasn’t aware of; having valuable insight into a particular client’s case due to information I “just happened” to stumble upon; having a new idea for an innovative formula, or a writing project, or a musical endeavor; how to do something more efficiently or better that turns out to be golden.  Think about it!  When I think about it, I have to admit it happens all the time.  Every day, all day long. 

Now, I will have to say I am LISTENING.  There is nothing I value more than the super close moment-by-moment companionship of God.  I am talking to or simply cherishing Him in my heart the last thing before I fall asleep, and if I wake up briefly during the night I am in the same state of mind and spirit, and when I wake up in the morning, I am in that same posture.  I am EXPECTING God to permeate my thoughts and move me in the workings of my entire being.  I don’t know how to live any other way, and, quite frankly, I can’t imagine how people do and manage to maintain their sanity.

If I thought all my thoughts were hitting nothing but the ceiling of my skull, I’d go nuts! 

Musing on this perplexing mystery “led me” to want to write about the mystery of God’s leading (and I am sure it was HE who “led me” to want to write about this – STOP! – doesn’t that make your head crazy when you really think about it? – kind of like “God always was and will always be.”  WHAT???  How is that possible???) 

AND… someone will just “happen” to read this who needs to read it – who will be helped by it – and God is thinking of that person or those people right this very minute as I type and develop this piece, and it’s one of the reasons He prompted me to write it in the first place!  STOP IT!!!! 

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” 

Psalm 139:6

Deep breath.  Okay.  So, let’s take a moment to look into His Wondrous Word and gain some insight here.  I am counting on His leading as we do this, so I am confident it will be “good!” 😉

Scripture is saturated with language of God leading, guiding, teaching, directing.

These passages emphasize that God does lead, and continually – no, this is NOT “…just my imagination, running away with me!”

• Psalm 23:2–3 – “He leads me beside quiet waters… He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

• Psalm 25:4–5 – “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me…”

• Psalm 31:3 – “You are my rock and my fortress; for Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.”

• Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”

• Psalm 48:14 – “For such is God, our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.”

• Psalm 73:24 – “With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.”

• Isaiah 48:17 – “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.”

• Isaiah 58:11 – “And the LORD will continually guide you…”

• Romans 8:14 – “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

What about those thoughts, impressions, and promptings? 

You know what I’m talking about, and I know that you know what I’m talking about because when I discuss this with other believers – some of you reading this among them –  they are able to entirely relate.  No, we are NOT delusional; we can’t make this stuff up!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go…” Psalm 32:8

These scriptures directly connect His leading with inner thought, desire, and inclination:

• 1 Kings 19:12–13 – “a gentle blowing” / “still small voice”

• Psalm 16:7 – “Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.”

  (Many translations: “My reins instruct me” — meaning the inward self.)

• Proverbs 16:9 – “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

• Proverbs 20:24 – “Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, how then can man understand his way?”

• Isaiah 30:21 – “Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’”

• Jeremiah 31:33 – “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it.”

• Ezekiel 36:27 – “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes…”

• John 14:26 – “He [the Holy Spirit] will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

• John 16:13 – “He will guide you into all the truth…”

• Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” – Right?  How does He do that?  He makes me WANT to please Him in the first place, and then He is the one doing whatever “work” He inspires through me!!!! 😲😲😲

• Colossians 3:15 – “Let the peace of Christ rule (act as an umpire) in your hearts…”

But this is the uncanny thing:  He does NOT literally speak to us in an audible voice.  

Oh, wow – news flash – while I am writing this just now, I have music on YouTube on my TV playing a song list in the background, and “He Leadeth Me” is playing right now!  See?????  Wow.  He is right here, right now, in this.  Goosebump time. 

Anyway, back to His voice not being audible.  Inaudible but unmistakable; His inner promptings make it seem to me that it was my idea, until I realize…it wasn’t. 

Is this flight of fancy?  Scripture says, NO – you are NOT imagining things. 

Let’s go back to Psalm 139.  This is perhaps the chapter of the Bible we think of most when we marvel at the exquisite intimacy we have with God:

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.”

v. 16

His guiding work began before we were even born!

“You formed my inward parts…In Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them.”

vs. 13–16

His thoughts toward us — His inner workings — are innumerable:

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I should count them,

they would outnumber the sand.”

vs. 17-18

He searches and leads us — the Psalm ends with guidance:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.”

vs. 23-24

But what about God’s leading of those who do not yet know Him?  

The Seekers, Wanderers, and the Unbelieving

Sure, God leads those of us who believe in Him – who have placed our faith in his death, burial, and resurrection for full forgiveness of our sins, our salvation, and guarantee of immortality and eternal life, but how does He guide those who have not yet done this? 

How did He guide me before I came to that understanding and acceptance myself?

Scripture teaches:

• God guides the unbelieving heart toward Himself (John 6:44)

• God guides the wandering heart back (Luke 15:20),

• God guides the seeking heart into truth (Jeremiah 29:13),

• AND THEN He guides the believing heart throughout life (Psalm 32:8).

Here’s some insight into “how He DOES IT” –

1. God as the Initiator of every seeking heart

   • “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).

   • God awakens spiritual curiosity, longing, and questions.

     
     

2. The preceeding tenderness of God — pursuing before pursued

   • “You did not choose Me but I chose you…” (John 15:16).

   • The Shepherd seeking the lost sheep (Luke 15).

   • The prodigal’s Father watching from a distance, moved with compassion (Luke 15:20).

     
     

3. Guidance through external circumstances and internal stirrings

   • Think of Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia (Acts 16), the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).

   • God orchestrates encounters, conversations, and “coincidences.”

     
     

4. The Holy Spirit’s gentle conviction

   • “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

   • Awakening the need for grace.

   
   

5. God making Himself findable to the seeking person

   • “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).

   • “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).

   • “The kindness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

   
   

6. The universal, open-hearted posture of God

   • “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

   • “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

And WE get to play a very important role in all of this through prayer!

A. God often leads the unbeliever through the prayers of believers

• Intercession is one of the chief ways God works in lives that are not yet yielded to Him.

• Scripture reveals that God moves, convicts, protects, and draws people in response to the prayers of His people.

B. Biblical foundations for intercessory influence

• Ezekiel 22:30 — God looked for someone to intercede so He could show mercy.

• 1 Timothy 2:1–4 — Believers are urged to pray for all people, because God desires all to be saved.

• James 5:16 — “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

• Job 42:8–10 — God restored Job’s friends because Job prayed for them.

• Genesis 18:23–33 — Abraham’s intercession altered the outcome for an entire city.

C. How intercession functions in God’s drawing of hearts:

1. Softening the heart — prayer prepares soil that would otherwise resist truth.

2. Opening spiritual eyes — “The Lord opened her heart to respond…” (Acts 16:14).

3. Arranging circumstances — God orchestrates “divine appointments” in answer to prayer.  (Acts 8:26–29)

4. Restraint and protection — God shields wanderers and unbelievers through the prayers of the faithful.  (2 Thessalonians 3:3; Job 1:10)

5. Conviction and remembrance — prayer calls the Spirit to bring truth back to mind at the perfect moment.  (John 14:26; John 16:8)

D. Intercession is partnership with God in His seeking work

• God is already pursuing the lost, the wandering, and the resistant. (Luke 19:10)

• Our prayers join His existing movement — a divine-human cooperation in redemption. (1 Timothy 2:1–4; Ezekiel 22:30)

E. Intercession explains how God leads people who are not listening yet

• They may ignore Scripture.  (Proverbs 1:24–25)

• They may resist the Spirit’s voice.  (Acts 7:51)

• They may be numb to conscience.  (Ephesians 4:18–19)

• But they cannot escape the ripple effects of a believer’s prayers over their lives.  (Ephesians 4:18–19)

F. Prayer becomes part of the invisible guidance system

• God moves in their circumstances.  (Proverbs 16:9)

• God brings truth into their path.  (Acts 10:30–33)

• God sends people to them.  (Matthew 9:38)

• God opens and closes doors.  (Revelation 3:7)

• God stirs their thoughts unexpectedly.  (Nehemiah 7:5; Proverbs 21:1)

• God places holy discontent in the heart.  (Psalm 32:3–4)

  
  

  All of this often traces back to someone praying.

G. This means no one is ever too far for God to reach

• Even the hardest heart is penetrable when God responds to the persevering prayers of His people. 

SO, THIS IS OUR CUE TO KEEP PRAYING! – it matters; it works; it is God’s plan for us, enabling US – having ourselves believed – to have the great privilege of participating in His Wondrous Work of Salvation! 

READING THE BIBLE DAILY - the VERY BEST way to hone in on what God is speaking to you personally!

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God - it is His sword! (Ephesians 6:17) - in combination with His work within us, as He dwells there (Romans 8:9):

The Holy Spirit in the Word + The Holy Spirit in Me =

Dynamic Duo for Personalized Guidance

I hope you’ve enjoyed being LED through the scriptures in this marvelous exploration of how He - our most exquisitely beautiful Father and Savior – holds us in the palm of His hand AT ALL TIMES and leads us continually.  The biggest fear for me is that I fail to notice and take His intimate involvement in the seemingly mundane and routine things of life for granted!  Let’s try not to do that!  Oh, I know, let’s pray that we don’t.  Let’s pray right now that He will “tune our hearts to sing His praise,” to “meditate on Him in the night watches,” to stop frequently throughout the day and cherish Him in our hearts and minds, thanking Him for the nearness of His presence, for keeping us safe in body mind and spirit, and may all of this contemplation increase our faith and unshakable confidence in Him. 

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,

That I may tell of all Your works.”

Psalm 73:28

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Now, you MUST listen to this musical rendition of Psalm 139.  I recently stumbled on this band and am thrilled.  1) I love Celtic music 2) I love authentic, excellent instrumentation 3) I love musical worship teams that evoke a true and deep love for the Lord.  I actually just purchased a low D tin whistle and am eager to learn how to play it!  I’m hoping the Lord was leading me to do that, so that I can expect good things to come as I apply myself.  Anyway, here you go!  Where can we go, now, from His Spirit?  No where.  No where.  Thank you, Lord.

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Interested in knowing how to enter into a personal relationship with God through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Say a Salvation Prayer and Receive Jesus Christ Today. Of course, the saying of a prayer is the reflection of a monumental and life-changing heart decision, but this is a good guide.