1. “God speaks in one way, / Indeed in two ways, without any perceiving it— / In a dream, a night vision, / When deep sleep falls upon men... / Then He opens the ears of men / And seals up their instruction” (Job 33:14-16).
Sometimes the Lord leads us with dreams and visions. These verses indicate that God speaks in one way, indeed in two ways, without man perceiving it; consequently, God uses dreams and visions to open man’s ears and to instruct him. Dreams and visions are not a primary means of His leading but a secondary one. In His leading, God primarily speaks to men. If men do not understand His word, He can use dreams and visions to direct them. If God speaks to men in one way, indeed in two ways, and they still do not perceive, God is forced to use dreams and visions to instruct them. Therefore, we should place more emphasis on God’s word than on dreams and visions. Today there is a group of people who pays too much attention to dreams and visions. They neglect the Word of God and emphasize instead the seeking of dreams and visions. When they meet, one will say that he had a dream, and another will claim to have seen a vision. Dreams and visions easily attract people’s attention. Curious people especially like these things. But a normal follower of the Lord always places the Lord’s word first. Of course, we do acknowledge that the Lord does give dreams and visions to direct and lead us or to comfort and strengthen us when necessary. I have been graced by the Lord in this way and have had this kind of experience, but we should regard the Lord’s word as the most important thing.
2. “Having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit...the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them...A vision appeared to Paul during the night...And when he had seen the vision...concluding that God had called us to announce the gospel to them” (Acts 16:6-7, 9-10).
These verses and the verses in Job 33 are very similar. When Paul went out to preach the gospel, he wanted to stay in Asia, but the Holy Spirit forbade him. He wanted to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow him. By looking at a map, we can see that the Holy Spirit wanted him to cross the Aegean Sea and go to Macedonia on the opposite side. However, Paul did not understand this at the time. It was as if God was speaking to him one way, indeed in two ways, but he did not perceive it. This forced God to use a vision in the night to direct him, which also shows that this kind of leading is not primary but secondary. Paul’s primary leading was the speaking or sense from God given to him by the Holy Spirit.
We should also pay attention to Paul’s response to the vision. After Paul saw the vision, he concluded that God had called him to bring the good news to Macedonia. He did not believe it until he had carefully considered the vision. We should not believe dreams and visions lightly. If we have a dream or vision and believe it without any discernment or consideration, we can be easily cheated.
1. “Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons...And Jacob saw Laban’s countenance, and now it was not favorable toward him as previously. And Jehovah said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers” (Gen. 31:1-3).
A Christian must be able to understand the speaking that he receives from the Bible outwardly, the Holy Spirit inwardly, and the situation around him. Our situation often is a hint or proof of the Lord’s leading. Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking about him in the house. Then he saw that Laban’s countenance was not favorable toward him. Spontaneously, he felt he should no longer stay in Laban’s house. At this point, God spoke to him, saying, “Return to the land of your fathers.” Thus, he was clear that he should leave. If we want to be led by the Lord, we must also understand our situation and pay attention to the meaning of its direction. The direction of our situation also serves as a leading from the Lord.
1. “Do not be like a horse or like a mule, without understanding; / Whose trappings consist of bit and bridle to restrain them, / Else they do not come near you” (Psa. 32:9).
Horses and mules are without understanding. They often do not obey their handlers. Therefore, the handler uses a bit and bridle to restrain them and make them obey. Before the Lord we sometimes do not obey. This forces the Lord to use hard situations to deal with us and to lead us. These hard situations are the bit and bridle used by the Lord to restrain us and cause us to obey His leading. The restraining of horses and mules by bit and bridle causes obedience through pain. The hardships of the Lord’s dealing produce similar pains to us. This kind of situational dealing, which restrains us through hardships, is a leading of the Lord to us.
It is useless to know about the Lord’s leading but not know how to be led by the Lord. Therefore, we must not only know about the Lord’s leading, but we must also know how to be led by the Lord. Knowing about the Lord’s leading is objective; knowing how to be led by the Lord is subjective. We must consider how to be led by the Lord because it is more important than only knowing about the Lord’s leading.
1. “Whenever their heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Cor. 3:16).
The Lord’s leading cannot be separated from the Lord Himself. We can even say that the Lord Himself is His leading. A person whose heart is turned away from the Lord definitely cannot be led by the Lord. If we want to be led by the Lord, we must turn to the Lord. If we do not see the Lord’s leading, it is because our heart is away from the Lord, and this becomes a veil covering our eyes. Whenever our heart turns to the Lord, this veil is taken away. When we are unveiled before the Lord, we can easily see the Lord’s light and be led by the Lord.