281. God’s Promptings and Leading

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Cor. 7:10.

When a person sorrows over the fact that he does not have the mind of God, this produces repentance leading to salvation. God is the One who produces this sorrow. When God works in such a person, it produces a sense of dissatisfaction over himself and his evil thoughts. He feels poverty and need in his spirit, and when he cries out to God for salvation, he is heard. But if he sorrows in a worldly manner, that produces death; that is, death in transgression and sin. So let each of us examine ourselves to see what it is we sorrow over, because it is good for us to always have a godly sorrow—even if we have been saved for a long time. This godly sorrow is always a sorrow over our self. It comes from a deep and fervent longing for God’s salvation.

God works everything according to the counsel of His will. Eph. 1:11. All our inheritance comes from this work and this counsel which God purposed in Himself from eternity past. Everything depends on God’s leading. There is no salvation outside of His promptings, but if we follow His promptings, we will make progress on the new and living way. We also come to the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God when we follow this way of obedience to God’s promptings. We come to enlightened eyes and to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Jesus Christ has left us footsteps according to the promptings He received from His Heavenly Father. God has placed everything beneath His feet and has given Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body.

The church is the body of Christ—Christ received a body. “A body you have prepared for Me.” He took this body onto the cross; therefore, everyone who belongs to Christ has been crucified with Him. There is no body of Christ apart from the cross, neither can anyone grow the growth of the body up to the maturity of manhood in Christ without the cross. God’s effective power which brings death over sin can only be exercised on the cross. On the cross we can be given over to the death of Christ, and from that, life springs forth. The death of Christ is a death over Satan and all his mighty power, so it is vital that His death is at work in us. This work gives us victory over Satan and over all his principalities and powers. It takes place within the body. It gives us victory over every name that is named, not just in this world, but also in that which is to come. Our Head, Christ, is one with His body, and from Him the body is nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments and grows with the increase that is from God. Col. 2:19.

The Apostle Paul wished the Philippians to be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Phil. 1:11. In other words, all the fruits of the Spirit are produced through the leading and promptings of Jesus Christ.

God never exalts a person except through the work that He Himself does. This way of His working is “the Way.”

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Phil. 2:12-13 [Norw.].

We must work on our salvation in full agreement and harmony with God’s promptings. No salvation occurs apart from this, and God has no pleasure in anyone who draws back from what He is working in them. We are to do all things without complaining and disputing—according to His leading, His promptings.

May He make you fully equipped in every good work so you can do His will, because He is working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Heb. 13:21 [Norw.].

We know that in ourselves, that is, in our flesh, there is nothing good. If we want to be equipped for every good work, it is crystal clear that God must work in us. God’s will is our sanctification. How else would we receive the knowledge of His will without Him working His will in us?

The working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places is exceedingly great for us who believe. Eph. 1:19-20.

We must believe the Word; it is the Word of faith that the apostles preached. If anyone does not believe, it is because he does not want to believe. All of us have received the ability to believe; nevertheless, not everyone has faith, because not everyone has the will to believe what God is working and prompting within them. But everyone who is not willing to believe will have to bear the consequences of that.

One thing is certain: God’s manifold leading and promptings will lead us into incomprehensible glory. He who draws back loses treasures that cannot be obtained later—he will be hurt by the second death. Rev. 2:11. The promptings of God that are rejected are gone forever: it is a serious matter to draw back. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

All of this exercise in faith, love, and godly fear according to God’s working is exceedingly needful and edifying for the man of God, who will inherit all things with Him.

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. And, fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, ‘Look at us.’ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.” Acts 3:3-8.

Peter responded to the people, saying, “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which works by Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Verse 16 [Norw.].

Here we can see that physical healing is also a result of God working.