A Compelling Testimony: Maintaining a Disciplined Walk, Christlike Character, and Godly Relationships as God's Servant

Ses s i on 6: Cu l t i vat i ng Our Commun i t y : The “Corporate” Di sc i p l i nes 273

III. The Discipline of Guidance

Ps. 48.10-14 As your name,

O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with righteousness. [11] Let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments! [12] Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, [13] consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation [14] that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

In our day heaven and earth are on tiptoe waiting for the emergence of a Spirit-led, Spirit-intoxicated, Spirit-empowered people. All of creation watches expectantly for the springing up of a disciplined, freely gathered, martyr people who know in this life the life and power of the kingdom of God. It has happened before. It can hap pen again. Indeed, in movements all over the world we are now beginning to see the breaking forth of the apostolic church of the Spirit. Many are having a deep and profound experience of an Emmanuel of the Spirit – God with us; a knowledge that in the power of the Spirit Jesus has come to guide his people himself; an experience of his leading that is as definite and as immediate as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But the knowledge of the direct, active, immediate leading of the Spirit is not sufficient. Individual guidance must yield to corporate guidance. There must also come a knowledge of the direct, active, immediate leading of the Spirit together. . . . Much of the teaching on divine guidance in our century has been noticeably deficient on the corporate aspect.

~ Richard Foster. Celebration of Discipline . 25th Anniversary Ed. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1998. p. 175.

A. The biblical witness

1. Definition: the discipline of guidance refers to the ways in which the Lord leads us into his will and the fulfill ment of our callings through his people, the body of Christ. God guides groups as well as instructs us individually through groups. a. The power of the Exodus: God is a God who leads his people in battle, to the destination he has pre scribed, Exod. 14.13-14 – And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. [14] The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

b. God’s leadership of his people is perfect and continual, Ps. 23.