The journey in this context signifies or symbolizes the process of being saved – the road to eternity with God. It by all means, implies THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
“I am the creature of a day passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf; till a few moments hence I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this end He came from heaven. He had written it down in a book. Give me that book! At any price give me the book of God.” John Wesley.
The journey in this context refers to the whole essence of man on earth. Hebrew 11:13-16. The word pilgrimage as used in verse 13 means a trip, especially one of considerable distance. In a nutshell, this means the course of a man’s life on earth in its entirety. Everyone on earth is on a journey and whether you know it or not, this fact remains valid. There is only one road/way to this endless destination, there is only one route to connect to this destination, there might be many vehicles that convey passengers but the route is essentially one – Acts 4:12, John 14:6. If you desire to return to your maker and not be deceived by the hater cum killer then this is the only way. John 12:44 – 50.
There are two things that guarantee a safe landing in the father’s bosom; vision and divine guidance. The journey hasn’t and will never be an easy one. It grows boisterous as the day passes. There are road blocks, vision-robbers and deadly beasts but adequate provision has been made by God for a perfect trip. You may wish to read Job 14: 1.
The need for vision in the quest for a safe landing:
Vision is the unfolding of divine plan and purpose. Everyone is created to fulfill a purpose here on earth, just as every manufacturer creates a product specifically to fulfill a purpose. A discovery of the purpose for which you are created is called vision. No one owns himself, the one that owns all has a purpose/vision for all.
According to Jeremiah 1:5, we are all formed by God for a purpose. Jeremiah was formed by God, sanctified and ordained a prophet unto the nations at his time.
In Galatians 5:15-16, Paul was formed and separated to preach among the heathen. Vision is knowing why you are here on earth. It is a divine insight into God’s plan for your life. It is very important that you discover what yours is as it will set you on the right route for the journey. Discovery of vision guarantees speed and acceleration in the journey. Lack of vision leads to gridlock, delay and frustrations.
The place of divine guidance:
One of the greatest tragedies of the journey is to lack the knowledge of where you are going or not knowing how to get there. So, having discovered your purpose or vision on earth the next thing is to know how to accomplish the tasks you have to perform so as to arrive at the set destination. This is where divine guidance comes in. God is the one behind the whole setting of mankind. It is only wise for us to allow Him be the guide in this journey. While vision shows us the destination, God’s guidance is what enables us to arrive there. The best example in the subject of divine guidance is how God guided the children of Israel out of Egypt. God took them through the red sea on their journey to the promised land. Exodus 13:17 – 18.
God took them through the red sea – ordinarily, they never would have dared that because they had no means to cross the red sea. Without divine guidance, the journey may be impossible to accomplish or at best, extremely difficult to execute – Exodus 13: 17 – 18. They never would have made it without God’s leading. Until you are guided by the one who knows the way, your journey {eternity with Christ} is not in view.
Proverbs 12 says except divine guidance is laid hold upon, frustration and depression could terminate the journey. It is God’s leading that guarantees safety on the journey. If a man chooses his path based solely on his sensory perceptions, then he may miss his way.
Your commitment to this leading is the only assurance of eternity. Worthy of note is the means by which God led the children of Israel through the wilderness to the promise land. Exodus 13:21-22. They journeyed for forty-eight days through the wilderness by divine instructions. The Bible tells us this in Numbers 9:15-23. They journeyed through deadly terrains for forty years and arrived at the promised land and none of them were feeble as a result of divine involvement in the process of their journey.
He knows the end of every matter from the beginning – Isaiah 46: 9 -10 and since we can’t see beyond the present, it is only wise to plug into the one who does. A little diversion can bring the journey to an abrupt halt. God is willing to lead as many as will look up to Him for direction. When He leads, speed is guaranteed, safety is certain and the journey becomes eventful and successful.
FOUNDATION OF DIVINE GUIDANCE
1. You must be Born again: The first requirement to be qualified and eligible for the journey is to be in Christ Jesus – John 3: 3 & John 1: 12. No one struggles to know the voice of his father so it is impossible to be able to pick the voice of God which is the vehicle via which divine guidance travels. The voice of God is only accessible to His children – John 10: 4-5. Accepting Jesus as your lord and savior is the ticket to divine guidance – Psalm 32: 8. God has promised us all that is needed for the journey but we can only access these through His leading – Isaiah 45: 1-3 & Psalm 32: 8. It’s impossible to access divine guidance outside Jesus Christ the son of GOD – John 5: 30.
Until you are led by him you are not of him. The day you find Christ is the day you embark on the Journey – Roman 8: 14. It is impossible to access God’s voice without Christ the sent of God. John 5: 3.
When you come into Christ then the spirit of Christ comes on you through whom you {the Holy Spirit} receive heavenly signal and information.
2. Be in the spirit: A continuous fellowship with the Holy Spirit received at the moment you received Christ is another step that must be noted – Romans 14: 9. A spiritually dead man cannot not access spiritual information.
The Holy Spirit in you is your connection to the throne/ heart of God, He receives from God then reveal them to you. If you do not relate will him you will be limited in accessing divine guidance. Always be in the spirit and then you will not miss the voice of God that delivers divine information for the direction and guidance. Revelation 1: 10-11 & John 15: 6 – 13.
3. Be joyful at all times – Isaiah 12: 3, Isaiah 30: 29-30. Until there is a song in your heart. You cannot hear the sound of heaven. It takes a joyful heart to sing. It takes a joyful heart to offer a voice of melody.
4. Always Have eternity as your ultimate goal – Mark 8: 36. Be ready to lose anything and everything for your eternity with Christ – spouse, wealth, friends, family, job, position – everything. If you have everything in this world and your eternity in Christ is lost, then you have lost everything. Let eternity with Christ be the deciding factor in all you do – even in choosing a spouse as well as in the company you keep. In all you do consider their impact in your eternity with Christ. This is the whole essence of the journey.
Pastor S. A. Samson is a passionate and sound preacher of the word of God. He studied journalism but, he is spreading the good news of Christ with the belief and proof that if you mean it with effectual, fervent prayer and godliness, God will respond.
He is The Assembly Pastor of Life Revival Ministry International (Gloryhouse Assembly), Igando, Lagos State.
Facebook:Siyaka Samson
Email: siyakasamson@gmail.com
