The Counsel of God

God’s counsel guides you so you can come through any situation you’re facing in victory
Nothing is more precious than receiving the counsel of the Lord. That counsel holds the treasures of wisdom, peace, joy and prosperity we need to walk in the fullness of God’s life and blessings.

If you are a believer, the Counselor Himself—the Holy Spirit—lives in your spirit to lead and guide you. However, you have to draw out the deep waters of His counsel, as Proverbs 20:5 says: “Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out” (The Amplified Bible). You draw it out by giving God your attention as you spend time in His Word and in prayer.

If you are too busy to fellowship with God in the Word and prayer, then all the hubbub and clamor of daily life can make it difficult to hear the Holy Spirit’s counsel. To draw that counsel out, you must get quiet in your spirit and listen to Him.

Another key verse related to drawing out the Holy Spirit’s counsel is Proverbs 20:27: “The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.”

The King James Version calls the spirit of man “the candle of the Lord.” It is in your spirit that you receive God’s light of revelation.

Now, this natural world is ruled by darkness. In it we find the lower ways and thoughts of this earthly life. However, God’s higher ways and thoughts reside within the deep well of your spirit. They must be drawn out so you can receive God’s understanding and wisdom. That’s what the psalmist meant when he said, “You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness” (Ps. 18:28, The Amplified Bible).

When you have a decision to make and you don’t know what to do, God will enlighten your darkness. His counsel guides you in the way of wisdom so you can come through the situation you’re facing in victory.

The Holy Spirit lights our candle with His revelation. He illuminates our darkness with the wisdom of God, “once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:7).

With God’s counsel, we can walk in victory when there is turmoil around us. We can be like the children of Israel, who had light shining in their homes when darkness lay on the land of Goshen so thick that no one moved for three days (see Ex. 10:21-23).

In the same way, the light of God’s counsel can shine out of our spirits into a dark and confused world. We aren’t limited by what is going on in the natural realm. We can draw out the counsel of God and walk in His higher ways.

In order to take hold of the high life, we must first let go of the low life. We can’t hold on to sin and enter into God’s realm of light, glory and victory. Sin desensitizes us so we can’t hear what God is clearly speaking to us.

In addition, the cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches, and lust for other things can enter into our hearts and choke out the Word (see Mark 4:19). We must fling aside weights and sins and take hold of God’s counsel.

The less cluttered our hearts, the more sensitive we are to hearing God and walking in His higher life—a life of liberty, healing, deliverance and abundance.

As we draw upon God’s counsel from within, He can order our steps. We can walk in the good things He has planned for us. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delights in his way” (Ps. 37:23, NKJV).

So when you face a situation and don’t know what to do, confess, “God lights my candle and enlightens my darkness!” Spend time in the Word and prayer. And expect God to give you divine counsel and order your steps.

Make the decision to let go of the low life of the world. Walk in the light and take hold of the high life of God!