Waiting on the Mind of the Lord
Bob Yandian
John 16:13 gives us two major ways that the Holy Spirit leads and guides us. Jesus said, “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… and He will show you things to come.” Here we have two categories—truth and things. The Holy Spirit will first guide you into all truth, and that truth is the Word of God. This is the major way He leads us. The Holy Spirit will take the promises of God and quicken them to our hearts when we need direction.
But Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit would show us things to come. This is where we get specific guidance. The Word gives us general truth—promises and principles that apply to all believers—but the Holy Spirit also speaks to us individually about the particular direction we’re supposed to take in life.
General Guidance from the Word of God
The primary way the Holy Spirit speaks is through the Word of God. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s Word gives general guidance to all believers. For example, is it scriptural to have a job? Yes. Is it scriptural to get married? Yes. Is it scriptural to walk in love and integrity? Absolutely. But you won’t find the name of your employer or your spouse’s name written in your Bible.
The Holy Spirit will guide you into the truth of God’s Word first. He will bring specific scriptures to your mind that speak to your situation. And don’t make the mistake of thinking, “Well, that was just me. That wasn’t the Holy Spirit.” Listen, you are not smart enough to think of that scripture at just the right time out of over 7,000 promises in God’s Word. That is the Holy Spirit leading you.
Specific Guidance: Things to Come
After the Holy Spirit leads you into the Word, He will begin to show you things to come. This is where specific direction comes in. Where are you supposed to work? What city should you live in? Which house should you buy? What church should you attend? These are things to come.
I remember when I was at Oklahoma State University in my junior year. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “You’re going to be a teacher in the Body of Christ.” That was general guidance. Millions of people are called to teach. But where, how, and when I would teach—that was specific. Over time, He showed me step by step: first as a Sunday school teacher, then as a Bible school instructor, then as dean of instructors, and eventually as pastor for 33 years.
The Example of Peter and Paul
This pattern shows up throughout the New Testament. Peter had plenty of general guidance from the Word, but there were times the Holy Spirit showed him specific things. In Acts 10, God revealed to Peter that Cornelius’ servants were coming to his house. Peter, who was in Joppa, was told to go to Caesarea and minister there.
Paul, on his second missionary journey, also experienced specific guidance. After ministering in Galatia, he tried to go north to Bithynia, but the Holy Spirit said no. Then he tried to go south into Asia, and this time the Spirit forbade him. So he just kept going west until he came to Troas. He probably walked right up to the Aegean Sea, put his foot in the water, and said, “Lord, unless I can walk on water, I need to know what to do next.” That night, he had a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over here.” The result? The greatest revival of the New Testament in Ephesus.
The Importance of Patience
Many times, waiting on the mind of the Lord develops patience. Hebrews 10:36 says, “You have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.” Guidance from God is a mark of maturity, and part of that maturity is learning to wait.
The Lord is seldom early, but He is never late. There were times in my own life when I thought the bottom was going to fall out. Deadlines were coming and going, and I thought for sure I had missed it. But God spoke at the right time. Waiting on the mind of the Lord develops your spiritual muscles. It helps you grow up in Him.
Think about Elijah. God sent him to the brook Cherith, where he was fed by ravens and drank from the brook. But then one day, the brook dried up. It didn’t say it was drying up—it says it dried up. Did Elijah panic and leave on his own? No. He stayed until the Lord spoke and gave him his next assignment. That’s maturity—waiting on the mind of the Lord.
In Leviticus 24, Moses faced a situation that wasn’t covered by the written Law. A young boy, whose mother was Jewish, and father was Egyptian, got into a fight and blasphemed the name of the Lord in front of the whole congregation. No law had yet been given about how to handle this.
What did Moses do? He put the boy in custody until the mind of the Lord could be made known. That’s wisdom. Moses didn’t jump to conclusions. He didn’t let public pressure push him into a quick decision. He waited. And when the Lord finally spoke, Moses followed the Lord’s instructions.
We all need a place like that—a cell where we lock up our problems until the mind of the Lord is made known to us. Don’t pull the problem out every five minutes and fret over it. Wait on the Lord.
The Spirit and the Word Always Agree
Some people say, “Well, I’m led by the Word.” Others say, “I’m led by the Holy Spirit.” The truth is, we are led by both—and they always agree. If you think the Holy Spirit is telling you something that contradicts the Word of God, you are not hearing from the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 138:2 says God has exalted His Word above His name. Even the Holy Spirit points you to the Word. Jesus said in John 17:17, “Your word is truth.” And the Holy Spirit’s primary ministry is to guide you into all truth.
Guidance for All Believers
Acts 2:17 says, “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” Notice, this isn’t limited to pastors, prophets, or evangelists. God promises to guide all His people—male and female, young and old, rich and poor. Whether it comes through a prophecy, a dream, a vision, or a simple inward knowing, the Holy Spirit will guide you.
Psalm 27:14, "Wait on the Lord and be encouraged and he will strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord." Romans 5:3, "Not only that, but we glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation produces patience." James 1:3, "The testing of your faith produces patience." This is what God wants. More than an answer to your problem, God wants your character to develop while you are waiting on the mind of the Lord.
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Wait on the mind of the Lord. Don’t let fear or pressure push you into a decision. Remember, God is seldom early but never late.
