As I was reading in my Bible today, I came across Proverbs 29:18. A familiar verse to many people. I paused as I felt the Lord give me some revelation on this verse, particularly related to my church but I believe could be applied with all people.
As I sat and stared at the verse it seemed as though the Lord was saying to me it’s the revelation and teaching of the Holy Spirit which is the most effective “steering wheel” in people’s lives. Better than rules and guidelines which usually only hit “skin deep” level.. Revelation starts at the deepest part of the person and works upward and outward. Rules often start on the “surface level” of people’s hearts and we only hope that people receive them and take them down into the deepest parts of who they are.
Revelation is superior to rules.
Read the verse: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” Notice it is not the law that keeps people “in line.” The law is already given but it is “revelation.” The word “revelation” here is rightly translated as “vision,” when people see/understand/perceive/discern truth then we are led to follow right ways to live.
Blinded by spiritual darkness and left to our fallen nature we as people have the tendency to make fatal, damaging and destructive choices in life. “There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death,” But the Holy Spirit should be our teacher.
1 Cor. 2:12-14 tells us: “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED.
It is this “spiritual discernment” that we all need. It is what Peter had when called Jesus “the Christ” (Matt. 16:16.) Jesus blessed him after that. Yet a short time later Peter is caught using natural reasoning, and not able to discern the very TRUTH that Jesus had to die.
Spiritual revelation is the greatest hope for your lost son or daughter. For your spouse that is far from God. It is the greatest need of all people. Even Christians who have the Holy Spirit but don’t live in Him or are not familiar with him often fail to discern the things the Spirit is wanting to reveal to them. Often times they see it as foolishness and cast of the restraint, safety and privilege that revelation would bring into their lives.
Like Paul in Colossians 1:9-10 we need to never stop praying that God would give His revelation to our loved ones. “For this reason since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and ASKING GOD TO FILL YOU with the KNOWLEDGE of HIS WILL through all SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. And we pray this in order that YOU MAY LIVE A LIFE WORTHY of the Lord and PLEASE HIM in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
Notice it is Spiritual wisdom, understanding and knowledge which causes people to NOT cast off restraint, but to walk in the will of God as they are coming into greater intimacy with Him and living a life that brings Him glory and eternal reward.
As you keep your rules and guidelines pray, pray, pray and ask, ask, ask, God to give your loved ones revelation, rules are often “skin deep” and may not affect the heart but revelation starts in the deepest parts of a person and works upward and outward producing the life of God.
pdbrycesite 