Topic: Checks and Balances [Joyce Meyer Devotional 26 February 2021]

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Great peace have they who love Your law…— Psalm 119:165 (AMPC)

I’ve written several times about how God will sometimes lead us through circumstances. This is certainly true, but we also need to be balanced in the way we discern God’s will. We shouldn’t only consider circumstances, but we also need peace and wisdom, which are major ways we can hear from God—we should never ignore them. A circumstance might look like an open door, but we shouldn’t walk through the door unless we have peace.

Following circumstances alone can get us into real trouble. Satan can arrange circumstances sometimes as well, but his intentions are always to distract us from God’s will, not to help us find it. Therefore, if we follow circumstances alone without listening for God’s direction through peace, wisdom, or His Word, we can be deceived.

I want to encourage you to develop the habit of doing a quick “inner check” to test the level of peace in your heart before allowing circumstances to lead us. The safest way to hear from God is to combine biblical methods of being led by the Spirit and allow them to serve as checks and balances for one another. It’s always best to consider the whole counsel of God’s Word, not merely trying to find portions of it that agree with what you already want to do.

When you take God’s Word in context, looking through it for wisdom, watching the peace level of your heart, and listening for the Holy Spirit’s voice, He’ll guide you into all truth (see John 16:13).

Prayer Starter: Father, please teach me the right way to discern what to do, and how to allow peace, wisdom, circumstances and Your Word to guide me. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to lead me in every moment. In Jesus’ name, amen.