Having Xtreme Faith When Things Look Bad

As for me, I look to the Lord for His help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord Himself will be my light. Micah 7:7-8 NLT

Since God does promise to lead us, why is there so much confusion and lack of clarity when it comes to discerning His will? If we don't have the assurance that God is for us, in us, and leading us, we will constantly be bombarded by the enemy and rendered ineffective. How can we avoid this hindrance and be assured? By looking to God's Word and understanding some of the ways He leads us, and by yielding ourselves fully to the Lord and abiding in Him! In John, Jesus assures us, "I will not leave you as orphans..." (John 14) and tells us that He is giving us a Helper, the Holy Spirit Who will guide us into all truth and show us things to come. (John 16) He also promises to bring God's Word to our remembrance. Often the Lord will bring just the right verse to encourage us or give us wisdom about a particular situation --this should motivate us all to spend more time meditating on God's Word and getting it into our hearts. How DOES God lead us? Misconceptions abound --everything from the idea that His leading has to be a huge supernatural and mystical occurrence to the practice of setting out fleeces and tests (and if "A" is the result, then God must be saying no, and if "B" occurs, it must be a yes). Judges 6 does give the example of setting a fleece but that would be the rare exception rather than the rule, and God wants us to exercise faith in Him to lead us without leaning on signs and circumstances (which can also be manipulated by the enemy).

We need to make sure we're in a right relationship with Him so we can clearly receive His direction! We need to be humble and teachable and open to His direction!