“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go: I will guide you with my eye” (Psalm 32:8)
Understanding our personal assignments from God requires our ability to fully comprehend that every assignment begins with our first step. To highlight this concept, I’m using the illustration of the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet called the “yud”. “Yud” is the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet and is an Hebraic picture of a hand.
Though the “yud” is the smallest of the Hebrew letters, it is the first letter in the name Jehovah. The name Jesus (the Name above all names) begins with the “yud”. One of the words for praise, yadah, begins with the “yud”. I recommend that we all open a concordance and search for words that begin with the “yud”. We just may have the Spirit of the LORD reveal how powerful small can be. The Creator of the universe spells His Name with the smallest of letters, a letter no bigger than an apostrophe or comma.
What does all this have to do with our walk with God and our personal assignment on Earth? From this day forward, we can begin with one small action (step) that prepares the way for the proceeding step(s) we need to take. Every day of our life contains instructions and clues from the LORD containing the information we need in order to take the next purposeful, accurate step.
God gives us one word of instruction at a time. In remembering my earlier years walking with the Lord, I recall wanting whole paragraphs at a time. This zealousness can, and often did cause me considerable frustration. I had to learn that it was not only the initial instruction and the first step that I needed, but the continuous, daily flow of God’s instruction available to me as I spent quality time in His presence and in His Word. As I learned the discipline to do this, major doors began to open for me. They continue to open for me today. Please be encouraged, this principal applies to ALL His children. It applies to YOU.
PHILLIP TAKES STEPS
The book of Acts, Chapter 8, is a prime example of a step-by-step process in the life of the Deacon/Evangelist Phillip. Because of persecution, Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ (Acts 8:5). During a great revival, the Spirit of the LORD spoke to Phillip and said, “Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert” (Acts 8:26).
For Phillip to stay in tune with his assignment, he needed to hear the Spirit speak, and he had to diligently listen and be willing to take the next step. He was in a great revival where miracles were being performed; unclean spirits were coming out of the possessed, and the lame and the sick were being healed. The Spirit spoke to Phillip telling him he is to go to the desert. Phillip did not judge himself as any more important than God’s direction nor did he think that he was the “star” of the revival, so he was able to chose to quickly obey.
As Phillip took this one step forward in his assignment, he found himself in the presence of a man of great authority from Ethiopia. The man was in charge of all of the treasury of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians (Acts 8:27). (Never despise even the smallest step of instruction.)
Please take note, Phillip was summoned to the desert. No one knew where he was but God. Because of his obedience to go to the desert, the Spirit met him and spoke again, telling him exactly what to do, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Phillip went from being hidden in the desert to assume his post and be the voice commissioned to speak to one of the most important men in Ethiopia. Phillip was able to lead this high ranking official to the LORD Jesus Christ and baptize him. After the baptism, the Spirit caught away (transported) Phillip. He found himself in Azotus. He was translated from the desert to another region and from there began to preach in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea (Acts 8:40). Because of his relationship with the Father, Phillip was lead to the exact place he needed to be.
MOSES TAKES STEPS
Another example of a person willing to receive daily instruction can be seen in the book of Exodus. The Lord said to Moses, Behold, “I will rain bread from Heaven for you: the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or no” (Exod. 16:4). In Hebrew, to say “A certain rate every day,” means, “the instruction or word of the day.”
As the story continues in Exodus 16, we see that the people would not obey the simple (small) instruction. Exodus 16:21 tells us that when the sun waxed hot, the manna (provision) melted. Through His Words, I believe the LORD is instructing us to be quickly and immediately obedient, otherwise the instructions and subsequent benefits from obedience to them, may be lost and “melt” away…perhaps lost forever. To melt means to become worthless and faint away.
How many times does the Spirit speak and we either ignore His instruction, or we wait too long to obey and lose our blessing? We can change that behavior today!
Until we complete the first instruction, we do not qualify to expect the next instruction. It’s not possible to be partially obedient and expect a full benefit. Please refer to God’s “formula” for success, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” Isaiah 28:10.
Thank You Lord that you do reveal to us our assignment, step by step. It is a divine progression. Today is the day to hear His voice and not harden our hearts (Heb. 4:7).
