Welcome to [music] the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Thursday, January 22nd. God desires for each of us to know him deeply and follow him faithfully. [music] To gain practical insight and spiritual clarity, listen to part two of finding clear guidance and discover how to walk closely with him [music] every day.

>> How can I be sure I’m making the right decision? How can I be sure I have very clear guidance about this? How can I be sure I’m about to do the will of God? God has given to each one of his children the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. One of his primary responsibilities is to give us clear direction for our life.

And this is why he says he will guide you into the truth. The truth of what God wants us to do in our life. So we have that wonderful privilege. Now the problem is that today people choose all kind of different ways of figuring out what they’re going to do. For example, some say, “Well, what I’m going to do is to find out clear direction.

I’m going to throw out a fleece like Gideon did. Well, a fleece was simply the wool covering of of a lamb, a sheep. And here’s what he said. He said, “Now, Lord, uh, I want to be very sure I understand what you’re saying. And the truth is, he knew what he was saying. Uh, he was afraid. And so, all of us have probably been afraid at times in our life.

It’s something God required of us.” And so, he said, “Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to take this fleece. I’m going to lay it on threshold floor here. and um if tomorrow morning when I get up it’s wet and the ground is dry, I’ll know that I’ve heard you. Well, God and his patience said, “Okay.” Next morning he wakes up, he rings the water out of uh that place and uh being natural and normal.

This ought to be real encouraging to all of us. Real encouraging to us. You would have said, “Well, he’d have said, “Okay, God, I’m going after the Midianites.” He came back. He said, “Now, Lord, don’t get mad. Don’t don’t don’t don’t get upset, Lord. Now, it’s not that I I can hear him now. It’s not that I don’t believe you.

It’s not that I don’t trust you, but uh tonight I’m laying it out again. And tonight, I’m asking that the police be dry and the ground be wet. Next morning, he woke up, police dry as gunpowder, earth around it soaking wet. What did God do? He knew what Gideon needed and he gave him very clear direction. You can go all the way through the scriptures.

So somebody says now, “Well, that’s what I like doing. I like throwing out a fleece.” Well, you know, if I really want to get something my way, I can throw that fleece so it lands the way I want it to land, which is not a very reliable way to do it. And there that’s not a principle of scripture of finding clear direction.