This is the Way….Walk ye in it

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, or when ye turn to the left.”

Have you heard that Word?

Do you know this is the Way, Walk ye in it?

[Paul and Silas had come to a cross road….and been led to Philippi….someplace new…..they had not gone into Europe before…

There….they end up in prison.

“this is the way, walk ye in it.”

Beaten, and in stocks….they began to pray.

Did we do what You wanted? Or had we overstepped ourselves in dealing with the demon-possessed fortune teller? Acts 16:16-18, 22-23

And when they heard that they had done the Lord’s Will…than….Praise the Lord….this beating is for the greater glory of Jesus!

And they got to feeling so good about it,…that they broke out into song.

After the beating they had….their backs open and sore,…bleeding and stinging…..they were leaning on the strength of the Lord, and praising Him for the opportunity of suffering for His Sake.

They were in His Way….

….and being in the Lord’s Way….they were given opportunity to deal with someone….the Jailer.

Yes, there were others there that heard their prayers, singing,….and the Word to the Jailer….but it was with the Jailer….tough, efficient, seemingly uncaring….that the Spirit deals most.

Acts 16:30-32 “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him all the Word of the Lord….”

[they did not just tell him what to do…..but informed him of God’s Word, so he would know…..Who Jesus was….what He had done…and why he needed to believe on Him]

Paul and Silas heard the Word and walked right into Jail….and led a Jailer and his household to Christ.)

How many people who would gladly hear about salvation…..do we come into contact with?

If we wait for “great days”….they may never come.

What of us?

Have we listened for His Voice to guide?

Have we heard the Word….yet not used it?

[ Pilgrims Progress:

Christian and Hopeful had just come from the Shepherds in the Delectable Mountains….a place of rest and security…about in the middle of their way to the Celestial City.

As they left, the Shepherds gave them three things:

A warning….beware of the Flatterer.

A map….if they came to a place that was confusing.

A Word….Godspeed. (This is a old English word meaning….Go with God…at His time and speed.)

As they went on, rejoicing in such a beautiful place that the Lord had made for the wayfarers….they came to a place of turning…

….but the turning was in a “Y” shape.

Which way to go?

(Now I want to say….they had a map….which they should have used….but it was nicely tucked away in their pocket….)

As they looked at this turn….a man…covered from head to toe in a bright garment came up….and asked, “Where are you going?”

They said to the Celestial City….trying not to look too confused about the turn….

…..he said….”I am too, follow me”….

…so they did,…..

…..without asking him who he was….or seeking to know how he knew…..they just followed…because it was easier….and this man did seem quite confident in what he knew!

Soon, they seemed to be twisting around….the way seemed to go from straight…to curved backward….but they kept following, thinking it would probably straighten back out….

….when suddenly they were caught in a net! And the man threw off his bright cloak….to reveal an enemy of the right Way!

This man left them there, stuck in the net……and there they continued, for several hours when….

…….a “shiny one”….one of God’s messengers came by….asking them why they were in the net…..

……they told him about following the brightly clothed man….

….and the messenger said, “He was the Flatterer”……and rescued them out of the net.

God’s messenger then took them back to the Way….the same place of turning….and then chastened them for listening and following the Flatterer.

Didn’t you get a warning and a map? He asked.

Yes, they said….their heads down, realizing they had been given all they needed….but did not use it.

The messenger warned them, from now on, to use what they had….and let them go on…in the Way.)

We often think of special enlightenment, when He has already told us.

Perhaps through a message, a Bible study,….a verse the Holy Spirit brings to mind….

….there is in our everyday paths the means of the fulfillment of God’s Way for us…..

….and we need to be faithful there…..in what we have in hand….

…and faithful to God in those we come into contact with.

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

When He is Lord, there should be no problem with your answer to any.

They may be able to find a way around what we say…..but they cannot get around what He says through us!

I know the first time I lead someone to the Lord, I was full of trembling and fear….(I had “not passed this way before”)…

…I was confident in the Lord….and His salvation….

…but fearful that I might make a mistake….and I told Him so…..

…He told me to follow in His Word, verse by verse, that she might be founded on what God’s Word said…..

…..and I followed His leading……and she became a child of God.

Joshua 3:3-4 “And they commanded the people saying, When we see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God,….then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

…..that ye may know the way by which you must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.”

There are many “side roads” which we come to, on our way to heaven…..and they must be seen for what they are. How?

Plainly we need to keep our eyes on our God…..and use the map of His Word….

….heeding every warning….and using every promise.

If we wait only on the Lord, in our everyday lives and walk….then…thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, this is the Way, Walk ye in it.