THE LAMP OF THE LORD

PROVERBS 20:27 NKJ 
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, 
Searching all the inner depths of his heart. 

 Let's continue the theme of the inward man or the heart of man or, as this verse states, the spirit of man.   

We are a spirit being.  We have a soul, our mind, will and emotions, and we live in a body.  The scripture tells us God is Spirit, and this verse in Proverbs lets us in on a vital truth.  God uses our spirit to give us light, to communicate with us.  It is important to recognize this fact so that we are not looking for an outward voice or depending on a feeling.   

In very rare occurrences, some have heard an outward audible voice from God.  And when God touches our heart, it can produce some very real feelings.  But God leads us primarily in our spirit by His word and His Holy Spirit.  In Romans, Paul refers to the Holy Spirit witnessing to our spirits.  In fact, that witness to our heart is where we began to realize we are children of God.  Another way we can recognize God's enlightening our spirits is an inward sense or knowing.  The world refers to this as a hunch, but we can begin to sense in our spirit God's direction for us. It is in our spirit, His lamp, that we receive and sense His leading.   

APPLICATION 

Look back on your life and begin to recount the times you have had a sensing that turned out to be from God.  Maybe you followed that inward knowing, and maybe you didn't.  But how often have we said, "I knew I shouldn't have done that" or "something was telling me."  Actually, someone was telling us.  God was lighting our lamp.  

PRAYER 

Dear Lord, help me become more aware of Your lighting my lamp, my spirit.  I want to follow You better.