RE:CALCULATING

Scriptures: John 11:1-15, John 16:13, Psalms 19:13

Day 1: RE-CALCULATING: How To Get Back on Track if You’ve Messed Up Along the Way

One of the greatest advantages of modern technology is the invention of the Global Positioning System (GPS). Available on almost every mobile device, it not only tells you where you are but also guides you to your destination. If you make a wrong turn, it recalibrates to help you get on course. 

Spiritually speaking, we have been given a supernatural GPS—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer, and He stands ready during every moment of every day to lead and guide us to reach our God-given destiny. When we stray from our intended path, He recalculates our route back to God’s plan. 

The key is to train our spiritual ears to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice and direction. Jesus assured us in John 16:13, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth….” The Holy Spirit offers one of the most profound gifts in our lives—His readiness to guide our decisions and steps if we choose to trust Him. 

The word “guide” in this verse is the Greek word hodegos, which describes a guide who shows a traveler the safest course through an unknown country. This word was used to depict a tour guide who knows the safest, fastest, and most pleasurable path to take. The reason this guide knows the best route to take is because he has already been there. 

Jesus used hodegos to describe the Holy Spirit’s leadership in our lives. Acknowledging this can help us avoid pitfalls set by the enemy and enhance our experience along the way. 

In fact, you can avoid getting off track if you pray before you take action. It‘s better to be led by the Spirit from the beginning than to rely on yourself and have to correct your mistakes. 

The first person to tap into the full use of the Holy Spirit’s “GPS” capabilities was Jesus. The story of Jesus receiving news of Lazarus’ death is a perfect example of this. We know from John 11:3 that Mary and Martha were totally surprised by their brother’s debilitating sickness because the verse includes the word “behold.” “Behold” is the Greek word idou, describing bewilderment, shock, amazement, and wonder. That is why they dispatched the message, “…He whom thou lovest is sick.” to Jesus (John 11:3). 

When you come to John 11:5, it says, “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” Notice the first word “now.” It is the Greek word de, which is like an exclamation mark, and it means categorically or emphatically. It is the equivalent of saying, “Jesus really loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus!” 

John 11:6 continues, “When He [Jesus] had heard therefore that He [Lazarus] was sick, He abode two days still in the place where we was.” At first, it seems strange that Jesus would remain where He was and not immediately come to His friend Lazarus’ aid. When the Bible says, “…He abode….” the Greek literally says, “then indeed He abode.” A better translation of this says, “Regardless, indeed He stayed put, did not move, and did not budge.” 

Even after Jesus received the urgent news of Lazarus’ serious illness, He didn’t budge for two full days because the Holy Spirit had not led Him to go. Once those two days of waiting were over, the Holy Spirit led Jesus to go to Lazarus’ aid, which is why the disciples questioned Him, saying, “Goest thou thither,” which in Greek literally means, “Are you being led there, Jesus? “ 

The Jews likely anticipated Jesus’ immediate visit to Lazarus. Their intention might have been to harm Him and His disciples, but the Holy Spirit instructed Him to wait. Emotionally driven to see Lazarus, Jesus acted only when He received the Spirit’s prompting. 

If we attune ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He will illuminate our path, advising us when to stay, when to go, and where to proceed. Tune in to His voice and seek His guidance continually. What the Holy Spirit did for Jesus, He will undoubtedly do for you.

Questions to Consider:

1. Before this lesson, what did you know about Jesus’ relationship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus? 
2. How did you interpret Jesus’ decision to wait two days before visiting Lazarus? 
3. How has this teaching reshaped your perspective?

Scriptures: Romans 8:14, Psalms 19:13

The Importance of Learning to Listen to the Holy Spirit

Imagine 30 million people making their way into a single city—that’s the scene every morning in Moscow, Russia, with cars, buses, and railcars all converging into one region. With a commute like this, GPS technology becomes invaluable, not only pointing out the fastest routes but also alerting us to avoid accidents. 

Similarly, the Holy Spirit functions as our internal GPS, guiding our lives. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” If we learn to recognize and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can avoid many of the accidents others run into in life. Even if we make mistakes and become derailed from our destiny, the Spirit will recalculate our route and get us back on track in no time if we listen and obey Him. 

Just hours before He was brutally beaten and crucified on the Cross, Jesus spoke candidly with His disciples, giving them vital information they would need to carry and pass along after He was gone. John records His final words in great detail in the book of John. Chapters 14, 15, and 16 capture Jesus’ words about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In these three chapters, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth” three times. He is not called the Spirit of error, the Spirit of deception, or the Spirit of dishonesty! The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, which lets us know He can be completely trusted. 

In John 16:13, Jesus declared, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth….” In the last lesson, we saw that the word “guide” is the Greek word hodegos, which is taken from the word hodas, the term for a road. When hodas becomes hodegos, it describes one who knows all the roads. It is the Greek for a tour guide—one who shows a traveler the safest course through an unknown country. Thus, the Holy Spirit is a guide who knows the safest, fastest, and most pleasurable routes to take. 

It is no accident that Jesus chose the word hodegos to describe the work of the Holy Spirit. He is the greatest tour guide you will ever have because He has already seen your future and the path that will take you there. He knows all the roads, the best routes to take, and the roads you need to avoid. Instead of trying to figure out where you should go and how you should get there, God wants you to listen to the voice of His Spirit and allow Him to lead you safely and quickly to where you need to go. He will take you on the most exciting, enjoyable journey through life! 

We often face challenges because we assume we know God’s will without seeking His guidance. King David was no stranger to the consequences of self-guided decisions. This is reflected in his plea in Psalm 19:13, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” By seeking God’s direction from the outset, we can avoid the troubles of relying solely on our understanding. 

Friend, the Holy Spirit is your personal tour guide, meaning He has already been to and seen your future. He knows everything that will happen ahead of you and what the enemy will do to try to steal, kill, and destroy the good things God has planned for your life. If you listen to the Spirit, He will guide you to be in the right place at the right time. 

There will be times when the Holy Spirit leads you in your heart, but it won’t make sense to your mind. In those moments, you must choose to obey His gentle tug and turn a deaf ear to the reasoning in your mind. Sometimes, you can sense you need to be in a certain place or do a specific thing, and once you act on what you felt the Lord was asking you to do, nothing seems to come of it! When this happens, you will probably think, I thought for sure the Holy Spirit was leading me to do this, but I don’t see why! Nothing happened so I guess I must have missed Him.

But the truth is, your obedience may very well have stopped a significant attack that the enemy had planned against you from happening! Only eternity will tell for sure what you avoided by listening to the leading of the Spirit. Remember that just because “nothing happened” in the natural doesn’t mean you missed the voice of the Lord!

Questions to Consider:

1. Suppose a friend you’ve been praying for has just embraced salvation and made Jesus the Lord of their life. Based on your understanding of the Holy Spirit, how would you describe the Holy Spirit as their “tour guide?” 
2. How would you explain what it means to be “led by the Spirit?” 

Scriptures: 1 John 5:14-15, Psalms 37:4, Psalms 73:24, Hebrews 10:7

How You Can Be Sure You’re Hearing From God

How can you be certain that what you’re sensing in your spirit is truly the Spirit of Truth communicating with you? The apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provides a dependable guideline: “…In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1). This verse assures us that when God is leading, He confirms it through multiple “witnesses.” These can come through your pastor, the words of a trusted friend, or even a specific circumstance. 

Similarly, while reading the Bible, if a verse suddenly speaks to your heart, it provides a solid foundation for you to rely on. When multiple witnesses align on a matter in your life, it’s like a green light signaling you to proceed. Contradictory signs act like a yellow caution light, advising you to slow down. If there are several indications saying, “No, don’t do this,” then it’s a red light, telling you not to proceed. 

The primary witness God provides is the Bible itself. The God who leads you is the same God who inspired the Bible, and He will never lead you to do something contradictory to what has been clearly stated in His Word. Anything that tells you to go against what is taught in the Bible will never be the will of God. 

First John 5:14 and 15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will [the Bible], He heareth us; and if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” When we stick with the Bible, we’re on safe ground because it reveals the will of God. 

For instance, healing is the will of God because it is found in the Bible. Walking in integrity and tithing are also the will of God as they, too, are promoted throughout the Scriptures. If the Lord authorizes it in His Word, you can act with confidence. If God is against it in His Word, He will never lead you to do it. 

Another witness God has given us to confirm His leading in our lives is the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we listen, the Holy Spirit will guide us through anything. The Bible says in Romans 8:14, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” This means if we are children of God, we have a right to be led by the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, Romans 8:14 in the original Greek text reads, “As many as by the Spirit of God are being led, they are the sons of God.” This positions the Holy Spirit in front of us, leading us along behind Him. He usually doesn’t head us by thunderbolts or angelic appearances. Instead, He gently tugs on our hearts, pulling us in the direction of His will. When you sense Him leading you in your heart, but don’t understand it in your mind, reject the reasoning of your mind and choose to listen to what He’s saying. He has your best interest at heart, and He will never lead you astray!

Questions to Consider:

1. The primary way God speaks to us and guides us to fulfill His will is through the voice of the Bible. How can you rely on and trust the Bible? 
2. What effects can you anticipate as you read and study Scripture? 

Scriptures: Psalms 37:23, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 19:18, Philippians 3:13

Wisdom That Will Keep You on Track

In our last lesson, we explored the primary ways God confirms His direction and will for our lives through the voice of the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Each serves as a witness, affirming the Holy Spirit’s true leading, as Second Corinthians 13:1 states, “…In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 

To help evaluate your current position and determine how to align with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, consider these key points. 

The first step is to REMEMBER the original leading God gave you. Clarify in your heart and mind what you believe the Holy Spirit was leading you to do. Keeping this in remembrance is crucial. Proverbs 29:18 confirms this by saying, “Where there is no vision, the people perish….” When you stray from the direction God was leading you, it causes you to wander aimlessly, which is why it’s so important to regularly remind yourself of what God first put on your heart. 

Habakkuk 2:2 says, “…Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Whatever you feel like the Holy Spirit has spoken something to you, write it down. When you write something down, it helps reveal any gaps in your understanding. In some cases, having someone else read the vision to see if they understand it can be helpful. If you can’t read it and run with it, you need to pause, pray, and ask God for clarification. The Bible says in James 1:5 (NIV), “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” 

Have you stayed in line with the original instruction God gave you? Have you deviated from His plan to go in another direction? If you sense you’ve gotten off track, go back to the original instruction you received and ask the Lord to refresh the memory of what He told you. With His instruction clearly before you, you’re ready to take the second step. 

The second step is to REVIEW your journey, assessing your current standing and how you got there. This will help you determine how far off track you are and what you need to do to get back to where you’re supposed to be. Although this can sometimes be a very painful process, it’s necessary to recalculate and get back on track. 

It’s wise to review your progress to check if you’re on the right track to get where you’re supposed to be. A review helps you see if you’re keeping up or falling behind in your obedience to the instruction God gave you for your family, your personal goals, your ministry, or your dream. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 24:3,4 (TLB), “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.” 

Staying ignorant of the facts is the fastest way to get off track, but if you keep abreast of the facts, you profit wonderfully and know exactly how much progress you’ve made. If you’re going in the wrong direction, you’ll never reach your destination. The only way you can get back on track is to admit you haven’t been doing what God told you to do and repent for any deviation you’ve made from His instructions. Take the necessary steps to return to what God first told you to do. If you sense the Lord leading you to make a revision or sharpen your understanding in a way that changes your outlook, it’s time to revise your plan and get back on track! 

Saying you want to get back on track and actually doing it are two different things. In many cases, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The fact is getting back on track may require you to change. In addition to humbling yourself and admitting you were wrong, you may also have to restructure your financial priorities, reorganize personal assignments, reprioritize your relationships, and restructure your time management. 

When you put your trust in the Lord and reject the pride of thinking you can figure things out on your own, He will direct your life. As a child of God, you are good and declared righteous in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, you can claim the promise of God to order your steps! 

Friend, if you feel you’ve gotten off track, don’t beat yourself up about it. Simply acknowledge it and embrace God’s correction. Ask Him to expose your missteps and willingly implement necessary changes to regain alignment.

Question to Consider:

Our current understanding is incomplete compared to what it will be when we meet Jesus face-to-face (see 1 Corinthians 13:9,12). Until then, we may make mistakes and missteps, lacking full comprehension of the present. How does this biblical truth help promote peace and reduce pressure in your life?

Scriptures: Proverbs 24:2-3, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 20:18

Practical Steps to Getting Back on Course

Everyone makes mistakes—even the most seasoned Christians. It’s unwise to continue in the wrong direction out of embarrassment for making a mistake. Rather than waste more time, money, talent, and energy, simply acknowledge you’re off course and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discern what you need to do to get back on track. 

In this life, we will occasionally make mistakes because, as humans, we don’t always perceive things correctly. Once you realize you’re off track, repent for any ways you’ve deviated from God’s plan and return to what He initially told you to do. Don’t dwell in regret over your mistakes. If God has clarified the assignment you’ve received from Heaven, you’re free to start anew and adjust the way you’re carrying it out! 

Sometimes getting back on track is too difficult to accomplish on your own. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t hesitate to ask for help or let pride prevent you from reaching out to others who have the answers and resources you need to continue fulfilling God’s assignment for your life. 

Receiving godly counsel is invaluable. Proverbs 20:18 states, “Evert purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war,” and Proverbs 24:6 advises, “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in a multitude of counselors there is safety.” The fact is, we all have blind spots. Just as when driving there are certain areas we can’t see, there are aspects on the road of life we need help to see. By being open and humble enough to seek input from others, many mishaps can be avoided. If you have the heart to receive help and wise advice, God will provide it to you. 

We need to be honest with others. A significant part of healing and restoration is found in James 5:16, which instructs, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.” The word “confess” in this verse comes from the Greek word exomologeo, meaning to speak out loud or divulge. When you make a mistake, it’s important to share it with a trusted friend or two. 

According to this verse, healing is released when you verbalize your “faults.” In Greek, the word “faults” means to fall short or miss the mark. It describes someone who has veered off course. The Bible advises us to confess these things “one to another,” meaning to each other mutually. Why? So we can pray for one another and be “healed.” The word “healed” translates from the Greek word iaomai, signifying healing that develops over time. Essentially, if we confess our mistakes to those who love us, God will initiate the healing process and guide us back on track. 

Another practical step to realigning is submitting to the counsel of those you trust. The Bible emphasizes the value and necessity of good, godly counsel. Pursuing and accepting wise counsel from others ensures our plans are firmly established, we’re kept safe, and we make it through this life toward the next where we will spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus. We all need healthy relationships; we aren’t meant to journey through this life alone. There will be times when we veer off course and end up in a predicament. It’s in these moments that we appreciate the blessing of having others in our lives. We need friends on our level and healthy, godly leaders to whom we submit. 

After listening to the wise counsel God provides and getting back on track, aim to stay on the course and resist distractions. God doesn’t want us wandering aimlessly, distracted, or switching from one thing to another. Although there are many things we could pursue, He wants us to focus on what He has asked us to do. If we aren’t careful, a good deed could rob us of an opportunity to pursue what’s best for us. Periodically reviewing the steps from yesterday’s lesson helps us discern if we’re aligning with God’s discretion, and if not, helps us adjust our path. 

Friend, it takes strength and courage to stay the course and do God’s will. However, the greatest source of strength, courage, and peace comes from knowing God is with you wherever you go. He will never leave you or forsake you (see Deuteronomy 31:8). He always has your best interests at heart, and if you trust in Him with all your heart instead of relying on your own understanding, He will guide your path. 

If you’ve strayed off track, it’s time to confess and acknowledge your mistakes. God will aid you in realigning every time you surrender to Him and follow His guidance.

Questions to Consider:

1. What is your normal response once you realize you’ve messed up and gotten off track? 
2. Do you tend to ignore, justify, or hide your actions? Or do you examine your motives, admit where you were wrong, and begin to work to make things right?