Some ways lead one into murky waters, while good counsel leads to life. Good counsel is not like a temporary motivational talk or a book with limited benefits. It is a combination of what one listens to and consumes, as well as the people who influence one’s decisions. A life apart from God leads to bad choices, but good counsel is from the LORD.
God’s word motions to good counsel.
The knowledge of God’s way results in great guidance. If one speaks without regard for God’s character, there is often a misalignment in understanding who God is.
“Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” Job 38:2
Job’s encounter with God points to the lack of knowledge and understanding of God’s power. Human beings can never fully understand God’s ways, even in the midst of adversity. Friends might speak into your life without fully understanding what is happening, just like Job’s friends did.
Human wisdom fails against God’s ways. No advancement precedes the ways of God.
“There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD.” Proverbs 21:30
The counsel of the LORD always withstands the test of time.
Worldly desires lead to bad decisions.
Experiencing God’s goodness is a continual pursuit of His counsel. Assumptions and presumptions can lead to making wrong decisions.
What seems wise in one’s eyes may be contrary to God’s ways. As the Israelites waited in the wilderness, they grew impatient and started to rebel against God.
“They soon forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel,” Psalm 106:13
Impatience brings strife with God’s instructions. When you are impatient, you make decisions that go against God’s will and way. Therefore, the decisions you make become costly.
“A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?” Proverbs 20:24
When one seeks God’s word, answers may take time, or they might come differently. Without God’s counsel, evil makes its way into mankind’s hearts. Pride and arrogance rule when there’s no fear of the Lord.
A group can conspire to do evil. The assumption that a multitude of people are always right can lead people astray. The Pharisees took counsel to kill the Son of God.
“Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” John 11:53
Fighting against God’s way can be masked in the religious gowns of being the judge of the law. Just like the Pharisees, evil decisions are justified by a lack of jobs or opportunities. Therefore, crime and envy are encouraged and endorsed when people are not honest about the condition of their hearts.
Disobedience is the byproduct of evil counsel.
When a nation has laws that are contrary to God’s standards and ways, there will be chaos. It might not seem important in the beginning, but as people suffer at the hands of wicked governments, there will be unrest.
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23
King Saul became stubborn and lost God’s presence. Obeying the voice of God is more important than pursuing your own agenda. Just like Saul, governments that disregard God’s voice become desolate. On a personal note, it is also important to avoid evil counsel, especially when it goes against God’s word.
Witchcraft is not just used as a figure of speech, but in a literal sense, it goes against everything that God stands for. When the nations and the people disregard God’s ways, they are void of understanding God.
‘Now also many nations have gathered against you, who say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.’ Micah 4:11-12
Academic incentives to write research papers against Jews or Christians are some of the examples that are promoted by organizations and nations that are against God. The massacre of the Jews and Christians is often ignored by mainstream news.
The counsel of God yields great benefits.
Revelation is hidden in God’s counsel and wisdom.
“Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:” Daniel 2:14
Daniel and his three friends sought God for counsel to reveal the secret dream of king Nebuchadnezzar. And it was revealed to Daniel as they sought God’s answers and interpretation of the dream.
Revelation yields great benefits as it helps people to understand the future when paired with the Biblical context of what happened in the past.
Evidence of following God’s counsel.
Where good counsel abides, there is light. Your character gets shaped by what you encounter daily. The counsel of the Holy Spirit helps you to focus on what is good and pleasing.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phillippians 4:8
Focusing on the pure things helps when the journey is too long.
Keep your focus on the outcome.
Meditate on what you constantly desire, so it becomes easier to remain positive. When a project is too long, it’s easier to get tired or frustrated. Thinking about how the project or process will help others will keep you motivated during trying times.
Reliance on the Spirit of the LORD.
When the Holy Spirit is invited, your life becomes easier as you attain the counselling that you need to succeed. Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are with those who seek the instructions of God continually. The prudent are not hasty in their plans, as they take time to seek God as a group and individually. As consideration of God’s plan is accounted for in one’s decisions, there is light, and not darkness.
“And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;” Isaiah 11:2
