In many affairs of life we need no guidance other than the Word of God.  “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  Psa. 119:105.  Much reading of the Scripture will impart wisdom and knowledge, and be a help to us in directing the affairs of life.  You may have a difficult matter to settle with your neighbor.  Open your Bible and read:  “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”  Quite likely this will enable you to settle the matter in perfect satisfaction to all.  Some one may have done you much harm, now what must you do?  Open your book of guidance and read:  “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves ... vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”  Thus, much of life’s duties and affairs can be determined and decided by the Word of God.

The Spirit’s Impressions.

The Holy Spirit is given us for a guide.  With respect to our conduct and our duty, we often feel the impressions of the Spirit.  The Word of God tells us to give of our goods as the Lord has prospered us, but the Spirit may often impress us as to where to give.

We feel impressed by the Spirit to give, we feel impressed to go to a certain place, we feel impressed to pray for such a one, we feel impressed to fast and pray, etc.  Many a precious soul that once was full of joy and fatness is to-day in unrest and leanness because these impressions have been resisted.  But are there not impressions given by an evil spirit?  Most certainly, and these impressions have led many an honest soul into the wildest of fanaticism.  Thank God, by living very humble, with all our motives very pure, and by acquaintance with the Word of God, we may know the voice of the Spirit of God and that of the evil spirit I have known people to receive and obey impressions to fast and pray that were given by Satan.  God’s Word and God’s Spirit favor fasting and praying, but both are bounded by sound judgment; and in such matters we should not follow a spirit beyond what common sense would approve.

It is blessed and beautiful to be led by the Spirit of God.  If its impressions are not resisted, but encouraged by cheerful obedience, they will lead us into a blessed felicity with God and a deep acquaintance with him.  An evil spirit’s whisperings can be very easily detected by one who has much communion with the Lord.  Recently while standing on a steamer’s deck it was whispered to me that the steamer was an ill-fated vessel, and that I never should see home again.  At first I did not know but that it was the voice of God, but soon I felt attempts being made to cast over me a tormenting fear; this aroused my suspicion that it was not God speaking, and to be convinced I allowed the spirit to talk on.  For a while it tried to torment me with fears that I should never see the dear ones at home again, and then said, “You may as well cast yourself overboard into the deep.”  Ah! now I knew the Satanic spirit and I rebuked it in Jesus’ name.  I reached my home in safety.  Praise the Lord!  Try the spirits by the Word; Satan will soon expose himself.