Need to be led by the still, small voice, not by anything else!

Sometimes the Lord has to lead us like a mule or a horse if we will not listen to His spirit.

It is much easier to hear the voice of the Lord if we live a fasted life. A life where we do not overindulge our desires and lusts of the flesh.

Psalm 32:8-9 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. [9] Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

God would much rather us be led by looking into His face; by hearing His voice. He doesn't like to back us into a corner to have to put a bit in our mouth and a bridle on us.

In verse 9 above, the Word says that the mule and the horse have no understand- ing. The Word instructs us in Proverbs to get wisdom, and will all our getting of wisdom, to get understanding.

Psalm 95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

God wants us to know His ways. When we really know Him, we will not be rebellious and have to be "turned" by a bit in our mouths.

Deut. 32:9-12 For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. [10] He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. [11] As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: [12] So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

Zech. 2:8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the APPLE OF HIS EYE.

Psalm 33:18 Behold, the EYE of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

Psalm 34:15 The EYES of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the APPLE OF THINE EYE, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

The above scriptures all point to the fact that God always watches over us, and simply watches us. The "apple of His eye" refers to the fact that as He is watching us our reflection is seen in God's eye, just like your reflection is seen in someone's eye when you are looking at each other. Pastor Doyle brought out the fact that when someone touches you, they are touching God. It is as if they were poking Him in the eye!!

The Lord wants us to have confidence in His plan for our life. Complete trust that He made us for a purpose, and we will fulfill that purpose as we keep our eyes on Him and let Him lead us by His Spirit.

And God wants to exalt and honor us before the wicked. He wants the wicked to see that we have a real and powerful God.

2 Cor. 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; [18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.