Guidance Part 5: Signs: Unusual Events/Coincidences

Plan

• To conclude our series by looking at the role of unusual events or coincidences in guidance.
• These are sometimes called signs

Signs: Unusual Events/Coincidences

1. Caution with Coincidences
   (or Problems with Probability)
2. Don’t go down that rabbit-hole!
3. A healthy process for unusual events

The story so far:

1. How Not to find guidance
   • How not to choose a wife, and other stories
   • The problem with fleeces—The good, the bad & the ugly
2. Basic Ideas
   • Two extremes: “The Dot” and “The Circle”
   • Mapping out the middle ground
3. Three Steps for Knowing God’s Will

Three Steps for Knowing God’s Will

Three modes of Guidance

1. Walking in the Spirit
   • Living and loving according to our new heart which wants to do God’s will—as revealed in the Bible
   • Grow by building our relationship with God
2. Asking for Wisdom
   • When it does not seem obvious
   • Do it by praying and then laying it all before him, praying through it
3. Supernatural Revelation
   • Cannot demand them, but cannot ignore them

• We should always have 1, ask for 2 when we need it, and be open to 3 when God decides to give it

Extraordinary Direction from God

• An Inner Voice-Three ways God may speak
  1. Feelings given by the Spirit
  2. Voices, pictures & strong impressions
  3. Dreams while asleep
• An External Voice—Three ways God may speak
  1. A prophetic word from someone else
  2. An open vision or voice while awake (others may or may not be present)
  3. Providential Events and Signs

Caution with Coincidences
(or Problems with Probability)

1. So many things happen every day, billions, that some are likely to be very odd coincidences
2. “Something” will inevitably happen
3. We are attuned to relevance with what is on our minds
4. “After the fact” connections
5. Near Misses

Don’t play the numbers game

• 9/11 = 9+1+1 = 11
• 111 days left to the end of the year
• 254th day of the year. 2+4+5=11
• The first plane was American Airlines flight 11
  • A=1 so 11:11
• The flight had a crew of 11
• New York was the 11th state added to the Union

Incredible Coincidences

• 15644 → 61544
• Anthony Hopkins The Girl from Petrovka 1971
  • -book found on a subway seat in London
• David in the cave and Saul came in.
  The others said “Kill him! God has given him to you!”
• The TTC Ticket God “provided”

Nothing is by chance, so we can force God to guide us!

• All events are ordered by God
• Even throwing a dice
• Which way up will be paper fall?
• So why not throw dice?
• “Drawing Lots” in the Old Testament
  • Urim and thummim, David at Ziklag
• Acts 1: choosing a successor to Judas
• problems if God does not answer clearly
• roller-coaster of measuring relationship

Providential Events and Signs

1. We pray a specific prayer and God answers
2. We pray a general prayer for direction and God answers
3. Something happens out of the blue, just when we need direction
4. Something very unlikely happens. “Is this God speaking?”

Unusual Coincidences in the Bible

• The star of Bethlehem
• Paul and Silas in prison—earthquake
• Paul and the viper (Acts 28)

A healthy process for unusual events

• Pray that God will remove obstacles and open doors
• e.g. about meeting here at St. Joseph’s
• Confirmation

Opening Doors

• The prayer is connected closely with wisdom
• It would be wise to have an income, so please may there be a job if you want me to move there

Guidance-summing up:

1. The Spirit indwelling —be confident
2. What the Spirit wrote to us in the Scriptures
3. Prayer and relationship with God
4. The Spirit’s wisdom in others
5. Honour the other stakeholders in unity, love, truth and justice
6. Supernatural direction
7. Pray for Providence, but interpret with care.
   • Ask others what they make of it.
   • It is just a factor in applying Wisdom