Our Spiritual Journey

I Corinthians 10:1-11 Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

This message is about the cloud that leads the people of God on their spiritual journey. Exodus chapter 13 is the first place where we see the cloud leading the children of Israel. Their journey to the land of Canaan would take them about forty years. This was necessary because they had many things to experience and learn before they could enter the land. They came out of Egypt as slaves, but going into the land of Canaan it would be necessary for them to go in as the army of the Lord. All their conditioning in Egypt as slaves had to be overcome. God would need a brave and valiant people to overcome the Canaanites in the land. Even though God would work the victory for them, they needed a certain quality of spirit in order to enter into the battles with faith. Their journey, then, would be a spiritual journey, a journey that would change them from slaves to conquerors.

Exodus 13:21-22 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

In the daytime there was a cloud. At night there was a pillar of fire. This cloud was not just a normal cloud that you would see in the sky. This cloud was the Shekinah glory. The Shekinah glory was a visible manifestation of the glory of the Lord, something they could actually see. This is the way the Lord manifested Himself.

Now, let’s look at another scripture. We have come to the end of the book of Exodus. Moses had received the instructions from God on how to build the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a very important place for the people in their wilderness journeys. The Tabernacle was built, and after it was built the Shekinah glory came down and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.

Exodus 40:34-38 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
38 For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

God’s presence was going to dwell in that tabernacle. That represented God dwelling in the midst of His people. The glory of the Lord was so strong that Moses could not enter therein. As long as the cloud was over them, the children of Israel stayed where they were. When the cloud began to move, then they followed. When the cloud stopped, they stopped, made camp and would stay as long as the cloud rested there. This was a type of God’s people being led by the Holy Spirit in that day.

The leading of the cloud did not merely tell them when to go and when to stop and make camp. It led them to situations and circumstances they needed to experience. So it is with us. The Holy Spirit leads us to certain situations and circumstances that will produce in us a greater faith and trust in the Lord. As Paul said, “Tribulation works steadfastness, and steadfastness experience which leads to the love of God being shed forth in our hearts” (Romans 5:3-5). The Holy Spirit knows how to lead us to the particular circumstance or tribulation that we need.

Numbers 9:15-23 And on that day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
18 At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord, and journeyed not.
20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the Lord they journeyed.
21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
23 At the commandment of the Lord they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed: they kept the charge of the Lord, at the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

The cloud moving or staying was considered the commandment of the Lord and they were being led by Him. This was the way the Lord led them and you can see from what we have read how this cloud, this presence of the Shekinah glory, was a type of the Holy Spirit that leads us in this day. Not only in leading us in what we are to do, but it leads us into what we are to become in the Lord.

John 16:13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.

The Holy Spirit leads us in the same way the cloud led the children of Israel. You will notice here that the Holy Spirit is leading us into the Truth. Jesus says unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 14:6. Scripturally speaking, the Truth is a person. It is the Lord. So a major function of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into all Truth. He is leading us into more and more of the Lord. As He comes forth in your life, change is taking place. This is the kind of journey we are on, a spiritual journey of coming into His life. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:14 He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.

The Spirit of Truth glorifies the Lord in us. He is not to be glorified apart from us so that we say, “Hey, there’s the glory of the Lord.” He is to be glorified in us. That agrees with II Thessalonians 1:10: When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all of them that believe.

John 16:15 All things that the Father has are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine (out of Me), and shall show it unto you.

In other words, the Holy Spirit is taking the characteristics of the Lord and showing them unto us that we may become as He is. This is how He is leading us. He is leading us into a new relationship in the Lord. From the relationship you have right now, the Holy Spirit is working to bring you into a closer and higher relationship in the Lord. So it is from relationship to relationship, and this is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read one more scripture to show this.

II Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We are being changed, by this ministry of the Holy Spirit, from glory to glory or from one relationship to another relationship. We are being changed into His likeness.

Do you know what the word “metamorphosis” means? For example, from the cocoon the worm comes out a butterfly. It is a change of life form. The worm is changed into a butterfly. That is metamorphosis. The interesting thing here is the words “are changed” are translated from the Greek word metamorphoo. So what kind of change is it? It is a change of life form. Our human nature is to be changed, a gradual change takes place until we become as He is. Jesus said, “The servant is not to become greater than his master, but the servant is to become as his master” (Matthew 10:25).

So the spiritual journey we are on, being led by the Holy Spirit, is a spiritual journey where we go through the processes of metamorphosis, being changed into the likeness and life of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is presented to us through types and symbols in the Old Testament and is plainly spoken in the New Testament. This is our spiritual journey; this is the leading of the Holy Spirit.

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