When I first became a Christian, back in 1989, one of the first lessons I learned was about the body, soul and spirit. What I was taught was, the spirit is supposed to lead, the soul and body are to follow. I was told if the body or flesh leads then we will get into situations that are challenging for the spirit will not follow the flesh. It was a simple teaching, but it helped me understand with a visual, like that of a train, how to be led by the spirit and not by my flesh. Maybe you were taught something similar many years ago. 

This morning, I am praying Psalm 97 and the Holy Spirit reveals to me, not a train, but a processional. This procession is Psalm 97:3 “Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.” What I saw was fire in the front, then the Lord next and finally I saw the body of Christ following behind the Lord. It was a processional I saw in the spirit. 

The Lord began to speak to me and said, “If you stay in your place in the processional, I will deal with the enemies before you even arrive.” I immediately saw how the fire of God leads to consume all the adversaries, so when the Lord goes in the enemy is already dealt with and then we follow. I sense we get into battles we were never meant to fight because we are in the wrong location in the processional. 

Fire goes first, then the Lord, then us. This order keeps us safe, keeps the enemy dealt with by the Lord and then we walk in the victory He already won for us. The challenge is we like to run ahead of the processional, for we do not like the pace, nor the timing of God. We think He is moving to slow and we think we know more than He does. We must get back in the processional of God and follow, not try to lead. 

It is the same thing I learned when I first got saved. It is always for our safety, not for our stiffling. Get in the procession of God behind the fire, and behind the Lord, it will make this journey a lot less wearisome, because we are not fighting battles the fire of God was created to win on our behalf. Follow the fire friends, even if the pace is not your preference it is leading the processional.