Numbers 33:2 English Standard Version (ESV)

2 Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places.

In recounting Israel’s journey, Moses began by writing down their starting places STAGE BY STAGE.

We might be surprised that Moses would actually document/plan, stage by stage. Most of the time we think that Spirit-led leadership means not having any plans and letting the Holy Spirit show up and do what the Spirit wants.

The problem with this kind of thinking is that we try to box the Holy Spirit. We think that when a church plans something – it is not Holy Spirit directed. When a church decides on issues – we tend to think that the Holy Spirit is not present. We are wired to think that the Holy Spirit tends to move in churches that don’t plan. No wonder we never see revival being sustained or church growth being consistent. No wonder a lot of churches starts practicing weird theology because they never plan their meetings and make what they feel like are “Spirit-directed decisions” on the day itself when the Spirit could have been prompting them to invite Him during their staff meetings.

Numbers 33 is a chapter that shows us that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is order. That the Spirit of God can move in staff meetings, where major decisions are made.

Now, let me also not go to the extreme and say whatever was decided in staff meetings are to be treated as untouchable. There are instances when the Spirit prompts us to move in a certain way during our worship services and our prayer meetings. Sometimes, prophetic words are spoken that changes the direction of the meeting which means it can mess up the agreed upon program. Be open for that kind of divine disruption.

The key is to ask God beforehand, Lord what do you want to do this month in our church? And start making Spirit-led plans to see it come to pass.