Led by the Spirit
Recently, my family and I moved from the serene coasts of California to the beautiful mountains of Colorado. If you’ve ever moved to a new place, you know it is nearly impossible to navigate an unfamiliar city without a map. Adding to the challenges are the thick winter snow, icy roads, and afternoon thunderstorms that distract me from hearing the GPS demands to “turn left at the light.”
Our walk with Jesus can feel that way, can't it? Navigating through unfamiliar places while trying to listen to our Father’s directions.
Before Jesus departed this earth, he promised us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to dwell with us and to be in us (John 14: 15-17). The Spirit is helping us reach a destination filled with the promises of an abundant, hope-filled life.
So, how do we begin living a life led by the Spirit?
First, we acknowledge that we have the Spirit dwelling within us from the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior. Paul reminds us of this: “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:9; 11).
Next, we identify the Spirit as our Guide for life, dwelling in the sanctuary of our souls. We need to be attentive to where he is leading us.
Being “led by the Spirit” relies on daily self-sacrifice while yielding to the guidance of the Divine Helper within.
Now that we accept the role of the Spirit, how do we live a life that is authentically led by the Spirit?
1. Seek.
Seeking the Spirit begins with faith. We consciously decide to turn from our flesh and pursue the things of God (Romans 8:5). Seeking the Spirit requires giving ourselves to spiritual practices such as prayer, reading and meditating on God’s word, worship, fasting, solitude, confession, etc.
Seeking the Spirit leads to a transformation of our mind and soul. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
2. Listen.
The Spirit of God will be a still small voice that requires attentive listening. 1 Kings 19:11–13, describes God speaking to Elijah through a “still small voice.” The Hebrew phrase for "gentle whisper" in this verse is Kol D'mama Daka, which means "the sound of thin silence." Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Knowing the voice of God requires knowing God himself. There is hence the importance of first seeking the Spirit to acquire the ability to listen to the Spirit and truly know God’s voice.
3. Walk.
Walking in the Spirit demonstrates a life reflecting the character of Christ. Paul instructs the Galatians, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:26).
Others will know that we are walking in the Spirit based on our actions, thought patterns, and behaviors expressed outwardly through the inward transformation of our hearts and minds. A Spirit-led life will produce fruit as evidence to our allegiance to Christ. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
4. Obey.
Obedience to the Holy Spirit demonstrates a life of trust, self-sacrifice, and dependence upon God’s will rather than our own. When we obey the Holy Spirit, we see the glory of God displayed as a result of our obedience.
1 John 3:24 says, “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” Ezekiel’s prophecy identifies God’s way to be a better way of living rather than dependence on our own efforts, “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:27).
Wherever you find yourself, may you experience the fulfilling Spirit-led life that God has promised for you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. —Proverbs 3:5-6