THE HOLY SPIRIT: LEADING

Years ago, when we bought bicycles for our children they came unassembled. I did not pull the parts out of the box and say, “Kids look at the picture. Now build it!” Nor did they say, “We don’t need your help we can do this our own way.” We worked together. They followed my directions, while I explained the instructions inside the box. Much of the work I did because they didn’t have the abilities necessary for many of the tasks.

Meditation
Galatians 5:16, 17—So I say, live {walk} by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want

The Bible depicts for us what a perfect life looks like in Jesus Christ. But God never said, “Okay you’ve read the story now go be like my Son.” No matter how much we want to imitate Christ, we cannot be holy by our own strength. God, knowing this, sent His Holy Spirit to counsel us in how we should live. So, how do we obtain His leading and help?

First, we must understand that to walk with the Holy Spirit means civil war. Until the day we die, our sinful nature will oppose God’s agenda for us. So it should not surprise us when we experience discouragement! Our goals and aspirations are often quite different than God’s plan for us. The sinful nature appeals to a will centered on self-gratification. Walking with the Spirit requires a will submitted to the lordship of Christ. The two are mutually exclusive. So long as we assemble our lives around our own pleasure, and ignore the Spirit’s leading, we’re not going anywhere with God. Galatians 5:19-21 shows us what results when our sin nature wins.

Second, we must understand what is important to the H.S. so we can submit to His quiet voice! The Apostle Paul tells us to use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The Bible is a key component with which the Spirit will guide and protect us. If we want His help we must value and obey it. As Oswald Chambers shared in He Shall Glorify Me, “There is no authentic impulse of the Holy Spirit that is not wedded to the words of the Bible. To recognize this is the only way to be safe from dangerous delusions.” Suppose Henry is sleeping with Mendy and they are not married. He says, “Hey, it’s okay. We talk about God a lot. The Spirit brought us together.” No—a million times! The Spirit will never violate the Scripture to please our sin nature. God will surely judge Henry and Mendy for disobeying Him. Unless they repent, they will miss out on His blessings.

When the Holy Spirit leads us He produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22,23). We feel good about our lives, do not carry around guilt and we have no need to justify our behavior. Our character, attitude and conduct reflect godliness. I know which side I want to win—how about you!

Inspiration
I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, it can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. We are gloves. It is the Holy Spirit in us who is the hand, who does the job. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger is filled.—Corrie Ten Boom in Each New Day Christianity Today, Vol. 38, no. 1.