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Led By The Spirit
by Steve Countryman Being led by the Spirit has always been good advice, but has it become an excuse not to be obedient? Recently I have asked myself that same question. Two common problems arise. One is the "gung-ho" approach. You receive revelation or a word of knowledge then instead of seeking God for your strategy and wisdom you decide to do it your way. You are to wait on the Lord and to be diligent about praying and seeking God's advice, Word and wisdom for your answer. If you don't then you will definitely find yourself pursuing your own wisdom and personal goals in the "name of the Lord". This isn't doing God's will God's way but your will and your way. Soon the reality of failure sets in and then disillusionment follows. The problem worsens when Satan comes along and tells you that it was all God's fault for setting you up to fail. You then blame God for your failures. The truth is that God's never sets you up for anything less than victory and success. But it is only found when God directs you in His wisdom and Word, being led by the Spirit. How many times have you heard someone in church say that they heard from God and they were starting something new just to notice later that it disappeared and they no longer talk about it. I have often wondered, did they hear from God but acted on their own by rushing straight into failure? Did they only give it a halfhearted try not really obeying the voice of the Lord? Or did they really hear God at all? Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God;. 1 Kings 19:11-13 Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" God speaks to us in several ways if we will hear Him. When the world is shouting at you daily, you must find a quiet spot where you can be alone with God and allow your spirit to hear from the Holy Spirit in prayer. God will speak to you through your prayers, through your worship and praise of Him, through others around you, through visions and dreams, through your trials, troubles and tribulations, through His Word, through a sermon, through a word of knowledge, through revelation and even through a devotional. The other problem that Christians have about being led by the Spirit is disobedience. Delayed obedience is disobedience! Disobedience is a form of rebellion. Using the excuse that you are waiting on the Lord or being led by the Spirit will cause you to miss out on the anointings and blessings that God has for you and cause you to be disobedient to Him. Hearing from God but doubting it was God. Did God really speak to me? Could it be Satan instead of God? Was it for me or someone else? Was it for now or to be put on a shelf for the future? Was that God that gave me my dream or the pizza that I had for dinner? I know that I have done this more than once in my life. Hindsight is 20/20. In hindsight I have seen areas of my life where I was supposed to do or choose to do something that was from God and I missed it. Confirmation is the key. Asking God to confirm a word to you is always a good idea. When you walk in the Spirit you get used to hearing His voice. John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. God never contradicts His Word. Checking His Word against your word of knowledge or revelation is a good Christian practice. It seems that we Christians have a problem when God asks us to do something that requires us to leave our comfort zone. No one wants to make a fool of themselves by jumping into something that they know nothing about. That is human nature but can lead to disobedience. But it is with understanding and knowledge that you begin to realize that God will almost always require you to do something that is beyond your abilities, beyond your own wisdom, beyond your own knowledge and beyond your capabilities. When it is beyond you it is never beyond God. It is in those moments that you are being asked to TRUST God to do them through you when you can't do them on your own. Let God be God to you, with you, in you, for you and through you for He is the greatest potential in you. Are you ready?!? Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |