The Holy Spirit is here to empower and guide us in the everyday decisions we struggle with.
To be guided by the Holy Spirit we must understand:
1. What our spirit is.
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. - Prov. 20:27a (NKJV)
Your spirit is the flashlight. Inside your spirit God puts His power. Your spirit is designed for this.
- We are a three part being
o Body
o Soul (mind, will and emotions)
o Spirit
I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. - 1 Cor. 9:27 (NKJV)
- Who is the “I” that Paul is talking about?
- It is the really you, filled with the Holy Spirit.
- Instead of letting the body dominate him, Paul says my spirit dominates me.
- Just because your body wants to do wrong, you struggle with the flesh or your carnal nature, doesn’t mean you are not a Christian.
2. That the Holy Spirit is within us.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. - Eph. 3:20 (NKJV)
3. There are other spirits at work.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, - 1 Tim. 4:1 (NKJV)
Do not rely on mediums and psychics, for you will be defiled by them. I, the Lord, am your God. - Lev. 19:31 (NLT)
4. How the Holy Spirit leads us.
A. Through the inner witness.
a. Illustration of GPS. We must connect with the GPS in order for it to guide us. We need to open the application in our phone in order to have it guide us. Likewise, in order for God to guide us we must connect with Him through prayer and ask for His direction. Then, like a GPS, we need to follow His leading. If we go off course God is there to “recalculate” our route and help us to “proceed to the destination.”
b. God’s Positioning System is the Spirit of Christ in us!
c. God guides us is through the witness of the Holy Spirit. Like a stop light, sometimes we have a red light inside our heart, a strong warning to stop. Other times we have a green light inside, telling us to proceed. And then there are times we have a yellow light, telling us to proceed with caution.
d. Remember feeling is the voice of the body, reason is the voice of the mind and peace is the voice of the spirit. (Isa. 55:12)
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. – John 16:13-14 (NKJV)
Note:
1. The Holy Spirit is truth.
2. He will guide us.
3. The will speak.
4. He will tell us things to come.
5. He will always glorify Jesus.
B. Through the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you.” - Acts 10:19 (NLT)
One day as they were worshiping God—they were also fasting as they waited for guidance—the Holy Spirit spoke: “Take Barnabas and Saul and commission them for the work I have called them to do.” - Acts 13:2 (Message)
C. Through confirmation with the Bible.
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. - 1John 4:1 (NLT)
• The Spirit and the word agree. The Holy Spirit always agrees with the Bible.
