A Spirit-Led Life (Part 3)

Sunday Message Summary, 24 October 2021

It is the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, and directs our steps as children of GOD. The flesh resists and opposes us from doing what GOD wants, but the Holy Spirit aids and helps us to do what GOD wants and forbids us from doing what the flesh wants (Galatians 5:16-18). Therefore, it is when we are not walking with the Holy Spirit that we permit the devil to wreak havoc and destruction in our lives. Sin has got no power nor dominion over a child of God, so our fleshly desires cannot control nor lead us except if we are not led by the Holy Spirit. When we are struggling with sin, we are still growing and have not matured yet, because it is what we do (our lifestyle, conduct and habits) that reveals our spiritual age, not what we say. Mature believers are not those who go about sinning habitually, but they have grown their spiritual muscles to be able to resist the devil and stand against sin. The difference between a baby believer and a maturing believer is character and conduct. The difference is being led by the Spirit.

A child of God, born of the Spirit, who has the Holy Spirit within them, will know when the Spirit of the LORD permits them and when He forbids them from doing what they want to do. However, for the Holy Spirit to forbid us, we must know and hear Him. To be forbidden from doing something is distinct and direct, and it is not a feeling, because the Holy Spirit does not lead us in vague terms (Acts 16:6-7). One of the main ways the Holy Spirit leads us is by teaching us. Teaching is one of the many very fundamental and pivotal ministries of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us in ALL truth, and He teaches us ALL things (John 16:13). Holy Spirit is there to teach us all the time, as He abides and lives in us (1 John 2:20,27), however, without the Word the Holy Spirit cannot lead us. We cannot follow the will of God unless that will is revealed through the Word by the Spirit of God, so there is no spiritual growth and maturity beyond doing the Word (Acts 20:32).

There is a difference between teaching of the Word of God by the wisdom of man and teaching by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13). Knowledge of the Word of God cannot lead us to power and liberty, except only by the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit gives us the capacity to receive and to understand the Word. Furthermore, whatever the Holy Spirit teaches us, He enables us to do. The Holy Spirit helps us to obey the Word, and as we obey the Word we are cleansed from all sin (1 Peter 1:22a). John 15:7 promises us that if we abide in Christ, by the Word working in us, the Word changing us, and us obeying the Word, then we will ask what we desire, and it shall be done for us. This promise, however, is only for doers of the Word. We abide in the Word of Christ by doing it, not just knowledge, so when we have the Word and do not live it, we are deceiving ourselves (James 1:22-24).

Anyone who is not growing in the Kingdom of God is effectively resisting the Holy Spirit and quenching Him. However, the best blessings are reserved for the mature believers in Christ. He who seriously considers and contemplates on the Word, and complies with the Word by doing it, will be blessed by GOD (James 1:25). The Word is able to make us strong, and keep us, and through that same Word, GOD will bless us. When we grow in the Word we receive blessings from GOD (Matthew 13:23), and we become useful to GOD for benefitting others, and bringing them to Christ.

There is no spiritual growth and maturity beyond doing the Word.