Being Led by the Spirit

Sometimes seeking to live each day in the power and presence of the Spirit can be confusing, even intimidating, for many believers. Often times it is easier for us to focus on the things that we know and can relate to, rather than things like the Holy Spirit that are somewhat mysterious. But the truth of the matter is no matter what we think or feel the Holy Spirit is essential for living the Christian life. 

So where do we start? How can we begin to be led by the Holy Spirit on a practical level? First, we must realize that there is no formula for seeing the Spirit’s presence in our lives. There are, however, a few practical steps we can take to help ensure that we are being led by the Spirit. The first step is to pray for the filling of the Spirit. Even though all believers are filled with the Spirit at conversion, the filling of the Spirit is an on-going event. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul commands us to “be filled with the Spirit”, when translated literally this filling reflects something that is continuous and on-going. We could understand the verse as “be being filled with the Spirit.” We must seek a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. 

The second step to being led by the Spirit is to seek to be led by the Spirit. I know this sounds redundant! But too often we live our lives on autopilot and fail to seek the leading of the Holy Spirit as we go about our normal everyday tasks. Think of how your life would be different if you sought to be led by the Spirit at work, at home, with your spouse, or with your neighbor. Too often we only seek God’s guidance and direction for only the big decisions. Yet, the truth is God wants to lead us on a moment by moment basis in our daily lives. 

Step three is that we must be willing to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Here is where the rubber meets the road. We can take the first two steps, but they are meaningless if we are unwilling to follow the leading of the Spirit. Chances are, if we were being honest, most of us are afraid to be led by the Spirit. We are afraid of not being in control, afraid of being forced out of our comfort zone, afraid of the unknown, or are afraid of being sent to an obscure 3^rd world country. The result is that we choose the rational things, the safe things, rather than keeping in step with the Holy Spirit no matter where he leads. God’s desire is to lead us. Our response is choosing to be led by the Holy Spirit on a moment by moment basis.