Knowing Gods Will pt 4 - Being Led by the Spirit

In the final part of our study on knowing God’s will, we look at what it means to be led by the Spirit. What does the Bible say about it, and how can we learn to do it? To conclude, we list 5 simple steps to knowing the Will of God, based on our understanding of the biblical concepts covered over the 4 sessions.

Being Led by the Spirit

Key Scriptures:

• Acts 11:1-18
• Acts 13:1-3
• Acts 16:6-10
• Acts 20:22-24
• 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
• Romans 8:5-8
• Galatians 5:16-26

Principles:

• The Spirit reveals Jesus to us – who He is, what He has done, what He commands.
• These truths can only be understood by the Spirit and can only be expressed by the Spirit
• Therefore to be led by the Spirit is to understand and express the truth of Jesus
• These mysteries have been revealed already, they are not waiting to be revealed

• To be led by the Spirit is to have our minds fixed on what the Spirit desires
• To be led by the Spirit is to reject the desires, thoughts and actions of our sinful nature
• To be led by the Spirit will produce the fruit of righteousness

Summary:

Being led by the Spirit is not an occasional, ecstatic, earth-shattering type of event. It is the very normal condition of believing in Jesus, sharing Jesus with others and obeying Jesus. We could not do any of these things without the quiet inner work of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes people look for a particular experience of the Spirit, and think that without it their Christian life is lacking. Those experiences are great, but they are not what the Bible describes as the normal ministry of the Spirit. They are not what the Bible tells us to pursue when it tells us to be led by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit always works to put our attention on Jesus and to cause us to live with Jesus as our Saviour and Lord.

Putting the Pieces Together

1) God has a Will of Decree and a Will of Command

a) All things happen by God’s Will of Decree, and we cannot understand the complexities of that. All we can do is pray and trust.

b) God has revealed to us His Will of Command – how He wants us to live. This is the Will of God for our lives.

2) God’s Will is Presented in Jesus

3) God’s Will is Preserved in the Bible

4) God’s Will is Practiced in the Church

5) God’s Will is Discerned and Delivered by the Holy Spirit

What about prophecy, dreams & visions, casting lots or that sense of confirming peace that people talk about?

All of these things happen at times and it’s great when they do, but they are not the way God has told us to seek His will. I find it a bit frustrating when people chase after the things that God sometimes uses and neglect the things that He always uses, the things that He has told us to do.’’

So, practically speaking, how can we Know God’s Will?

1) Check the attitude of our hearts – is Jesus Lord?

• Have I obeyed the things I have already been told?
• Am I willing to obey whatever God tells me next?
• Do I really want to glorify Christ in my life, or do I just want Him to bless me?

2) Regularly Read, Study and Meditate upon Scripture

• Giving God the opportunity to transform you by renewing your mind

3) Be committed to the Church

• Relationships which offer mutual support, teaching and accountability
• Serving according to your calling

4) Pay attention to Circumstances

• God is always at work. What can we discern about what He has been doing around us as part of His unfolding plan?

5) Pray Constantly

• Keep the conversation going