As believers we face countless perplexing situations where we need to make decisions. These very decisions usually have a great impact on what we become in future.
Good enough ,we have excellent advice and insight from the word of God for a number of situations.
However for some situations and decisions , there is no clear cut or defined course of action to take or to follow in the word of God ( which is the believers’ map , constitution , light , Bread of life , etc.).
It’s therefore imperative that we believers recognize our great need for the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is a classic example of this.
In Luke 4:1 THEN JESUS, full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led in [by] the [Holy] Spirit .(Amp version)
First , He was full of the Holy Spirit .
Second, He was controlled and led by the Holy Spirit.
It’s interesting to note that God only called Jesus Christ * My beloved son* immediately after baptism. Ref Matthew 3:17 John the baptist saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him (Jesus) and verse 17 * And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight!*
As soon as the Spirit of God descended on Jesus , God saw a son in Him. Previously Jesus was a son of Joseph for almost thirty years . Ref Luke 3:23. The day we receive Jesus , believe His word and name, we are given power to become sons of God .Ref John 1:12
It also says in Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses ….. So the power comes packaged in the Holy Spirit.
Sonship doesn’t stop at just receiving power , it continues with the leading of the Holy Spirit as in * Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.*
Now the leading by the Spirit by necessity requires that :
(a) * We hear what the Holy Spirit *says , for He has a voice and speaks . In the book of Revelations , ( a book with past , present and future dimensions ) It was mentioned 7 times in Rev 2:7 , 2:11 , 2:17 , 2:29 , 3:6 , 3:13 , and 3:22 that *Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. *
As the language teachers will tell you, * says* is present continuous. In the verses above , Jesus didn’t say * what the Spirit said or will say, rather what the Spirit says.*
There’s is no doubt that we have physical ears , henceforth the said ear is not a physical one ,but rather a spiritual ear to hear ( or discern) as in 1 Cor 2:14 *
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. NIV*
(b) * Recognize the voice of Spirit (My sheep hear my voice.*John 10:27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.)
*(c) * Respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit in order to be effectively led , guided and given counsel or wisdom for the myriad perplexing situations we find ourselves in and decisions we have to make.
And finally
(d) Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in every part of our lives as in
Galatians 5:25 If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
So dear brethren , may you cement your sonship to God the Father by being totally filled with the Holy Spirit , hearing and following Him.
- Futher study
- Galatians 5:5 ,18
- Romans 8:16
- Romans 12:11