Seeking HIM so you’re LED by the Spirit

I recently recorded a sermon on “Being Led by the Holy Spirit”.  I want to add a couple points for more clarity. I hope you will hear and read that sermon of course, but as you do, keep these points in mind too. 

As I pondered my own sermon, several things came clearly to mind. Many of you probably already know and “see” these points, but it will be a good reminder and may be a clarifying few points for others.

Being “led by the spirit” clearly means, in the contexts given in Romans 8 and Galatians 5, that we are fighting the works of the flesh and are seeking to live as a child of God.  The family or kingdom of God’s way is so different than the way of the world and their god.  So when we receive the Holy Spirit – an extension of God Himself – we become a child of God.

To those who believe in the name of the Son of God – Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah – and receive Him into their lives and hearts,  to them is given the right to become children of God (John 1:12).  Then as a child of God, we cry out to our God – “Abba, Daddy! Father!” as we lift holy hands in prayer to Him and seek HIM.  We don’t flee in terror, for we “were not given the spirit of bondage to fear” (Romans 8:15) but of sonship into this awesome family!  The very family – the kingdom – of God.  Amen, hallelujah. 

Now as we understand this, we will want His way more and more – and will hate sin more and more. And even as we do stumble into sin, at least we’re at the point where we can say with Paul, that sometimes “that which I HATE, I do” (Romans 7:14).  We surely come to hate the sin that still tries to capture us. And we love being in tune with our dear Abba in heaven, our daddy, who loves us beyond description, as the story of the Prodigal Son and the parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15 illustrate so well.

So we obey in love and adoration, not out of fear. But yes, we do obey. Yes, we now fight sin. 

What follows next in this important blog is what I wanted to add to make it even clearer, as we seek to be led by God’s Spirit. Click on Continue reading to get the important focus we need to have.

Being led by the Spirit means we’re now governed by God himself – through the Spirit which is an extension of Him.  2 Corinthians 3:17 so clearly states – “for the Lord IS the spirit…”  And by this Spirit – a part of God – Christ and our Father come reside in our bodies, and we become a type of the Holy of Holies, with their shekinah Presence.  Where scripture says you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Greek word translated “temple” is “naos” – meaning the inner sanctuary, where the ark and the shimmering shekinah glory was present in the original temple.  We need to be much more AWARE of this, hour by hour.

Brethren, if we really understood this and meditated more on this – I know we would be sinning less and glorifying our God more.  And doing it joyfully, obediently, submissively. And we will be attacking sin with a vigor we’ve never experienced before.  Yes, I preach to myself first and foremost.  These comments and sermons are born from a recognition in my own life that I need to let my God govern me, lead me, and guide me much more than I have all my life. 

Is Christ really your LORD?  Are you really his servant?  Then LET him govern you. The Lord is the Spirit (2 Cor 3:17).  Seek HIM – and the leading by the Spirit will happen shortly. 

The farther I walk down the Kingdom Way with my Father and my Savior, the more I realize this calling we have is to have a life that is a relationship with Yeshua our Savior and with Abba, our dear God Most High, who happens to be our Daddy!  It doesn’t get better than that, folks.

A relationship. 

So often fellow believers: we get all hung up on doctrine.  On data.  I have done that a thousand times too.  Right doctrine is so vital too. Don’t misunderstand me. IN fact, Christ through His spirit will lead us into all truth.  God wants us to worship him in spirit and truth.  I get that. I get that very well. So we rush quickly into explaining that people have to stop eating pork, and stop keeping pagan Christmas and keep Passover and the holydays instead. We rush to be sure they are keeping the 7^th day sabbath.  Data and more data.  Those things are important, yes. But MORE important is that we lead people to Christ Himself! (See my sermon on “Religion or Relationship”).  We’re not so much a part of a religion as we are a part of an awesome relationship that ends up with us being led by our God.

And so folks –the BIGGER issue is the relationship.  To love HIM with all your heart, soul, mind and spirit. The focus on the greatest commandment is to love HIM.  HIM.  Personally. Relationship.  Paul said his greatest desire in life was to be able to say that “I know HIM and the power of HIS resurrection…” (Philippians 3:9-11). 

So many of us, of you, know data.  We may know the Greek and Hebrew word for this and that.  And we know – and argue – the ins and outs of the Hebrew calendar and the name of God and obscure scriptures – but don’t know HIM.  We know the sabbath, and we don’t have a Christmas tree up in our homes – but we wonder where God is sometimes.  We don’t feel a closeness that could be there. That’s what I’m talking about.  Relationship—it is what we need to seek. It’s what Paul sought. It’s what Moses sought.  And it’s what you and I should seek.

So I’m trying to add this point:  to be LED by the Spirit means to be governed by our King of kings, by our God, by our Maker.  And we feel, see and know that governance happening in us.  And then we joyfully LET God govern us, not out of fear or because we’re being compelled to do so “or else!” – but because we’re part of this awesome family’s WAY.  We love the Way because we love him.  And we love him because he first loved us even while we were yet sinners! And so Christ laid down his life for the UNGODLY – for you and me – and we love that about him and so we now spend more time seeking HIM than we do seeking data or doctrinal technicalities.  And the more we realize how MUCH rotten sin he had to forgive in each of us, the more we love him and know him.  Those who know they’ve been forgiven much, love much – remember.  In the last few paragraphs I’ve quoted or paraphrased numerous scriptures and I hope you’re realizing that. 

Romans 4:5   “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness…”

Christ justifies – meaning makes things right, makes us be seen as righteous – THE UNGODLY, who now have faith in Him and his life and sacrifice for us. And so you love HIM for this and willingly ask him to lead you in the way of the Kingdom, the way of righteousness.  And He will. He will live in you and me exactly the way He lived when walking the earth:  righteously, obediently – if we will follow. 1 John 2:3-6

Now here’s the addendum beyond:

Seek HIM, not just His answers.  When you seek HIM, His answers will be clear. When you focus on primarily seeking his answers, you might find yourself wondering where HE is. You’ve got it backwards. Start with seeking HIM, and His answers will come.

Seek the One who Blesses – more than the blessings, and His blessings will also be abundant.

It’s not that important, when faced with big issues we seek answers for, to know when the answers will come – or why, what, where and how .  What’s FAR more important is to know WHO.  Who is it with whom you walk?  That’s more important.  And that’s what being Led by the Spirit ultimately is about.

God puts us into tough and painful situations so we WILL seek Him. But seek HIM - -and not just relief from the pain or answers to the tough situation you’re in.  And in doing so, you’ll find him also sending relief and wonderful answers.  If we know Him, then when we pray – He’s there.  We feel and hear His presence in our hearts.  When we seek HIM, He surely answers.  There’s a difference between seeking HIM, and seeking answers.  Seek HIM. 

As we do, as we are led more and more by God – and as He lives in us and we in Him by His spirit – guess what?  Our very lives themselves will increasingly become walking, talking, moving expressions of God’s will.  Yes, you read that right. Read that again. 

YOU become the living will of God when you are so surrendered to Him as your Lord and Master-- that what you say and do become living expressions of God.  That happens, but only IF you and I have truly, fully, surrendered and are letting God truly lead us – and we are truly following, being LED by God’s spirit.

Let’s walk together in this journey of being led by the Holy Spirit. By God himself.

Be sure to hear/read the sermon – Dec 17 – Being led by the Holy Spirit.