Tag: Be Led By The Spirit

Be Led By The Spirit

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Be Led By The Spirit

We are called to be lead by the spirit

The mature Christian life is characterized by dependence on the Holy Spirit, a divine Helper who guides believers into truth and empowers them to live in alignment with God’s will. “Being led by the Spirit” is a central theme of the Bible and provides believers with direction, wisdom, and strength for daily living. This post explores the identity and role of the Spirit, the importance of being Spirit-led, how to follow His guidance, and how this differs from being led by other influences.

What Is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Trinity—co-equal and co-eternal with God the Father and Jesus the Son. It is the active outpouring from God the Father , Through Jeus the Son, that engages and influences each of us with Love and Truth. 

Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as an “Advocate” or “Helper” who will dwell with believers forever (John 14:16–17).

The Holy Spirit plays several crucial roles.

Convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement (John 16:8)

Testifies of salvation and identity as a child of God. (John 8:16)

Indwells, washes, and regenerates (Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19)

Illuminates scripture, reveals Jesus, and guides us into all truth (John 16:13–14)

Transforms and empowers believers to live holy and fruitful lives (Galatians 5:22–23).

(love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)

Prays for believers according to God’s will, even when they don’t know how to pray properly. (Romans 8:26)

Unites believers to the Father Through Christ, allowing a personal relationship

What does it mean to be led by the Spirit

To be “led by the Spirit” means to live under the influence, guidance, and control of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life. This involves yielding to the Spirit’s direction rather than following our own desires, worldly influences, or the sinful nature (“flesh”).

The concept is deeply spiritual and practical, enabling believers to align their thoughts, actions, and decisions with God’s will.

  1. Submitting to God’s Guidance

Being led by the Spirit is a mark of belonging to God and involves seeking His guidance in prayer, through Scripture, and in everyday decisions. It reflects a posture of surrender to God’s wisdom and authority.

  1. Walking in the Spirit’s Power

To be led by the Spirit is to actively live in a way that resists sinful impulses and reflects the fruit of the Spirit. 

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

“The fruit of the spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23).

  1. Receiving Wisdom and Truth

The Holy Spirit guides followers into all truth:

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

This includes understanding God’s Word, discerning His will, and applying biblical principles to life’s circumstances. The Spirit’s guidance brings clarity where human wisdom fails.

  1. Being Directed in Purpose and Mission

The Holy Spirit leads believers in fulfilling God’s purposes. For example, in Acts 13:2, the Spirit directed the early church, saying, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” This highlights the Spirit’s role in guiding believers toward their God-given callings and ministries.

  1. Living with Peace and Assurance

The Spirit’s leadership brings peace and confidence in decision-making. Colossians 3:15 states, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” which aligns with the Spirit’s work of providing inner confirmation of God’s will. His presence assures believers of their adoption into God’s family (Romans 8:16).

Why Should We Be Led by the Spirit?

Being led by the Spirit is essential for several reasons:

  1. To Fulfill God’s Will: The Holy Spirit reveals God’s purposes and directs us toward living in alignment with His plans. Romans 8:14 says, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Being Spirit-led is evidence of our identity as God’s children.
  2. To Overcome the Flesh: The sinful nature, or “flesh,” is at constant war with the Spirit. Paul writes, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit enables believers to resist temptation and live righteously.
  3. For Spiritual Growth: The Spirit transforms believers into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). This ongoing process, known as sanctification, requires yielding to His leadership.
  4. For Guidance and Wisdom: The Spirit gives divine insight that surpasses human understanding. Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to trust in the Lord and not rely on our own understanding, and the Spirit plays a vital role in illuminating God’s wisdom.

How Is Being Led by the Spirit Different?

Being led by the Spirit stands in stark contrast to being led by worldly influences, human wisdom, or personal desires:

  1. The Spirit vs. The Flesh: The flesh seeks self-gratification, while the Spirit produces selflessness and obedience to God (Galatians 5:17). Decisions led by the flesh often result in sin and separation from God, while Spirit-led choices produce peace and righteousness.
  2. The Spirit vs. The World: The world encourages conformity to cultural norms and materialism, whereas the Spirit transforms believers by renewing their minds (Romans 12:2). Worldly leadership focuses on external success, while the Spirit prioritizes eternal values.
  3. The Spirit vs. Emotions: Emotions can be fleeting and unreliable, but the Spirit offers consistent, God-centered guidance. Proverbs 28:26 warns, “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.”
  4. The Spirit vs. Human Wisdom: Human reasoning has limitations, but the Spirit reveals truths that are beyond human comprehension (1 Corinthians 2:10–11). Spirit-led decisions align with God’s infinite knowledge and ultimate purposes.

How Do We Be Led by the Spirit?

Being led by the Spirit requires intentionality and spiritual discipline:

  1. Prayer and Dependence: Believers must seek the Spirit’s guidance through consistent prayer, asking for wisdom and discernment. James 1:5 assures us that God generously gives wisdom to those who ask.
  2. Studying Scripture: The Spirit works in conjunction with God’s Word, illuminating its truths and applying them to our lives (John 14:26). Regular meditation on Scripture allows the Spirit to guide our decisions and actions.
  3. Obedience: To be led by the Spirit, we must be willing to obey His promptings, even when they challenge our desires or comfort zones. Acts 8:29–30 illustrates Philip’s obedience to the Spirit’s call, leading to a divine encounter.
  4. Sensitivity and Quietness: The Spirit often speaks in gentle, subtle ways (1 Kings 19:12). Cultivating a quiet heart through practices like solitude and fasting enhances our sensitivity to His voice.
  5. Community and Counsel: The Spirit often leads through the counsel of godly mentors and the encouragement of the church. Proverbs 11:14 highlights the value of wise counsel in making decisions.

Conclusion

Being led by the Spirit is a foundational aspect of the Christian life. The Holy Spirit, as our divine Helper, guides us in truth, empowers us to resist sin, and transforms us into Christ’s likeness. To follow His leading, believers must cultivate prayer, immerse themselves in Scripture, practice obedience, and remain sensitive to His voice. Unlike the fleeting guidance of emotions, the deceptive allure of the world, or the limitations of human wisdom, the Spirit provides eternal, God-centered direction. As we yield to the Spirit, we live out our calling as children of God and experience the abundant life He promises. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

 

Additional References

John Bevere – How To Be Led By The Holy Spirit <video>

Kirkgasser Bible Study Presentation and Discussion

<This is a placeholder post>

 

You Can Hear God’s Voice

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

You CAN Hear God’s Voice

God wants you to Hear His Voice

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27

Hearing God’s Voice Is A Really Big Deal

Scripture makes it clear that many of Gods children are suffering unnecessary problems, problems because they do not know something important, or do not properly understand something that is going on, or are looking at a situation from from the wrong perspective, an earthly perspective rather than from God’s perspective.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;” Proverbs 3:5

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

God wants to help You, to lead you and guide you, but you have to ask. 

God wants to help you avoid creating unnecessary problems, and He wants to help you see and follow the best path through any problems you do end up facing.  God has a plan, and He has a will for you.  He wants you to know what that will is, and He promises to help you see it and understand it if you are willing to humble yourself and ask Him and then do what He tells you.

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:17

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

God has provided a connection through the Holy Spirit, so that all His children can hear directly from Him.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17 / Joel 2:28

Pre-work: Humble yourself, Come to Him as a child of God, fully submitted; Your “Self” denied.

You are an eternal soul living in a temporary earthly vessel. You are born with a sinful nature, a focus on your earthly self and its self-centered agendas.  This focus separates you from God. If your brain is focused on you, your thoughts, your feelings, your earthly life here and now, you are not tune to God and His kingdom which is focused on receiving His love and flowing that love to others. 

Jesus suffered and died to release you from your self centered nature. He paid the price for your sin, so you do not have to suffer the consequences.

-You can confess your past to Him and He will give you a future, in this life and for eternity;

– You can deny your old self and He will make you new again.

– You can yield your life to Him and He will form in you and live through you.

– You can shift your focus from loving your self, to flowing His love through you to others.

– You can live in union with the Father, reunited as if in the garden before Adam ever sinned.

Accept Jesus as lord and savior, submit yourself and your life to Him. Deny your “self” and your self-centered ways. Invite Him to come and live in you, to teach you, to guide you, to form in you, to transform you. Lean ABOUT Him by reading and studying His life and teachings. Get to KNOW Him by establishing a personal relationship, talking to Him, listening to Him, hearing His voice.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

There are 4 Keys To Hearing His Voice

Mark Virkler has done wonderful work in this area and He taught me how to Hear God’s Voice. He has identified 4 Keys to getting even hard core analytic thinkers to tune into the spirit and hear God’s voice. They are outlined below.

1  – Quiet Your Self

Grab something to write with (paper or computer), go to a quiet place, and get comfortable.

Sit and get relaxed; be comfortable, No distractions from your body.

No distracting noises. Some people find it helpful to relax and quiet their conscious mind with gentle meditation music, nothing loud or distracting.  Make sure there are no words or singing, just gentle nature sounds.

No visual distractions, TV,  people moving around, some place calm and peaceful. Close your eyes for a moment, take a deep breath. 

Quiet your soul. Come to the presence of the Lord in humility, in reverence, in righteousness, seeking and intending to hear input from the creator of the universe.

Use this prayer if you need help getting into a mode of humble reverence:

“Lord, I submit myself to you as Lord of my life and as my personal savior. You suffered and died for me. I am cleansed by your blood; I am renewed by your spirit. I present myself as your humble servant, a vessel wanting to be filled with your love and your truth, a vessel wanting to be led by your spirit. I submit my self and my selfish agendas here and now. I yield my conscious thoughts to you and open my heart and mind to you. You are my shepherd, Help me hear your voice so that I can follow you boldly and bring Your will into place in this fallen world as it already is in heaven.  I ask this in Jesus name.”     

Quiet your conscious mind so that you will be able to hear God’s gentle small coaching voice.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

“and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

2- Set Your Eyes On Jesus

We are going to access the Holy Spirit via our right brain, we will open the door to that side of our brain by using our imagination.

King David received several visions, and he imagined the Lord in front of him and of his right before he received the visions. We will do the same.

“I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:8

Jesus is truly right here with you. One of His names is Immanuel – God with us.  (Matthew 1:23).  Bring yourself into His presence.

Imagine Jesus in a famous bible scene, Walking along the sea of Galilee, or pausing at Jacob’s well, or sitting and talking with children. Project yourself into that scene, arrange it so that Jesus is in the scene in front of you and to your right. Consider entering the scene as a child, innocent and inquisitive. Focus on Jesus with you, looking at you, smiling at you, with love in His eyes, ready to have a conversation with you. 

3 – Tune To Flow

His Holy Spirit is connected deep in your soul. His thoughts will flow out of your heart and appear spontaneously in your mind.

“I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me…” Habakkuk 2:1

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

Tune to the still quiet voice that emerges spontaneously from within you as you set your eyes on Jesus and ask your question. 

4 – Write

Writing is the key to capturing His voice as it flows in, and leveraging what He tells you for the future.

Habakkuk and John both used this process.

“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets…’” Habakkuk 2:2

Jesus said to John while in the spirit… “Write the things which you have seen..” Revelation 1:19

Yielding your hand to the spirit is similar to yielding your tongue to the spirit to speak in tongues. The act of writing will often draw the words out. Start your hand moving, and the words will flow.

So the process is pretty simple 

    1. Quiet your mind,
    2. Set your eyes on Jesus and ask your question
    3. Tune to flow
    4. Write His answer

Practical Exercise: 2-Way Love Letter With God

Get something to write with – paper/pen or computer.
Get to a comfortable quiet place.
We will apply the 4 principles in a couple of different ways just to get the hang of it:

    1. Quiet your mind
    2. Set your eyes on Jesus
    3. Tune to Flow
    4. Write

We are going to do a two way love letter with God to get going with this basic process.

We will first write a love letter to Jesus to get us warmed up, We will then ask Him to write a love letter to us.

Let’s start with our letter to Him. Why do you love Jesus? Think for a moment, then start writing. 

“Jesus, I Love you because….”
Write a few sentences, maybe a paragraph, at least one complete chain of thought.

Take a couple of minutes

Now, let’s use the 4 keys and ask for His response:

Write down your question on the page to set up the process

“Lord Jesus, do you love Me?” or “Lord Jesus, Do you have any thoughts to share?”

Now apply the 4 keys:

      1. Quiet your mind
      2. Set your eyes on Jesus, and ask Him your question
      3. Tune to Flow
      4. Write

Write what flows spontaneously into your mind as you ask the question and tune to flow

It will usually start out something like:  “Yes my child, ….”

One trick to get started is to prime the pump. Write an answer you know is right to get the ball rolling. You know God loves you, so as soon as set your eyes on Him and you ask Him if He loves you, tune to flow and write, “Yes my child,..”  That thought will flow in your mind as you write it, listen and capture the next thoughts that follow in.  

Keep writing, capture the thoughts as they flow in.

Do not think about what is flowing, do not evaluate it, just let it flow in and keep writing. 

If the flow is interrupted or pauses, ask Him “Lord, is anything else He wants to say?” and continue writing.  Do this until He tells you He is done.

If you are not getting any input, reset and reapply the 4 keys.

If after several attempts you do not get anything, follow my coaching points below.

Now, Review what was written.

Can you discern if this is input from God? It is usually obvious by the tone and nature of what comes out.

“Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:20

Test it.  Is it consistent with the character of God: Fatherly, Encouraging, Higher level thoughts, Wise Council.

It will align with scriptural. It may even contain scripture if your brain is familiar and comfortable with scripture.

Even if it does not contain scripture, it will never contradict it.

Proper input will never align with the character of Satan: Condemnation, Accusatory, Lies

If you were not focused on Jesus as you looked for input, you could get something off track.  Always test it. 

It is highly recommended that you bounce your journaling inputs off of someone until you are confident in this process.  This is especially true if your are using this input as the basis for an important decision. Ask several trusted friends to review what you get it and see if their spirit confirms the input is from God:

“By the mouth of two or three witnesses every (rhema) word shall be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1

You have now heard directly from God.  Hopefully this is the first of many times. Practice this process until you can do it confidently and easily.

Other Powerful Questions To Ask Him:

Lord, Do you have any thoughts for me today?

Lord, How do You see me?

Lord, I know You intercede for me with the Father,   What are your prayers for me?

Lord, I wish to be led by the spirit rather than the flesh,   

What is your perspective on situation xyz,  What are you trying to accomplish there? How best can I help? 

Lord, Please open the eyes of my understanding, What do you mean by verse xyz in scripture?

Lord, I continue to struggle with xyz behavior, please help me understand what is driving my behavior so we can address it?

Lord, I know your will is always healing but each situation is uniquely, What is your specific path for person xyz? What can I do to help?  

If you struggle to hear God’s voice, Consider the following:

Have you drawn near to Him?

– Praise God for all He has done for you: Formed you, Put you here, Gave you all you have, Died for you, Drew you to Him, Gives you life. 

– Humble yourself in His presence:  He is the king of kings, Lord of the universe. He breathed creation into existence. He suffered and died for you.

– Submit yourself to Him: He gave His life for you, the least you can do is give your life to Him. Invite Him to come live in you, to form in you, to live through you. Submit your own agendas and intentions and yield yourself to His agendas for you. Seek to understand His will for you, and to do His will on earth.. 

– Accept His finished work on the cross.  He forgives your past so you can move forward; Confess your sins and be forgiven.  He makes you born gain,  Shed your old self and put on the new life though Him. He makes your righteous, stand under the umbrella of His blood and be fully connected to the Father. Seek to be a vessel worthy of His use; live a righteous life and bring Him glory.

– Seek to know Him personally, to become best friends.  Seek to be led by Him. Seek His input with all your heart.  

Have you fully applied the 4 keys?

– Quiet Yourself – are you in a quiet comfortable place with no distractions, try soft meditation music.

– Set your eyes on Jesus – become a child and join him in a scene

– Tune to flow – just let it flow, no evaluation

– Write – just write what comes in, keep writing, no evaluation, no reaction, just write

Have you done the previous things that God has asked you to do?

    • I have seen several cases where someone did not follow the guidance they received, and that caused difficulty hearing new input. Why should He bother giving you new input if you are not going to use it.
    • You need to do what ever God has asked of you. If for some reason you were unable to, You need to repent and re-engage humbly when seeking additional input.

This link is to Mark Virkler’s write up on How to Overcome Blocks and Hinderances

Other Reference Materials that my be helpful:

My PowerPoint Presentation: (Linked Here)

From Mark Virkler’s Communion With God Ministries Web Site

His Dedicated Page on: 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice

His Book: 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice

His 8 Minute TV interview

His 1 Hr Powerpoint Deck

His One page hand out

His Training packages for all ages

His PDF on How to overcome Hinderances or Blocks

How to exercise your right brain

Struggling with life’s challenges? It is an opportunity to upgrade your spiritual side!

Posted on by jakirkgasser10439

Struggling with life’s challenges? It is an opportunity to upgrade your spiritual side!

God wants you to become the best possible version of yourself. That version of you emerges as you: 1) Purposefully deny your own selfish/self-centered agendas in favor of God’s agenda for you, 2) Commit to pursue God’s mandates to Love Him with all your heart and to Love your neighbors as yourself, and 3) Transition  yourself to be led by the spirit into the life He intended when He put you here.

Each person is on their own journey but there are a few key steps or stages along the way.

Here is a sort of check list for progression on this journey. How far down the list are you at this point?   

  • God Exists – He created the heavens and the earth, He was, is, and will be.
  • God Is Love – He rewards those who diligently pursue Him
  • God is Truth – Truth brings order out of Chaos, The Truth sets you free
  • The Bible is God’s divine word – It comes alive and performs work as you embrace it.
  • God created man in His image, in perfect harmony with Him in the garden.
  • The image was tarnished by Adam’s sin – Adam’s desire to become like a God, made him Self-Conscious and Self-Centered which separated Him from God.
  • I inherited Adam’s sinful nature, I have sinned, the wages of sin is spiritual death, I need a savior.
  • I am a spiritual being in a temporary body. My soul will spend eternity somewhere.
  • I have free will, my choices matter – I am fully accountable for how I live this life.
  • God formed me in my mother’s womb, He put me here for a reason.
  • God Loves Me – He Sent His Son to restore what was lost through Adam
  • Jesus was born as a human to a virgin mother
  • Jesus died as an innocent sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
  • When you accept Jesus as Lord and commit to follow Him, your spirit is reset, born again, the Image of God is restored in you,
  • Jesus blood washes away Your past. Your sins are forgiven. You can focus forward.
  • The Father sees you through Jesus, He sees you innocent and righteous thru Jesus’ blood.
  • I Accept Jesus As Lord of My Life
  • I Deny Myself – No self-serving agendas, This life is No Longer all about Me
  • I Commit to Live Worthy of Jesus Sacrifice – I am IN the world not OF the world.
  • I Embrace My New Identify – I am A Child of God, Brother of Jesus, God’s Friend
  • He Knows Me – We spend quiet time together; I take Him with me throughout the day
  • I Know Him – His Word yields understanding, My mind is transforming, I know His will.
  • I Approach all things with Prayer, Supplication, and Thanksgiving
  • I Am Led by the Spirit – I Ask, I Listen, I Hear, I Follow
  • I Love God with all my heart – I am a good ambassador for Him
  • I Love My Neighbor as Myself
    • I see each person as a child of God struggling in the fallen world
    • I flow Gods love out to everyone I encounter -smile, pleasant, encouraging
    • I focus on finding ways to be useful to others, especially those who have less
    • I forgive those who sin against me
    • I Pray for “my enemies” to find God, His love, His truth for their benefit
  • I Profess the Promises
    • All things are Possible with God
    • Eyes to See from His Perspective
    • Ears to Hear and Understand His Word
    • Mouth to Speak His Praise
    • Hands to Do His Work
    • He Protects Me From Evil
    • He Gives Me Strength
    • He Helps Me Overcome All Things
    • I Ask and it is Given, I Seek and I Find, I Knock and it is Opened.
    • My old self is crucified with Christ, My new self is raised with Him into life
    • It Is No Longer Me That Lives, But Him Through Me
    • The Spirit That Raised Jesus From The Dead Lives Inside me
    • By His Stripes I Am Healed
    • People see God when they see me in action

Finding God:

Many folks these days only discover God when they reach the point of desperation.  When they finally realize they cannot get themselves out of a mess, or they are exhausted while trying to endure something; or they finally realize the severe consequences of things they have said or done. The good news is He is waiting patiently for each of us to eventually come to Him, and He is ready willing and able to help us once we do.  Your opportunity is to discover Him long before you become desperate, and to realize more of the benefits in this life.

Loving Him with all your heart means making Him lord of your life. Yielding yourself completely to Him. Inviting Him to come and live inside you. Living your life as a temple worthy of his presence. Transforming your mind by learning and understanding His word, and using your body to do good works for His kingdom. The mental image is that God is pure love. His love flows to you because He sent His son. This love is perfected when it flows through you to others. It can only flow when you get your selfish agendas out of the way. When you do this you shine as a bright light in this dark world, and you will be a beacon for others to see the kingdom.

If you want to avoid some suffering and having to get all the way to the point of desperation you can take the opportunity to work through it now. But one warning, You must be serious about it because God hides himself so only those who genuinely want to find Him will do so. That keeps the riff-raff out of the club.

The first concept to wrestle is the spiritual nature of our existence. God created the heavens and the earth out of invisible spiritual matter (Gen1, Heb 11:3). The spiritual world is all around us and it actually controls what happens here. What appears to us as a series of physical struggles is actually a massive spiritual battle going on behind the scenes (Eph 6:12).  Think of it this way: Our job while on this earth is to 1) Discover we are in a spiritual battle, 2) Recognize we were innitially asigned working for the bad guy, 3) Get ourselves realigned and declare our commitment to the good guy, 4) Dedicate ourselves to becoming an effective force for good. There is no middle ground.  You are either continue to be a pawn used and abused by the bad guy, or you are fully committed to actively work for the good guy.

So in practical terms;  You are a spiritual being in a physical body. You are actually a  three part being: Mind, Body and Spirit. This earthly life is a womb to develop your eternal consciousness. What you do in this life has consequences. God wants to help you get on the right path. He can connect with your spirit to flow into your mind and heart to help you learn and grow, but He can only do it when you invite Him in. It is natural for you to be led by your rational mind. It is unnatural for your mind to release control and become led by the spirit but that is the only way to open up to God’s inflow and realize your full potential. It takes practice to get comfortable doing it, but first let me push the boundary a bit.

It may be hard to believe but you are entirely dependant on God. You can do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING without Him. He is the source of everything. His is the power that drives every living thing. Picture being 100 ft underwater with a scuba tank and the air runs out. God is highly invested in you: He has plans for you, He formed you and put you here, He has more thoughts about you than there are sands on the beaches, He has provided you with gifts and talents, He is continuing to provide evey breath you take, and He promises to reward all who diligently persue Him. He uses an analogy of a grape vine in a vineyard: you are a branch and He is a vine.  The branch withers and dies if it is cut off from the vine. The branch can do absolutely nothing without the vine. (John 15:5). You need to take Him very seriously. The consequences of ignoring Him are not pretty and they last for eternity.

He calls us to love Him will all our heart. Loving Him with all your heart involves acknowledging Him, Recognizing and celebrating His roles in your life, Spending time getting to know Him personally, continuously engaging in discussion with Him in prayer, Asking Him for guidance then listening for His voice and going where He leads you, and the giving Him credit for His hand in your life.  

Loving your neighbor as your self involves viewing all others as children of God who are struggling in this fallen world. Treat each of them with respect, Be positive and encouraging, Be helpful when ever you can. Pray for them when they exhibit harmful behaviors. When you pray for them, make sure to check your selfish agendas, you are to pray for them to discover and embrace God’s path for their lives so they can become better , not so they will stop being a problem for you.

Let Him lead you.  Be led by the spirit not the flesh. You are a spiritual being living in a physical world controlled by the spiritual world. God will lead you through the challenges of this world if you tune in to hear His voice. His way is different; It is not the way that seems reasonable to a man. He already has a path in front of you, you need to discover it and go where it takes you. He will flow information to you if you ask. Pray for insight on His path forward: “Lord, I know you have a path for me, give me eyes to see it.” This takes some practice….

Let’s try it right now: Get comfortable somewhere, Close your eyes,  Quiet your mind. Imagine Jesus sitting next to you. Reach out with your right hand and hold his hand.  Ask Him out loud: “Jesus, You offer wisdom to those who ask. I want to be led by the spirit and not the flesh. Please give me a message to guide me on the path forward. I ask this in Your Holy Name.” Stay quiet and focused on Him until you receive the message. It will be a distinct thought, or a specific word, or a mental image, or even an audible voice.  When you get it, speak it back to Him. “Lord, I believe you are telling me…xxx”.   Reflect for a moment on what that message means to you and what you should do now that you have it, and then thank Him.  Many times the first message will be.. “I love you’, especially if you have had doubts about that. Or “I want to be a bigger part of your life” if you have been excluding God from your daily routines. Or maybe “I don’t know you” if you have not spent much time in private personal discussion with Him. Or “I want you, not your money” if you were treating God as a wishing well rather than the person who laid down His life for yours.

Put your life in his hands: ex:“Lord, You provide food for the birds, you bring rains and you raise the sun. May your face shine down upon me, May your hand never leave me. Guide me and keep me all the days of my life.”

Yield your burdens to Him: Draw near to Him, Give Him the burden of worry. Give Him your cares. He promises that His yoke is easy and that righteous believers will never be moved.

Approach every day as an opportunity to shine. Be thankful for what God has done for you and what He is doing for those around you. Keep a thankfulness journal if you need help recognizing what God has done and is doing in your life. This will help keep you humble and in the right perspective.

Stay focused on Him in prayer. A serious session at the beginning and end of each day and at key junctures as you go through your day.  Make sure your prayers focus is on benefiting others for their sake and for the kingdom not just to benefit you. This will keep your heart oriented in the right direction.

View all those around you as children of God struggling in a fallen world. Your job is to flow His love out to those around you. Be bright, pleasant, and encouraging at every opportunity. You will never know what difficulties someone is facing and your smile my help them get through it.  Love your enemies. If someone is being difficult, they are likely struggling with something. Pray for them to find God’s love and God’s truth to help them realize their full potential. Avoid praying to fix  someone for your benefit – that will not get you very far.

View every day as an opportunity to get to know Him better and to become more like Him. View every engagement as an opportunity to flow His love out to someone, and for someone to get a good look at Jesus when they see you.  You were put here to be an ambassador for God and as you get your self out of the way and let His love be perfected in you, you will shine as a bright beacon for His kindgom.

Supporting Scriptures:

You are a Spiritual Person In An Invisible Spiritual World

 “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Hebrews 11:3

You are in a Spiritual Battle

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

You are entirely dependent on God

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John15:5

Be led by the Spirit:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Engage in Prayer:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Put your life in His hands:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

“My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.” Psalms 31:15-24

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 6:26

Cast your burdens on the Lord

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

“…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Love your enemies

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:43-48

Shine like a beacon

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16