Teaching Notes

Who's doing the Leading?

BEING LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Being lead means someone (or something) gives the direction and you follow them. A good example of this is when someone takes your hand, were ever they take you is the direction you go. A problem that arises with being lead is, “WHO’S DOING THE LEADING?” I’ll explain this statement.

Imagine two people are holding your hands. One person is pulling you in one direction; the other is in the opposite direction. Notice what happens. First thing that happens is when you are being pulled in opposite directions; you won’t go forward in either. The second thing that happens is eventually one of the forces that is pulling you will be let go. Lastly, if either forces pulling on you is not let go, you will be pulled until something breaks, gets torn, or gets hurt. Now let us analyze these examples.

Those two people holding your hands represent the Holy Spirit of God and Satan. They are trying to lead your life in opposite directions. If you try to live a life lead by the Spirit and a life lead by Satan, you will not achieve success in your life. In trying you will eventually let go of one life or the other, as stated in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other, you cannot serve God and mammon.” Lastly, if you do not let go, then trying to live both a saved life and an unsaved life, will eventually break your spirit, tear your strength in two and hurt your spiritual life.

In order to be lead successfully by the Spirit, you must take hold of the Spirit with both hands. If you leave that other one dangling at your side, somebody can come and take hold of it. Let the Spirit give you the direction and then follow without complaining. As soon as you begin to complain, to point to what is wrong, your hand is dangling again. Know that the Spirit leads to righteousness, holiness, love, truth, success in the spirit, joy and all the other gifts of God.

How do you learn to be lead by the Spirit? Imagine its like entering boot camp. You go in with your own ideas, habits, will and other preconceived ideas. You must first go through basic training. You must relearn even the very basic things you do, even something as simple as when to go to bed. It might seem silly, but in God’s plans, you might need to be in bed at a certain time so he can use you in a certain way. You will learn to do the things, which will condition your body and mind (as well as the spiritual man) for warfare.

This is how you must envision being trained in spiritual warfare. We are first saved (enter in boot camp.) All the things we thought were right and all our ideas must now be whipped into shape, the shape of God. God shapes us when we read his word, take his correction when we falter, and live righteous lives.

When we have gone through some basic training, we are ready to go to war, to take our orders. Take hold of the Spirit of God and let him direct us in our decisions we make. Whether to buy a car, to take this job or wait for the one God has for us. When we begin to be lead by the Spirit, we then are walking as sons and daughters of God.