Being Led Of The Spirit

[Edward]

Galatians 5:18
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.../

What does being led of the Spirit mean? It this something a Christian should do? It's scripture, and seems to indicate that we should be led of the Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit, right? How do I do that?

 

[Nathan]

I saw this yesterday, but got distracted in my preparation for turkey camp.

Your second question is the easiest to answer. Yes, a Christ follower should be led of the Spirit. Actually, a Christ follower is always led by the Spirit, its just sometimes we 'stray' off.

The "how" of this is probably best explained through the 'why' perspective. That is, why are we led by the Spirit? Once you see why we are led, then you can see how we are led. Make sense?

Before we believed we were walking around 'dead' to God. Meaning, we did not know Him, seek Him, or want anything to do with pleasing Him. Instead, we only knew what we wanted, what we did, and what is around us physically. Meaning, we were 'alive' to those things of our self and around us.

When we receive the Spirit of God, a flip flop happens. We are now 'alive' to God - we can seek Him, we can know Him, and we can do those things that please Him. However, because we have not entered into eternity yet, we are still confined to our 'flesh'. So instead of being dead to God, and alive to our self, we are now alive to God and our self. Those are just the cold hard facts. Instead of only seeing one way, now we see both ways.

This is why Paul constantly wrote to 'consider' ourselves dead to sin(the flesh). This is where the "how" and "why" aspects of being led merge into each other.

Jhn 6:53-63
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?
Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

We need the Spirit to lead us(the why), because our flesh - our self - is no help at all. Only the Spirit gives life because He is life. Here is where a persons theology will either help or confuse them.

If a person thinks that God gives them life apart from the continual life of the Spirit, then they don't understand the work the Spirit does in leading us. However, if you understand that the life of God is a continual flow from the Spirit, then you can understand why we need to be led.

How are we led is the next part.

Jhn 14:10-11
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Jhn 16:13-15
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

We are led by the Spirit guiding us. What that 'guiding' is actually means to teach. So the Spirit of God 'leads' us by continually teaching us. This is a simple concept if you think about it. How does a person learn from one teaching them? Two things, first you have to listen.

If you are not listening, because you already know it all, then you cannot be taught. Also, if you do not want to know anymore, then you are not going to listen. Remember back to the start of the post. Before we were 'dead' to God, but now we are 'alive' to Him - which spurs our desire to know Him. The Spirit is constantly teaching us about God - when we listen.

Number two, we have to use that teaching. Check yourself at this one. This is where people either get ahead of themselves, or fall way behind. The same way a kid in 6th grade should not be held up in kindergarten, they should not also think they can know 12th grade stuff. What I mean is, being lead/taught, is a constant thing and is only as good as the one listening and following.

Look back to the passage in John 6. We feed on His flesh and drink His blood. This threw a LOT of people off. But this is the whole of the matter. The Spirit is the one who gives us this food and drink. You would not eat a dinner, drink a glass of water, and say you never need to again. So it is with the Spirit, and this is what His leading is - it is the feasting and drinking of Christ.

You cannot turn this into a super spiritual - out of this world - mystical thing. Its real, allegorical, but real. Think about it this way. Sounds simple, but look at Christ's life. Why did He spend so many years with us, among us, growing up with us? To set an example. He could have come in, showed Himself to be the Christ and died - but He physically lived before He died.

It is the leading/teaching of the Spirit of God, continual, that gives us life and transforms us. Being led of the Spirit simply means you are being transformed into the image of Christ - a very real, physical, understandable thing.

There is a TON of more stuff that could be said, but I'll leave it there for now.

 

[Chopper]

This is not a direct answer to your thread Edward my old friend, but indirect and filled with reasons why we can live and walk in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. It's by Charles Spurgeon....
Morning
“Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”
- Mat_27:51
No mean miracle was wrought in the rending of so strong and thick a veil; but it was not intended merely as a display of power-many lessons were herein taught us. The old law of ordinances was put away, and like a worn-out vesture, rent and laid aside. When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because all fulfilled in him, and therefore the place of their presentation was marked with an evident token of decay. That rent also revealed all the hidden things of the old dispensation: the mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleamed forth above it. By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for he was “not as Moses, who put a veil over his face.” Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things which have been hidden since the foundation of the world are manifest in him. The annual ceremony of atonement was thus abolished. The atoning blood which was once every year sprinkled within the veil, was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was broken up. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvellous manner by our Lord’s expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; he openeth and no man shutteth; let us enter in with him into the heavenly places, and sit with him there till our common enemies shall be made his footstool.

 

[twinc]

I saw this yesterday, but got distracted in my preparation for turkey camp.

Your second question is the easiest to answer. Yes, a Christ follower should be led of the Spirit. Actually, a Christ follower is always led by the Spirit, its just sometimes we 'stray' off.

The "how" of this is probably best explained through the 'why' perspective. That is, why are we led by the Spirit? Once you see why we are led, then you can see how we are led. Make sense?

Before we believed we were walking around 'dead' to God. Meaning, we did not know Him, seek Him, or want anything to do with pleasing Him. Instead, we only knew what we wanted, what we did, and what is around us physically. Meaning, we were 'alive' to those things of our self and around us.

When we receive the Spirit of God, a flip flop happens. We are now 'alive' to God - we can seek Him, we can know Him, and we can do those things that please Him. However, because we have not entered into eternity yet, we are still confined to our 'flesh'. So instead of being dead to God, and alive to our self, we are now alive to God and our self. Those are just the cold hard facts. Instead of only seeing one way, now we see both ways.

This is why Paul constantly wrote to 'consider' ourselves dead to sin(the flesh). This is where the "how" and "why" aspects of being led merge into each other.

Jhn 6:53-63
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”
But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this?
Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

We need the Spirit to lead us(the why), because our flesh - our self - is no help at all. Only the Spirit gives life because He is life. Here is where a persons theology will either help or confuse them.

If a person thinks that God gives them life apart from the continual life of the Spirit, then they don't understand the work the Spirit does in leading us. However, if you understand that the life of God is a continual flow from the Spirit, then you can understand why we need to be led.

How are we led is the next part.

Jhn 14:10-11
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Jhn 16:13-15
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

We are led by the Spirit guiding us. What that 'guiding' is actually means to teach. So the Spirit of God 'leads' us by continually teaching us. This is a simple concept if you think about it. How does a person learn from one teaching them? Two things, first you have to listen.

If you are not listening, because you already know it all, then you cannot be taught. Also, if you do not want to know anymore, then you are not going to listen. Remember back to the start of the post. Before we were 'dead' to God, but now we are 'alive' to Him - which spurs our desire to know Him. The Spirit is constantly teaching us about God - when we listen.

Number two, we have to use that teaching. Check yourself at this one. This is where people either get ahead of themselves, or fall way behind. The same way a kid in 6th grade should not be held up in kindergarten, they should not also think they can know 12th grade stuff. What I mean is, being lead/taught, is a constant thing and is only as good as the one listening and following.

Look back to the passage in John 6. We feed on His flesh and drink His blood. This threw a LOT of people off. But this is the whole of the matter. The Spirit is the one who gives us this food and drink. You would not eat a dinner, drink a glass of water, and say you never need to again. So it is with the Spirit, and this is what His leading is - it is the feasting and drinking of Christ.

You cannot turn this into a super spiritual - out of this world - mystical thing. Its real, allegorical, but real. Think about it this way. Sounds simple, but look at Christ's life. Why did He spend so many years with us, among us, growing up with us? To set an example. He could have come in, showed Himself to be the Christ and died - but He physically lived before He died.

It is the leading/teaching of the Spirit of God, continual, that gives us life and transforms us. Being led of the Spirit simply means you are being transformed into the image of Christ - a very real, physical, understandable thing.

There is a TON of more stuff that could be said, but I'll leave it there for now.

 

[twinc]

imho - this is the great danger of individual interpretation - these quotes do not all necessarily apply to us - twinc

 

[Nathan]

This is not a direct answer to your thread Edward my old friend, but indirect and filled with reasons why we can live and walk in the Spirit of Christ Jesus. It's by Charles Spurgeon....
Morning
“Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”
- Mat_27:51
No mean miracle was wrought in the rending of so strong and thick a veil; but it was not intended merely as a display of power-many lessons were herein taught us. The old law of ordinances was put away, and like a worn-out vesture, rent and laid aside. When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because all fulfilled in him, and therefore the place of their presentation was marked with an evident token of decay. That rent also revealed all the hidden things of the old dispensation: the mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleamed forth above it. By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for he was “not as Moses, who put a veil over his face.” Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things which have been hidden since the foundation of the world are manifest in him. The annual ceremony of atonement was thus abolished. The atoning blood which was once every year sprinkled within the veil, was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was broken up. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvellous manner by our Lord’s expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; he openeth and no man shutteth; let us enter in with him into the heavenly places, and sit with him there till our common enemies shall be made his footstool.

On the radio I have listened all week to different preachers talking about the crucifixion and resurrection - seeing how it was celebrated last week of course.

I heard one guy give a pretty good convincing argument that the resurrection was God's 'stamp' of approval, visually to us, that Jesus sacrifice was accepted. I scratched my head because, #1 I don't think God needed 3 days to come to that conclusion, and #2 the veil was torn in the temple the very moment Jesus died.

For me, that is clear acceptance of Christ - no longer would God allow a sacrifice to be anything in His sight but an abomination. Any man made offering was rebuked from that moment forward. It was a sign that no longer would God meet man in the temple made by hands. The veil was open so that people could see He was not there! And to add insult to injury, God finally had the temple destroyed completely.

God's acceptance of Christ's sacrifice was immediate, just the same as His acceptance of us when we receive His faith.

 

[Nathan]

imho - this is the great danger of individual interpretation - these quotes do not all necessarily apply to us - twinc

Which quotes do, and which ones do not apply?

 

[Free]

Which quotes do, and which ones do not apply?

Perhaps he is referring to John 16:13-15, which is for the disciples.

 

[Nathan]

Perhaps he is referring to John 16:13-15, which is for the disciples.

Maybe he is.

My reply would be - do we receive a different Spirit than they did?

 

[Free]

Galatians 5:18
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.../

What does being led of the Spirit mean? It this something a Christian should do? It's scripture, and seems to indicate that we should be led of the Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit, right? How do I do that?

It is the same as verse 16:

Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (ESV)

It is to allow oneself to be influence and guided by the Holy Spirit, the result of which is the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23.

 

[Free]

Maybe he is.

My reply would be - do we receive a different Spirit than they did?

No, of course not.

 

[Nathan]

It is the same as verse 16:

Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (ESV)

It is to allow oneself to be influence and guided by the Holy Spirit, the result of which is the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23.

Actually, they are a tad different and its worth noting.

In verse 16 it refers to being occupied with - this would mean all aspects of your life, thoughts, feelings, actions, sight, etc. The list could go on and on.

In verse 18 though, it refers to actually doing. As in, actually going somewhere, doing something. In context, we see that its not in a 'singular' aspect - as in we 'do' things in hopes that it is what the Spirit of God is leading us to. Quite the opposite it is - we do things only when the Spirit leads us and guides us.

Here is the difference. The reason we are not 'under the law' when being led by the Spirit is because IF we are being led by the Spirit then we are being led by God - the law giver. Where does that place us?

When we 'walk' by the Spirit, then we are always there to hear from Him and are ready to 'do' with Him. Sometimes, when we are not walking by the Spirit, He has to 'yell' at us in order for us to hear and come close to be led. That 'yelling' is not a joyful thing. My kids do not like it when I have to raise my voice. Which, when they are close by, I never have to.

 

[JPPT1974]

Yeah as really hate to raise my voice. But still need to do things in a polite but firm way. People overlook that.

 

[Chopper]

When I think of the Veil that was torn from top to bottom, I wonder if the Holy Spirit would have been very active showing those blind Pharisees and Israel's leaders the torn Veil. I'll just bet that He made them look hard at that Veil torn. They must have thought, "O know, what have we done, if not just for a split second.

And, with the Veil torn, they could look directly into the Holy place. What were their thoughts. Hmm

 

[reba]

Here is a simple story of being led by the Spirit.. Not some far out SUPER natural...a normal occurrence
Luk 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Luk 2:28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Peters vision Act 10 following the Spirit after the vision was normal every day stuff .. of travel, walking, then a conformation to Cornelius of his vision ... So we have a picture in the Word of a vision and then conformation.. IMO a vision from the Lord will have conformation.. if not it is just our imaginations ...

Here are a few more examples that show the lack of what we might call the supernatural

Gal_4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal_5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.


Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

[Edward]

When we 'walk' by the Spirit, then we are always there to hear from Him and are ready to 'do' with Him. Sometimes, when we are not walking by the Spirit, He has to 'yell' at us in order for us to hear and come close to be led. That 'yelling' is not a joyful thing.

It was both, Brother. The Holy Spirit spoke audibly to me once to pray for a Brother who needed help. His presence in the room with me was as strong of a presence as I've ever felt before in my life. Way more than gettin wacked in the Spirit as happens sometimes. It was a very joyful experience in that way. I had to be stupid and question Him. He didn't yell at me for questioning Him, but...He was short with me and that was very apparent. (just pray, he needs help now.) I regretted it immediately and repented. Well, after I prayed. He was short with me I think because the Brother was in a real medical danger and it was happening right then.

Yeah as really hate to raise my voice. But still need to do things in a polite but firm way. People overlook that.

Exactly. That's how He spoke to me, with that firm fatherly tone. The uh-oh tone, lol Not joyful but not yelling.

 

[Edward]

Actually, they are a tad different and its worth noting.

This is correct. There is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all even unbelievers. Each man gets a measure. Then believers are given more when God moves, plus now, everyone has access to God now. His blood covers us, and essentially we were invited back into the Garden of Eden. to this same relationship where we walk in the cool of the Garden, and talk with Jesus! Even Charles Spurgeon speaks of it, in your quote from. (I love that guy! He's on YT all over)

for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus.

Being a believer now, we're supposed to Boldly approach the throne. Spirit led of course, there's no other way. It's His will, not ours but we are in Him so all we need do is turn towards Him and pray.

for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvellous manner by our Lord’s expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; he openeth and no man shutteth; let us enter in with him into the heavenly places, and sit with him there till our common enemies shall be made his footstool.

Let us enter in.

 

[Edward]

Being led of the Spirit is not a dangerous thing. It's not supernatural. Maybe it is, we're in the natural, God is in the Kingdom and resides in eternity (outside of time & our dimension) so I guess it is supernatural but so what? It's reality. It isn't mystical or occult, it's the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ? Remember him? Yes. Satan's ability to deceive me is not as strong as Yeshua's ability to teach me, Lol! My God's strong and I aint skeered of any spirit. Test those spirits and stand in the Lord in His name. He does not fail.

I better quit now a'fore I git some'un mad.

 

[Free]

This is correct. There is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all even unbelievers. Each man gets a measure.

Where is this stated in Scripture?

Then believers are given more when God moves, plus now, everyone has access to God now. His blood covers us,

Who do you mean by "everyone"? His blood covers who?

 

[Free]

Actually, they are a tad different and its worth noting.

In verse 16 it refers to being occupied with - this would mean all aspects of your life, thoughts, feelings, actions, sight, etc. The list could go on and on.

In verse 18 though, it refers to actually doing. As in, actually going somewhere, doing something. In context, we see that its not in a 'singular' aspect - as in we 'do' things in hopes that it is what the Spirit of God is leading us to. Quite the opposite it is - we do things only when the Spirit leads us and guides us.

Here is the difference. The reason we are not 'under the law' when being led by the Spirit is because IF we are being led by the Spirit then we are being led by God - the law giver. Where does that place us?

I see no difference. What is your point in your last bit?