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Being led by Holy Spirit?
The Christian is to be led by the Holy Spirit (Rom8:14) and is to walk in the Spirit Gal5:16; Gal5:18); so this is an important subject that we are looking at tonight so it is not misunderstood or misapplied.
Lead by the Spirit, you are sons of God
We are called to walk by the Spirit
and when you walk by the Spirit, you are not under the Law
So, how does the Holy Spirit lead the Christian?
Is it by the Word only?
Is it through feelings, impressions, visions, dreams, etc.?
May we come through this lesson and not be confused but be educated to what the scripture has to say for there is much confusion.
But God is not the God of confusion is He?
“The Spirit led me to do this. . .
.”
Or people withing Christiandom who claim to be operating
“under the Spirit of God by revelation”
May the scripture speak (Jn16:13; 1Cor14:33)
The Spirit will lead (did lead, will expand more in a few minutes) into all truth and all truth is not confusing.
As we continue there was a concensus of most commentators and I will bring in some of that to help us along.
How the Spirit Leads the Christian
Both externally and internally, what the scholars say, externally and internally what the Word says, and what about that indwelling?
David Lipscomb speaking on Rom8:14 says this
“The leading is both internal and external.
To whatever extent the Holy Spirit by its indwelling strengthens the human spirit to enable it to control the flesh, to that extent the leading is internal;”
He goes on to say
“When brought to bear on the heart in the New Testament, enlighten and strengthen, and so enable it to keep the body in subjection, to that extent the leading is eternal.”
So, it seems that the Spirit works internally and externally working together in the Christian.
He is not alone, Moses Lard in his commentary on Romans, using 8:14 and again only will give partial quote for the quote itself is too long.
He starts with some good questions and let’s stop on those just for a minute before moving on to his thoughts?
Before replying to the overall question, external/internal first we must ask
Who are led?
(something to ponder; why you believe what you believe)
Certainly it is not the unconverted is it?
Christians receive the Holy Spirit upon conversion (Act2:38) it is by the work of the Spirit (1Pt1:2)
at conversion and the power for the conversion
We can agree that is the Christian who has the Spirit and it is the Christian who is led by the Spirit and is to walk in the Spirit.
Again, God is not a God of confusion, so no confusion here.
Now to get to what Moses, Moses Lard deduces.
“Holy Spirit by its indwelling strengthens the human spirit, to enable it to control the flesh, to that extent the leading is internal.”
“To whatever extent the motives of the gospel, when brought to bear on the mind in the written word, enlighten and strengthen it, and enable it to keep the body in subjection, to that extent the leading is external.”
“The leading, then, consists of the whole of the influences of every kind, spent by the Holy Spirit on the human spirit. .
.”
I know we have not used a lot of scripture yet, we are really just expounding on Rom8:14, but before moving on, just one more, and I think it was the most simplistic one.
This one by J.W. McGarvey on the same passage.
“The Spirit leads both externally and internally.
Externally the Spirit Supplies the gospel truth as set forth in the New Testament.”
Gospel truth for salvation, for sanctification for maturing the body and holding the body together in unity.
“Internally, the Spirit aids by ministering strength and comfort to the disciples in his effort to conform to the revealed truth and will of God.”
We know the Spirit helps us in our infirmities (Rom8:26)
Strengthens us in the inner man (Eph3:16)
Produces fruit in the believer (Gal5:22-23)
Now we have some commentators views, but let’s see what the scripture shows about external and internal.
The Spirit leads externally through the Word
The Word is the instrument used by the Spirit to instruct and convict
To convict the world (Jn16:7-11)
To lead the apostles into all truth (Jn16:12-13; Act20:27; 2Pt1:3)
Need to keep things in context so let me give a couple more verses.
Add to that what Paul had to say, that He proclaimed the whole purpose, counsel of God.
Then what Peter said.
What they received by the Words of Christ, the preached (1Cor2:9-13; Eph3:3-5; Eph6:17)
Paul speaking of what was given to them, the apostles, what Jesus said was going to be given to them back in Jn16.
They preached it so we may understand it.
How did we come to understand it?
By the Word, the Word of Christ given to the Apostles and recorded us in which we chose to know, believe and study.
I mentioned that the Word was the instrument that the Spirit used, one more scripture comes to mind (Eph6:17)
Danger in resisting, rejecting the Spirit through the Word too (Act7:51-53; 1Cor14:36-37)
When we reject the word from the prophets, from the apostles we are rejecting the Spirit.
Not the words of man, the words, commands of the Lord! .
So, we need to set our mind on the things of the Spirit, through the revealed Word of God.
We will live according to the Spirit (Rom8:5)
We will experience life and peace (Rom8:6)
Setting your mind (eternally) leads to the walking in the Spirit (externally)
Will not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Gal5:16)
Will be lead by the Spirit (Gal5:18)
Let me give it in context not just a couple of verses
Will produce fruit of the Spirit (Gal5:22-23)
You want to be led by the Spirit, let Him lead you through His Word!
Now that brings us to another internal item the indwelling.
Works internally by strengthening the inner man (Eph3:16)
Works so we can work out our salvation (Php2:12-13; Php4:13)
and add to that
Again, it is the Spirit that God’s instrument to strengthen the Christian and to put to death the things of the flesh (Rom8:13-14; Rom8:11)
Led by the Spirit are the ones that have life given to them by the Spirit.
So working hand in hand with the Word the Spirit aids us in
Supplying what strength we may need
So fruit of the Spirit maybe produced (Gal5:22-23)
And it will produce Christ like character (2Pt1:5-10)
So, externally by the Word; internally by the strengthening as shown through the scripture.
But don’t be mislead or have any misconceptions about the lading of the Spirit so may we look at how the Spirit does not lead us (according to the scripture).
How the Spirit does not lead the Christian
As we look at this next section, it maybe very unpopular in a society that lives and breathes on emotions and feelings as well as intuition, but what does God, who is not about confusion, have to say?
Don’t get your feelings and your intuitions confused with the leading of the Spirit for that is contrary to the Word after the whole counsel of God was given (the Bible)
The Spirit does not lead through subjective means (Act16:6-7)
In this passage we see the Spirit forbad them, the Spirit did not permit them.
We do now know if it was by vision, or by some audible way, but this was a time when the miraculous was still happening to the Apostles.
The apostles were not led by their feelings or they would have gone into Asia.
What we can know about feelings and the heart (Pro28:26; Jer17:9)
Don’t be a fool, and don’t be deceived
What may seem good, what may seem right, may not be right (Pro14:12; Act26:9)
And how about this one
Again remember God is not the God of confusion (1COr14:33) - God is not subjective, but has given us the objective by which to know the truth (2Tim3:16-17)
The standard is the Word of God that fully equips all men who follow the teaching (doctrine) of the Holy Spirit that was given to the Apostles and Prophets.
Another subjective way the Christian is not led by the Spirit is through visions and dreams; and I need to cover quickly if you want to make it home at a decent hour this evening.
At one time by visions (Act16:9-10)
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