How to be led by the Holy Spirit
How to be led by the Holy Spirit
Pastor Keith Hassell
Foundation Scripture; Romans 8:14; Proverbs 20:27
- Two ways to establish direction: 1) To obey His commandments and 2) To heed His voice(Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 28:1)
- In the Old Testament God spoke to His people through prophets but in these last days He speaks to us by His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2. Today we can all be led by the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 36:26, 27)
I. The Inward Witness (Witness of the Holy Spirit)
A. Can be described as a check, green or red light, etc.
B. Romans 8:16 The Spirit bears witness with our spirit
C. I John 5:10 He that believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself
D. Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts in Christ (i.e. let the peace of God “umpire” or determine the direction of your heart)
E. Psalm 18:28 The Lord will light my candle and enlighten my darkness
II. The Inward Voice (Voice of the human spirit)
A. Acts 23:1 Paul before the Sanhedran
B. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Our conscience is a safe guide because of the new birth
C. Romans 14:22-23 Violating our conscience is sin
D. I John 3:20-21 If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart
1. It is not God that condemns us. It is our conscience.
E. I Timothy 4:2 If we continue to violate our conscience then we will become seared. God continues to speak but lose our sensitivity to His voice and our level of conviction diminishes.
F. Our conscience needs to be enlightened to God’s truth so that it can become a more accurate guide
1. Romans 14 Differences in values and convictions. Some have a weak conscience.
2. I Corinthians 8 Eating things sacrificed to idols
3. Romans 13:5 We are to be subject to authorities for the sake of our conscience
4. I Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things
III. Voice of the Holy Spirit
A. Acts 10:19 “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, ‘Behold, three men seek thee.’”
B. The voice of the Holy Spirit is more distinct, clear, and authoritative
C. Can seem so real that it seems someone spoke to you out loud.
D. I Samuel 3 Samuel hears the Lord’s voice
E. This voice usually comes when the direction needs to be highly emphasized
IV. Spiritual Intuition (Listening to your heart)
A. Acts 27:9,10 Paul perceived that the voyage would suffer much damage and loss
B. Spiritual intuition is an inspired “gut feeling” concerning a situation or circumstance.
C. Many times we may not have a “word from the Lord” but we can have a spiritual “gut feeling” about what should be done that can feel as though it has the weight of a word from the Lord.
V. Praying in the Holy Spirit
A. I Corinthians 14:14-15 We can pray in the spirit and seek the interpretation
B. I Corinthians 14:2 Praying in the Holy Spirit is praying mysteries that are not known to the natural mind
VI. Guidance through prophecy
A. Acts 21:4, 8-14 Prophecy should only confirm the direction of the Holy Spirit in your life. Paul received prophetic words followed by a fearful reaction of the disciples. Paul allowed the prophetic warning to confirm what he knew was going to happen but followed the direction of the Holy Spirit in his heart to go to Jerusalem.
B. Acts 13:2 Prophecy confirmed the call that Paul and Barnabas already had received.
VII. Guidance through visions
A. Acts 2:17ff Young men shall see visions
B. Acts 10:1-7 Cornelius receives direction in a vision
C. Acts 10:9-16 Peter receives revelation of God’s work toward the Gentiles in a vision
D. Three types of visions
1. Spiritual vision: Seeing through the eyes of the spirit (Acts 9:8)
2. Trance: Physical senses are suspended. The person does not know where he or she is at that moment.
3. Open vision: Eyes are wide open and all of the physical senses are intact and operating.
VIII. Guidance through dreams
A. Acts 2:17ff Old men shall dream dreams
B. Numbers 12:6 God will speak to prophets through dreams
C. Matthew 2:20-24 Joseph receives direction from God to take Mary as wife
D. Matthew 2:13 Joseph received warning and direction in a dream
IX. Training your spirit man
A. Meditate in the word of God
B. Practice the word of God
C. Give the word of God first place
D. Pray in the Holy Spirit
E. Ask the Lord for wisdom and direction
F. Believe by faith that He will speak to you how He chooses
G. Develop the art of listening
H. Obey the voice of your spirit in the Holy Spirit