Stop and think. 

In this moment right now what is leading you? 

The decisions, thoughts, actions you are making in these current minutes, what is influencing them? 

Romans 8:5 

For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.  

What God Says 

God’s Word makes it clear as God’s children we are to be led by His Spirit. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are made right with God, forgiven of our sins and start a personal relationship with God.

Romans 8:6-8

For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace,  because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  

God Gives us His Spirit 

Jesus promised His Spirit to the disciples. He told them to wait for it before beginning their ministry. God’s Spirit is essential for all believers. Without it we cannot become all God intends and cannot have a relationship with Him. 

Romans 8:9 

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.  

The Body & Soul 

We are given a new nature at salvation. Our life is forever changed. God’s Spirit fills us and starts to teach and change us. We are given true life, life abundantly. Our old nature, the sin nature is changed. We are made Holy in Christ and given a new nature. One that wants to follow and obey God. Our old nature cannot trust and obey God. It is forever against God. God in His wisdom helps us obey and follow Him through giving us His Spirit.

Romans 8:10-11

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness. Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you. 

Our Security 

God’s Spirit is the down payment of Heaven. It’s the proof we are His. Through His Spirit we are made one with God and sanctified in Him. God promised His Spirit and freely gives it to all who believe. 

Romans 8:16 

The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children.  

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment. 

Ephesians 1:13-14

And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory. 

Indwelling Spirit

When we receive the Holy Spirit we gain access to God in a whole new way. Through His Spirit we can discern God’s will, God’s ways and God’s guidance for us. His voice can become crystal clear to us if we listen for it. God begins His work in us. He starts to mold us into His likeness.

Ephesians 3:16-19

I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God. 

Leading of the Holy Spirit

How does God’s Spirit lead us?Through gentle whispers, sudden inspiration, jolting conviction, reminders of God’s Word, patient support, and wonderful encouragement. We gain God’s wisdom and understanding. We can see as He does the world around us and the meaning of His Word. 

We have a new connection to God. Through the Holy Spirit we can converse and commune with God. We can know the heart of God. Just listen quietly and feel God within. Ask Him and He will respond. 

God’s Spirit will instruct us in what is good and right. We will feel it. His voice will be clear and full of love, whether teaching, correcting, guiding, comforting, encouraging or even in the silence. Even when God chooses not to respond, He hears and is there for us. He is always faithful and will answer in His perfect timing. Just continue to trust Him.

God’s presence in our life comes from His Spirit. No matter where we are God is with us through His Spirit. We are never alone as He promised. Throughout every day we can rely on God through His Spirit. 

John 14:16-17

Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept because it does not see him or know him. But you know him because he resides with you and will be in you. 

Psalms 25:5 

Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long.

John 16:13-14

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears and will tell you what is to come. He will glorify me because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.  

Listening to the Holy Spirit

His Spirit prompts us, gently talking to our spirit. If we take moments each day to stop and listen, if we give each day to God when we get up and start our day, we can be confident we will hear His Spirit each day. As we walk through our journey with God every day we will learn God’s voice and become more and more attuned to it. We will learn to hear it above all the other voices and noise pulling for our attention every day. 

God’s voice can be subtle, sudden or silent. Through our inner being we can feel Him move and reveal to us His leading. He is gentle and full of love and grace. He patiently speaks to us. He waits for us when we stray. He warns us with conviction and deep correction because of His love for us. 

At times He may even be silent. This doesn’t mean He doesn’t care or is no longer with us. He may be testing our faith or have already told us or have different plans. No matter what, His love and presence surround us. We are never alone and can trust in His sovereignty and goodness.

He is grieved much when we don’t listen and choose the wrong way. He knows where every path leads and like a loving parent He tries to tell and teach us what is good. He is not controlling, we have the freedom to choose, but in His love He will guide us.

Ephesians 4:30 

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  

Ezekiel 36:27 

I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative, and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.  

1 Thessalonians 5:19 

Do not extinguish the Spirit.  

Isaiah  11:2 

The LORD’s Spirit will rest on him— a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the LORD. 

Proverbs 1:23 

You should respond to my rebuke. Then I would pour out my thoughts to you; I would make my words known to you.

Romans 8:14 

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.  

Flesh of Nature 

Our nature is corrupted by sin. Our hearts are evil. Our will is bent against God. We are all born this way. 

Since the fall and the entrance of sin we have been damaged and unable to fix ourselves. We have fallen from the perfect creation God originally created.

Through Christ and His Spirit in us we are being remade and God is reversing the damage. When we return home or Christ returns the transformation will complete.

Philippians 1:6 

For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. 

Mark 7:21-23

For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.   All these evils come from within and defile a person.” 

Romans 3:10-18

just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;, there is no one who understands;, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away;,together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves;, they deceive with their tongues;, the poison of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood;, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 

The Devil’s Influence 

Every day the devil spreads his influence. He prowls looking for opportunities to fill our minds and hearts with his lies. He uses everything of this world to impact us. Especially as God’s children we are the devil’s target. 

He keeps us quiet. He keeps us busy. He preoccupies our thoughts. He distracts our attention. He throws us off track. We so easily can be pulled away and slip away from God’s side. Sin so quickly and slyly enters in. Doubt and worry invade.

When we are rooted and ready by keeping our focus on Christ and in His Word we can resist the devil’s influence. Pray always, read God’s Word daily, keep God at the center of your life, spend time alone with God. Then we will learn God’s ways and grow in our trust and faith in Him. Our eyes will clearly recognize the wrong paths and our hearts will be filled with the presence and power and peace of God.

When we find ourselves in sin, distracted in prayer or life, worried or anxious, too busy for God, or anything else that is not of God, no matter what or how far we are, we can choose God again. We can go to Him and receive forgiveness and grace. He will pick us up to start again. It doesn’t matter how many times either. God is always there. He loves you and will always accept you back.

Ephesians 4:27 

Do not give the devil an opportunity.  

1 John 3:8 

The one who practices sin is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.  

James 4:7 

So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.  

1 Peter 5:8-11

Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering.  And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen. 

1 John 1:9 

But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.  

Other Spirits

Another way is being influenced by Spirits not of God, but of the Devil. The fallen angels and spirits that are now demons serving the devil. We are spiritual beings and there is a spirit world around us. If we let them we will be influenced by the darkness around us and not by God’s Spirit within us. 

Voices come from all directions calling to us, but we must decipher God’s voice. God’s voice will never bring confusion or strife. God’s voice and presence brings peace inside our hearts. 

The devil comes to destroy. He lies and manipulates. Darkness and destruction follows the devil everywhere. We must keep watch. The best way to do that is to keep close to God. 

Everything we take in, everything we hear, read or see, must be tested. God’s Word is our guide and measuring stick for all we consume. God’s Holy Spirit within is our compass for our path. Prayer is our key to God bringing both together and connecting us to the truth. 

1 Corinthians 2:15 

The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.  

Ephesians 5:6-10

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience.  Therefore do not be sharers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light— for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 

Ephesians 5:15-17

Therefore consider carefully how you live—not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. 

Tuning into God’s Voice 

Daily we can choose to listen to God’s voice inside us. He may choose different means and methods to speak to us. Whether through our hearts, His Word, church, ministries, others, music, circumstances, casual meetings, television, social media and more. God will use it all for His purposes and plan in your life. We must be discerning in the voices we hear. Relying on God, He will help us hear His voice clearly and with distinction apart from any other voice we hear.

John 10:27 

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  

Luke 11:28 

But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

God’s Presence & Peace 

As we listen we will find God’s all encompassing peace and presence in our hearts and life. We will know when we hear God’s voice. We will be surrounded by His love. He will give us peace and hopefrom Heaven. 

As God leads us by His Spirit our view will change and our hearts will be content. When we look to Him in every moment and situation, no matter what we feel or face, no matter what other voices pull us, God’s voice will stand out above all else.

When we tune into God and hone our reception of His voice we will know His without a doubt. Let God be your leader now and forever in every moment from now on. Seek Him always.

1 Chronicles 16:11 

Seek the LORD and the strength he gives. Seek his presence continually! 

Romans 8:12-13

So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh  (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  

Romans 8:14-15

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.”  

Romans 8:16-17

The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)—if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.

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