Israel was led in the wilderness, by the manifest presence of God; but Jesus was led by the spirit. This is better, so we can all disperse throughout the world.
The spirit is gentle. We are not driven. We make our own decisions, and take responsibility for them.
If you are led by the spirit, He's going to lead you into maturity. He going to want you to grow up!
IntroductionI want to share a message called: Sons are led by the spirit of God.
In spite of what you may think, everyone's being led; it's just a decision as to what is leading you, in the decisions and direction of your life.
Main MessageKey verse: Romans 8:14 - "For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God"
When he's talking about leading, he means to guide, or direct; those who are guided or directed by the spirit of God. It means to motivate, by bringing an influence onto someone.
The Holy Spirit moves us, and brings an influence upon our life, that will guide us and lead us. It means to take with one to a destination. When it says we're being led by the spirit, He is taking us on a destination. He's taking us in a direction thats God has purposed for our lives. If you don't listen to the Holy Spirit, you come up with your own plan. How's that working out for you? Not always that good. It means to lead or guide someone, by attaching to them, as someone there to help them.
It's simple, so everyone can do it. To be led by the spirit means to be guided or directed. It means to allow him to move you, or influence you, in a certain direction. It means to follow Him, or let Him lead you to the destination He has for your life. That will vary for everyone, but it will have some things in common.
It means to respond to someone that's with you all the time. The Holy Spirit is given as your coach - everyone's got their own coach. You just need to listen to him. Listen to your coach. The Holy Spirit is a tutor, a personal tutor. You don't say you haven't got anyone, or you don't know anything; you've got the Holy Spirit to teach you. You don't have to be smart. You just need be a good listener, and have a humble heart. The Holy Spirit is our companion; He's with us.
John 14:17 - "... the spirit that's been with you, will now soon be in you..."
He will be within you. When you got born again, God himself came to dwell within you. He's got a reason for doing that. If the Holy Spirit is going to lead us, then He's going to be a friend. If you want the Holy Spirit to lead you, become a friend of the Holy Spirit.
What it doesn't mean... He will not tell you what to do in every part of your life. You're not going to say: God told me this, and God told me that; He's not going to be like that. God does not tell you what to do in every part of your life. He wants you to be responsible for your life. He may remind you; He may speak to you at a certain time; but He's not going to be interrupting your life to tell you what to do all the time. He expects you to grow up and take responsibility for your part in it. He will not control everything.
The Holy Ghost made me do it? No, that's nonsense. He didn't make anyone do anything. He does not control us, in our actions or decisions. You're the one who is in control. If you made a decision, own it. Don't go blaming it on God - that's what immature people do.
The Holy Spirit won't lead you to behave weirdly. He's not into weirdness; although when He manifests, weird stuff happens, but He's not going to cause you to be weird or unwise. In fact, if you're following the Holy Spirit, your decisions and your life will show evidence of wisdom and good fruit. The wisdom from above is gentle and peaceable and open to reason, easily entreated. He's not going to cause you to behave really weirdly, and unwisely, and then... but the Lord told me... No, He didn't tell you; that was something you got wrong. That's not taking responsibility; you made the decision.
In spite of what people think, He doesn't lead us primarily through prophecies. If you're basing your lives on prophecies, that's a mistake. It will lead you to problems. He speaks to us internally, and confirms it through prophecy; so be very careful about letting someone with a prophetic gift tell you where you should go, and what you should do with your life. The prophetic gift, a gift of prophecy is for encouraging, exhorting; but not telling you what to do, and where to go, and who to marry, and what business to start.