The Spirit-Led Life

Scripture

14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:14-16

Observation

The contrast between the Romans 7 Christian and the Romans 8 Christian could be boiled down to one key distinction:  Who’s lead am I I following? For example, the back and forth tug-of-war when led by the flesh looks like this, “14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:14-15)  Contrast that with the Christian who is led by the Spirit of God and knows they are loved by The Father living a life of bold faith with nothing to fear!  In this one chapter The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of life (vs. 2), the Spirit of God (vs. 9), the Spirit of Christ (vs. 9), and the Spirit of Adoption (vs. 15). It’s clear that Paul was driving home the point that the more fully yielded we are to the leading of The Holy Spirit the more completely we will see things work for good according to the purposes of God being accomplished in our lives (vs. 28). This leading of The Holy Spirit starts at the day of salvation and increases with The Baptism of The Holy Spirit and should continue to mark the lives of those who say they follow Jesus. The Greek word translated “led” is a present participle more accurately translated, “as many as are continually being led but The Spirit of God.” In other words the Spirit-Led life is more than the objective knowledge of Scripture and my efforts to obey them.  It’s also the subjective idea of being surrendered to the prompting of The Holy Spirit throughout the day. Both have to be true in the life of the believer. Whatever The Holy Spirit would lead me to do in any given moment will never contradict what He’s already told me to do in His Word. The real adventure begins when I’m fully surrendered to both The Logos (written word) and The Rhema (spoken word) and fear is no longer leading the way!

Application

I have this convicting question running through my mind this morning as I meditate on God’s Word. Am I being led by The Holy Spirit more or less this year than I was last year? If the sign of a mature believer is an increase in their obedience to the leading of God then shouldn’t I be risking more for Jesus and not less? Yet, the “normal” trajectory for most Christians isn’t usually more surrender, but less. Why is that when I look at how I was led by The Holy Spirit when I was younger I’m startled by what I was willing to do for Jesus? There’s a good chance if I was talking to the Jon Burgess of 2004 I’d try to talk him out of what He was being led by God to do. What do you mean you’re going to move away from Kauai and a growing church you’re pastoring to start a church in Seattle where you’ve never lived, with people you don’t even know yet, with a wife and two children and a part time job at Starbucks? Yet, 2004 Jon and Cyndi Burgess were living in the love of The Father and therefore fear had no hold on them. We didn’t make that decision in a vacuum and had many others praying and speaking in to our lives throughout the journey. I marvel at the faith of that 29 year old who planted a church and saw many God things happen every step of the way. I want to be increasingly not decreasingly led by The Spirit. I don’t want my faith to grow cold, careful, and calculated as I mask my fear of failure in the religious lingo of “just being responsible.”

Prayer

I must repent because I have stopped asking a very important question, “Holy Spirit what are you saying and doing in this room?”  This pray of present tense surrender invites Your leading in every place I go. The very fact that I’ve stopped asking that reveals that my soul is headed in the wrong direction. I’ve been trusting myself and my ability too much and have limited the power and leading of Your Spirit too often. Forgive me for being led by fear, convenience, pride, my schedule, my plans instead of being led by Your Spirit. If I really want to see You move in big ways I need to get out of the way and follow Your way!