Spirit Led
I have been a Christian since I was in 3rdgrade. I remember desiring to follow the Lord and I wanted to go to heaven when I died. I’m not sure that I loved God as much as I feared going to the hell when I died. Over the years, my faith has definitely grown deeper. I have experienced times of “staleness” and “dryness” in my faith. I have just kept pursuing the Lord. In the last 10 years or so, my faith has grown a lot, because I decided to spend time in the Word each morning before doing anything. At some point, I started writing these little blurbs about what I felt like the Lord said to me as I was reading. By writing it down, I would be more likely to remember it at 4 PM, or really the whole day.
Today as I was reading a small passage that I’ve read many times this week, because I didn’t write anything down until today. I learned that His Word can also do well to marinate a bit in my heart. When I read a passage, it can speak deeper into my heart after I’ve read it several times in a few days. I enjoy the fellowship that I have with the Lord during my morning time. This morning I was reminded to live a life that is totally Spirit led. This little passage came from a small book in the New Testament. Check this out…
17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.(Jude 1:17-22 NLT)
It is way too easy to follow my “natural instincts” and not be led by God’s Spirit. In fact, my first response in many situations it not “What would the Lord have me do here?”. I am learning that I need His Spirit’s counsel every day, all day. He can help me choose good food for my body. He can help me push through a simple workout. He can bring things to my mind that had slipped away. He can lead me into situations where He wants me to connect with another person. If I’m walking out my faith as a Spirit-led child of the King, there are no coincidences or incidental connections that just happen. God is on purpose and on course with plans to work inside my heart and all over my life. He wants to keep me “topped off” with His Spirit so that His life is clearly seen coming out of the pores of my skin! If I’m Spirit led, it should be no secret that I live my life in pursuit of the Father’s heart.
Pressing On!
Dwayne