How to be led by the Spirit

‘On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. The Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and travelled from place to place …’Numbers 10:11-12

The Spirit of God led the Israelites through the desert by moving the pillar of fire and cloud that was present over the tabernacle. In the same way as disciples of Jesus each one of us needs to learn how the Holy Spirit leads us today so that we also can follow him into all our Father has given us in the kingdom.

The first way, (the most obvious way), that we come into our inheritance is through reading and studying exactly what the Lord has already taught about how, through the leading of the Spirit, we can participate in the kingdom. The Spirit speaks to us through the scriptures. Indeed, all scripture is words that have been breathed out by the Holy Spirit and written down. The scriptures themselves, especially the New Testament, describe what the kingdom is and how we can enter in and participate in it now. For example, Mark 8:34 - 9:1 where Jesus clearly promises that some would see the Kingdom of God come with power before they died. So, we need to listen to, study and obey all that Jesus taught.

Another thing that Jesus promises right at the beginning of this journey is that he will not leave us as orphans, John 14:18. And this is exactly what happens because from the moment that a person repents and turns to Christ as Lord the Father sends his Spirit to live in them. Paul writes; ‘And because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his son into our hearts crying ‘Abba. Father’. The Spirit testifies with our Spirit that we are children of God. To be led by the Spirit is to live as a child with your heavenly Father. We are safe. We are on a journey. A very exciting journey.

The Lord leads us by the Spirit through prophetic revelation.

And as we grow and develop in our discipleship, we learn to be led by the Spirit in prayer. The Holy Spirit is the master prayer. We learn how to pray in the Spirit as we learn how to pray with the Spirit. Some people talk about ‘nudges’. As we wait on the Lord in prayer, we learn to sense the ‘nudges’ of the Spirit; pray this, pray about that, but in this way, forgive that person deeply, bless that person (however awkward they may be).

Sometimes the Spirit of God leads us through our circumstances. If we think such and such an idea is the way forward and then the door closes, then we can be sure that the Lord has a better way. (For example, we may be seeking the Lord about a different job. But if that particular job is offered to someone else, then we can be deeply confident that the Lord has a better, but different plan for us.)

And at other times, the Lord will cause wise and godly people to speak to us, helping us to see a good way forward. As Luke records in Acts 18:26 Priscilla and Aquila were able to explain the gospel to Apollos more adequately (excellently).