Introduction
But I say, walk and live habitually in the Holy Spirit – responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit – then you will not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh – the human nature without God. (Gal.5:16. Amp.)
This Scripture sums things up very well, and it is to this walk we strive to devote ourselves.
Righteousness and peace
If we wish to walk hand and hand with God and to be led by His Spirit, we must be in good relationship with Him. The peace of God is to guide us in all our decisions, but we cannot have peace if we are in conflict with God because of unrighteousness and sin. It is OUR responsibility to ensure that we are in the state where we can rightly expect to be able to communicate with God.
“Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other”. (Psalm 85:10) “A man ought to examine himself before he eats” (1.Cor 11:28.) “be reconciled with God … ” (2.Cor.5:20b-21.)
Establishing right relationship with God
i. Be still and wait The Holy Spirit may give us ideas and thoughts spontaneously throughout the day. But we need to regularly spend time to be quiet before God, to communicate with Him and to allow Him to communicate with us. How? This too is something that is to be learned. (Psa 46:10 NRSV) “Be still, and know that I am God!
Here are a few ideas: – find some place away from distractions and reasonably comfortable. – let go of striving and relax; the attitude of faith says that God is in touch with us and responding whether we “feel” it or not. -Jesus is the focus of our attention, not ourselves; begin your time with God with love and worship of Jesus. -read a small part of the Bible to help focus your attention. – keep a notebook handy to write down ideas and thoughts that come to you.
ii. Learn to listen subjectively We must learn to recognise the voice of our spirit and hear and respond to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the teacher. He will lead you and teach you gently, carefully and well. Be willing to learn.
iii. God will rarely communicate . . .
a. If we have not obeyed what He has last said to us.
b. If we ask something that is not our business to know or is beyond our present understanding. Concentrate on “what?” and “how?” rather than “why?” e.g. (Judg 13:18 NRSV) But the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful.”
c. If we ask from wrong motives. (James 4:3 NRSV) You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.
d. If we are under pressure God’s answer is often not to remove the pressure, but to teach us to overcome it or adjust our life in some other way through faith. (Rom 5:1-5 NRSV) Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. [3] And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that (who?) has been given to us.
iv. Have a submitted life. God has established authorities. There is an order in the ecclesia. Children are to submit to parents, wives to husbands, people to elders of the church, and elders to each other. (Note: there is no such person as “senior” or “chief” Elder.)
(Rom 13:1-2 NRSV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Eph 5:21-24 NRSV) Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. [22] Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church (Col 3:20 NRSV) Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. (1 Pet 5:1-5 NRSV) Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you [2] to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it —not for sordid gain but eagerly. [3] Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. [4] And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. [5] In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders
Training ourselves to be led by the Spirit
i. Meditate on the Word. Prosperity and success comes through meditation on the Word. With this meditation on God’s word to us there is a need to think on good things. Take this time to feed your inner man/woman. Being born again is the birth of your human spirit. Your human spirit is indwelt by the Spirit of God and informed constantly by Him. Your new human spirit needs to become a stronger and more authoritative voice in your life. This will only happen if you feed your spirit on the good food of the Word of God and keep your thoughts pure and wholesome.
(Josh 1:8 NRSV) This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. (Phil 4:8-9 NRSV) Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
ii. Give the Word first place. Always give priority to what the Bible teaches.
iii. Practice the Word. (James 1:22 NRSV) But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
iv. Pray in tongues. Prayer in tongues is from our spirit and gives strength. It edifies. (1 Cor 14:4 NRSV) Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves,
v. Obedience. The more we obey the inner witness the easier it becomes to know when God is communicating with us, and the easier it is to obey, and so on. God communicates with us through our spirits for this is where He comes to dwell. (1 John 4:15 NRSV) God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God.
PRESENT YOUR BODY – RENEW YOUR MIND – FEED YOUR SPIRIT
Balance
In these chapters and we will consider the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit and the importance of balance in the believer’s walk and ministry. The central concept is maintain balance between these two aspects of serving the Lord, and to realise that fruit grows in our lives, but gifts are given into our ministry as the Holy Spirit decides.
We are called to rightly divide (use & understand) the Word of truth. Wise balance is particularly important with gifts and fruit as too much emphasis one way or the other can distort our pathway and create problems in fulfilling our individual lives and ministry.
(2 Tim 2:15 NRSV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.
Overbalance toward fruit leads to a powerless ministry; overemphasis on gifts often brings forth harsh and graceless ministering to those in need.
Notice that there are nine fruit of the Spirit and nine gifts of the Spirit
= BALANCE !
Be very clear that these manifestations are not the result of the human nature. We are not speaking of human love, human joy, human peace etc. We speak herein of the works of the Holy Spirit and all are supernatural fruit and supernatural gifts. These “spirituals” come from the Holy Spirit by God’s grace.