HOLY SPIRIT - LEAD US
HOLY SPIRIT – LEAD US
Sunday, August 24, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Romans 8: 14-16: “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
There is a song from the 90’s that I am the only one who seems to remember, the lyrics are, “Holy Spirit walk among us, reveal to us your perfect plan.”
Being led by the Spirit of God according to the word of God is a sign of son-ship according to Romans 8:14.
John 3: 5-8: Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, you must be born again. The wind blows where is wishes and you hear the sound, and you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell when it comes and where it goes; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
We are “born again” by the blowing of the winds of God. We cannot tell when they come or where they go. How then can we plan, arrange and predetermine our course of life?
We are born into the Kingdom of God in a way which cannot be understood by the human intellect. The same winds of Heaven that brought us into the Kingdom by the drawing of the Holy Spirit are the same winds of Heaven that will carry us along in the currents of His will---if we are not afraid of those heavenly currents. We can neither plan the day of our birth, nor choose our calling in life. It is all according to the sovereign moving of the sweet Holy Spirit in our lives, revealing Christ, and making us to know that we are born into an entirely new realm that is not subject to natural law.
This is the realm of joy unspeakable and full of glory. It is the realm of “no more tears, never crying again.” It is the realm of growth, grace, love, righteousness, peace and joy.
It is also the realm of discipline of the Lord to bring us away from the old man we are in Adam; and to cause us to walk and think in the new life that we have in Christ.
The Apostle John speaks of a threefold expression of those born into the Kingdom of God, Little Children, Fathers and Young Men.
1 Jo. 2: 12-13: “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because you have known the father.”
God’s desire for His children is their last days should be their strongest. Their frame may be in a state of decline; but God has provided a quickening by His Spirit, where our weaknesses are overshadowed with His strength. The resurrection life of Jesus actively functions within us.
As the “outward man” perishes, there is a renewal of the “inward man---day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).
The Young men are strong because like the Son of God, their elder Brother, they do nothing by themselves. They are totally dependent upon the Father for the direction, guidance, and the strength they need in all they do.
The wisdom of God teaches us that if we want to find ourselves flowing in the eternal purposes of God, we lay aside all our own desires, thoughts, pursuits, and ambitions in life. That is a lot to lay aside, but I can promise that once we have yielded, he will return everything to us with his Glory on it. Anything that is left behind, we didn’t need anyway.
We must walk with God if we are to discover the mind of the Spirit. God ordains all things according to His own plan and purpose. If we are to become part of that plan, we must be moved to flow in it by the sweet Holy Spirit.
The Word of God abides in us, nurturing with truth and understanding. Men of faith all through history were men or women who waited for God and were quick to respond to His voice when He made Himself known.
Yet each one of us must sail our own troubled seas according to God’s specific dealings with us. “In this world you will have trials and tribulations of be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus Christ has overcome the world. The only path to our becoming strong young men is that we follow the path of Jesus Christ. It is the sweet Holy Spirit who leads us to Jesus. When we are led by the Spirit, we find ourselves apprehended in the pathway of God, and become a part of His eternal purposes.
This is the most exciting and fulfilled life that is available to mankind.
The plans and purposes of God are vast, complicated, and incomprehensible. We must never try to meddle with that. The Holy Spirit gives us vision and hope. This hope cleanses and purifies. We cannot say, “I know this is God’s plan so I am going to seek to fulfill it.” It is enough that we simply seek Him and learn to do His will through the gift of Grace.
Only then will we begin to relate and to coincide with the eternal purpose of God within His Kingdom as it relates to our destiny and purpose.
As we are faithful to do the will of God, God will be faithful to show us what His will is. But if we start working on God’s objective, rather than seeking Him, we are seeking to do God’s work, and will end up in distress, perplexity, frustration and dismal failure.
Isa. 55:8: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.”
We as the Church fall short in this area. Men promote their programs and agendas on a spiritual ego trip.
With much heart searching and repentance, we are consumed with His love and His truth. Then God is able to send us forth by the Holy Spirit to invade the kingdoms of darkness.
The New Testament church never got involved with all manner of human programming. They waited upon God until they were fired with the breath of Heaven---fired with his love and truth---and then God sent them.
Any true child of God in the 21st century must be grieved and pained to behold the horrendous conditions in the world about us---the wars, rumors of wars, within and without, sexual perversion, abuse of children, the list goes on and on.
If our passion were great enough, we would cry out to the Lord for the power, authority and Glory we need to break the bands off this nation and the nations of the world.
The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, but there are many stumbling blocks in our lives that cause our prayers to be powerless: Some of these are:
- Materialism (Phil 2: 1-5) – an intercessor prays for others and is not self-absorbed.
- Uncleanness (Ps. 24: 3-6) – a principled person walks free from the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life.
- Rebellion (Mt. 6:10) – An over-comer is humble and seeks wholly after the Lord.
- Ignorance (Eph. 6:13) – An intercessor, who is enlightened to what the Spirit of God is saying to the Church; not a fox who will run in fear.
The Over-comer is a person of character with concern for the glory and the Name of God; compassion and love with the nature of God; and consistency (they will never accept defeat).
Our pursuit is not to acquire more and more knowledge, but to know his will and to walk in the ways of truth. Only then can his purposes be fulfilled in our lives and in the lives of his people.
Ps. 32: 8-9: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will guide you with my eye. Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, less they come near unto you.”
We thank the Lord for the restraint of the “bit and bridle” when we need it, but the disciplined son of God does not require it---for the reins of God are in his heart and his delight is in doing the will of the Father.
Prov. 6: 21-22: “Bind then continually upon your heart, and tie them about your neck. When you go, it shall lead you, when you sleep, it shall keep you; when you wake, it shall talk with you.”
Let the Word of God be close to our heart. Tie it about our heart. When the church of the 21st century becomes planted and rooted in God, they will not be constantly running to and fro in this direction or in that following every new wind of doctrine.
Then and only then will truth be wrought in the inward parts and our desires motivated toward God. We will not fall into deception, for the sweet Holy Spirit will guard us even in our times of Sleep. The Truth talks with us, and reveals to us more and more of the hidden treasures of His grace, wisdom and knowledge.
David prayed, “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart, test my motives, O LORD.” God is looking for a “willing “ people whose hearts are motivated toward Him.
God takes the reins of our hearts to see if we are looking for success, recognition and achievement, or simply for Him. The Holy Spirit is a liberating Spirit; but as we walk in the Spirit we will soon discover that the pathway of true liberty is a pathway which liberates us from ourselves.
If we are faithful to submit to the Holy Spirit of Truth then “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”. The Holy Spirit will lead us into living truth and into realms heavenly and spiritual.
If we are moving in the Spirit, and walking in God’s will, we will always discover that we are in God’s place at God’s time.
The Holy Spirit coming to abide in His people is to guide us “into all truth”. He will lead us into spiritual realms, where we are seated with Christ “in the heavenlies”---a place in God where we recognize we are “dead” as far as the world is concerned, and our life is “hid with Christ in God”. God will lead us to His own heart and into “perfect love”---for this is the ultimate end of our journey.
There is no fear in love. Perfect love cast out fear because fear has torment.
This is the “end” of the journey for those who are led by the Holy Spirit---an “end” that is swallowed up in eternity. He brings our heart to the heart of God. We struggle no more with the tangled underbrush of the wilderness way. The Law of the Spirit of Life working in His people has brought us into the full desire of God’s heart.
We find our home in God---and God finds his home in us.”
Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries Church
Scripture from K.J.V
I entered into the labors of George H. Warnock, “Chain Reaction in Realms of the Spirit”, P. O. Box 652, Cranbrook, BC, Canada VIC 4J2 – Many of Rev. Warnock’s books are now in the public domain and available on the internet.
John 15:26: When the Comforter has come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.”
John 16:13: “When He, the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come.”