My point exactly. Well said.
Led by the Spirit versus led by the Word. (the Bible)
You know the difference.
Do you have a personal testimony you can share about the leading of the Spirit? (God)
God leads, and has led, me many times and in different ways.
Sometimes I have had a strong impression that I should go somewhere or do something, and that has led to meeting a person, getting news of a work, or volunteering, opportunity, or hearing news of an illness that has resulted in a visit to that person.
Sometimes I have done something without really knowing why I was doing it, it's led to something else and yet it may have all appeared to have "just happened". This has led to comments, from non Christians, like, "that was lucky", "right place, right time", "the universe is telling you to/you're meant to". I don't believe in luck, coincidence or the universe telling me something; I believe in God's guidance.
Three specific examples come to mind.
I don't drive. Years ago, when I was ill with M.E. it was very difficult to get around, and to church in particular. One day, my Minister was praying with me and specifically asked that I might be able to get around a little better/my transport problem would be solved. Some time after that, I woke at 9.00 a.m. one day (this was very early for me, it was usually around 10.15) and thought "I need to go to Woking" (a town in Surrey, UK.) When I got there, I went to hire a scooter from the mobility shop and discovered that they were selling off old stock. So I ended the day with a mobility scooter which, though old and quite slow, did the job and I was able to get to church etc.
Years ago, I was training as a lay preacher in my church, and I was also the senior steward. I still had M.E. so this was more than enough for me, yet one day I strongly felt that I was being asked to apply for a job as a lay worker in the church. I actually told God that it was ridiculous, that I hadn't got the energy for such a job, and that there wasn't time before the deadline. I did pluck up the courage to ring for an application form, thinking it would do little good. I later heard that the Minister had been told that I wanted to apply and, even though the deadline was that day, immediately replied "extend the deadline." I went for an interview for the job, and spent the evening waiting for the phone to ring because I knew I would be offered it. I was.
A few months after moving to our current address I woke up one morning, literally with the thought "I'm going to Bala today". (Bala, in Wales, has an exhibition about Mary Jones - the girl who saved up for a Bible, walked 25 miles to a Minister's house to get one, found that he didn't have any left, but was later given 3 Bibles to keep, or give away to others. This incident led to the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society.)
Anyway, on the way to Bala, we passed a local park which was hosting a Charity fair. My husband stopped and allowed me to have a quick look round, as he knew I wanted to start some voluntary work. I spent several minutes at one of the stalls and then, on the way out, passed a stall that was being run by The Samaritans. I knew a little about them, so I stopped, briefly, to say, "you do great work". Before I knew it, someone gave me an invitation to an information evening - and I've now been there for 5 years.
In each of the above I believed that God led, or guided, me. I couldn't check it out by looking in the Bible, because, though the Bible says that God will guide us, it doesn't give details, or instructions, about applying for specific jobs, and so on.
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