Explain "Spiritual Guidance".......

[Tim Myers]

I have never fully and completely understood the term "spiritual guidance".........

People talk about it all the time.........

They say, "Let the spirit guide you" or "Follow the spirit's guidance" or "Allow yourself to be spiritually led."

But, what does this mean??.........

How do you let the spirit guide you??

And how do you really know if it is the spirit guiding you and not just you coming up with what you yourself think is best??

How does one discern the difference between their own thoughts and what they believe the spirit is "saying" to them??

Can anyone explain "spiritual guidance"??........

 

[Isolation]

the word?

I am sure the Lord leads those who are his through out their days. I mean even the Lords prayer says "Lead us not into temptation..." and in other places "Lead me into paths of righteousness". But even the Apostles took scripture as authoritative and it guided them,

 

[jlmagee]

I have never fully and completely understood the term "spiritual guidance".........

People talk about it all the time.........

They say, "Let the spirit guide you" or "Follow the spirit's guidance" or "Allow yourself to be spiritually led."

But, what does this mean??.........

How do you let the spirit guide you??

And how do you really know if it is the spirit guiding you and not just you coming up with what you yourself think is best??

How does one discern the difference between their own thoughts and what they believe the spirit is "saying" to them??

Can anyone explain "spiritual guidance"??........

I heard a teaching by the late Adrian Rogers recently. He explained how the word committed and commitment had suddenly popped into the jargon of the church over so many years. He stated that while commiment is good, he wondered what word had diminished or disappeared over that time frame. He realized a word that he did not hear much and that commitment had taken its place. He used it for another application, but I think it applies here.

Surrender was the word.

That may be the key. Paul states that those who let the spirit guide their lives, overcome the desires of the natural man (Gal. 5:16-26). Paul says that following the natural man produces "sinful results that are very clear" (Gal. 5:19 NLT). Of course these actions are contrasted to the fruits of the spirit.

This is very reminiscent of Jesus speaking to His disciples, "...he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). I have often found the first reaction I have to most stimulus is me, not the Spirit. Pentecostals use to be big on the "Crucify the flesh" phrase; I still like it.

Of course, what does surrender mean? Acts 2:42 may be the simplest form to demonstrate true biblical surrender. I like the term "devoted themselves" that many translations use. This verse implies surrender to the authority of scripture, accountability to a local assembly of believers, service, and earnest prayer.

Does this guarantee that what a believer does is 100% guided by the Holy Spirit 100% of the time? No, but if all of this is taken into consideration and the course of action does not contradict scripture, I think a certain amount of confidence can be placed in the tendencies of that believer being spirit-led.

I think Adrian Rogers hit on something.

 

[logos65]

Galatians 5:13-16
13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occassion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14) For all the law is fulfill in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Paul states here that we serve one another by love. The Holy Spirit will produce love as His work in believers (Romans 5:5; I Thessalonians 1:3).
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 5:6
If one is being lead by the Spirit love will be His fruit unto perfection (I Corinthians 13; John 13:34-35; James 2:9-17; I John 3:16-18).

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3
For one to be lead by the Spirit we must keep our mind on God. Which requires a renewing of our mind (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23-32). For Paul stated after his long statement of mankinds sinful nature (Romans 7:14-24)--"I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:25 This is why Paul tells us that we must bring our thoughts into obedience to Christ (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

Being lead by the Holy Ghost, helps to teach us to glory in Jesus Christ, because every good thing we are to God the Father, is because of what Jesus did for us (I Corinthians 1:29-31; John 15:5). Knowing Jesus, gives us freedom/liberty (John 8:32,36).

 

[WagginDog]

Wow such an interesting question. I like that term surrender jl brought up. I assume that being led by the spirit includes surrendering to your brethren in the sense of seeing them as your betters. It is a humble position, and it recognizes that Christ in us which is the hope of glory. I used to think being spiritually led was about reading the Bible and coming to an individual point of view but not now. I think that is a good thing, however I think to be led by the spirit does requires trusting God to move those around us, because God joined us into a single organism instead of a bunch of little individuals. On the other hand, I also think for myself. I just don't hold my own opinion in the same esteem that I used to, and I think that is a component of what being led by the spirit is. It is humility and faith resulting in surrender of our own way for God's way, so it can mean becoming part of the whole.