The Leading of the Holy Spirit...Craig Denison Ministries

 The Leading of the Holy Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As believers, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Teacher, Friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom in our lives are our greatest gifts while here on earth. Through him we have access to direct connection with our heavenly Father. Through him we receive spiritual gifts to empower us. And through him we are able to bear the incredible fruit of abundant life. Open your heart and mind to all that the Holy Spirit would give you, show you, and lead you to this week.

Scripture:“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” - >Romans 8:14

Devotional:

Where do you need leadership in your life? What challenge, decision, or circumstance is weighing on you? Where do you need a word from God today? We have available to us the most perfect guide to lead us throughout the twists, turns, and challenges of this adventurous life. The Bible says in Romans 8:14, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” As children of the Most High God, we are granted full access to the leadership of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. No child of God is exempt from the leadership of the Spirit. We don’t earn access by our own merit. We don’t gain more favor to receive more leadership. God has given us all the gift of the Holy Spirit because he loves us. He has filled us with his Spirit because he longs to lead us into the abundant life he has planned for us. So, let’s learn today how we can better discover and follow this gift of leadership we’ve all been granted through Christ in the Holy Spirit.

First, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit and the word work perfectly together. One does not contradict the other. Both the Holy Spirit and the word he inspired are vital in living the Christian life. And God’s word says in Galatians 5:16-18, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” The leadership of the Spirit is in direct opposition to the lifestyle of the world. His desire is always to lead us away from sin that entangles us in the perspectives and pressures of the world toward a lifestyle of peace, joy, and intimate relationship with our heavenly Father. All of his leadership is purposed toward the goal of abundant life in God, of the fullness of satisfaction in God rather than the weak and fleeting pleasure in things of the world.

So how do we follow this person of the Holy Spirit toward that abundant life? Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” How do we “keep in step with the Spirit”?It all starts with spending time getting to know what the Holy Spirit is like. He has a personality. He has a voice. His leadership feels a certain way. Just as you get to know a person, you can get to know the Holy Spirit. And the absolute best way to learn about him is one-on-one. Often we wait until we are in public, or right before a highly stressful situation, to ask for the guidance of the Spirit. But it’s in the secret place that we learn what his voice and leading sounds and feels like so that we can discern his guidance out in the rush and stress of the world. It’s in the secret place that we grow in relationship with the Holy Spirit so that we can follow his steps throughout the twists and turns of our day.

John 16:13 says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” The Holy Spirit is excited to speak to you what he hears from the heavenly Father. He longs to declare to you God’s plans to love you, provide for you, heal you, transform you, and deliver you. He longs to lead you to the fullness of life available to you here. Spend time getting to know the Holy Spirit in the secret place today. As you pray ask God to reveal himself to you. Spend time in prayer resting in the presence of the God who dwells within you, who is nearer to you than the very ground beneath your feet.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to lead you into abundant life.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” >Romans 8:14

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” >John 10:10

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal himself to you. Spend time learning about who he is. Ask him to speak to you and to reveal the way his leadership feels.

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:16

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” >John 16:13

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” Acts 13:2   

“For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements.” Acts 15:28

3. Open up your life to the Holy Spirit. Ask him to reveal to you things he wants to lead you away from. Ask him to show you the life he wants to lead you to. And commit to following his leadership today.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” >Galatians 5:16-18

When you have opportunities to indulge in the flesh, choose life in the Spirit instead. When you feel a desire to avenge yourself, promote yourself, slander someone, or engage in a sinful activity, choose life in the Spirit instead. Choose to love God and others. Live in step with the Spirit and discover the amazing life he longs to guide you into today.

Extended Reading: Romans 8

Overcoming the Barrier of Inadequacy...Dr. Charles Stanley

 Overcoming the Barrier of Inadequacy

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

No one likes feelings of inadequacy, but they are something we must learn to handle, as none of us can avoid them permanently. Tragically, though, many people live with a cloud over their head because in their thinking, they never measure up. For some, this may be due to childhood experiences that negatively affected their self-image. For others, the problem stems from a lack of success related to work, relationships, marriage, parenting, or any number of things.

The area Paul deals with in today's passage is our Christian life. He asks a question that points to a common insecurity: "Who is adequate for these things?" (v. 16). Have you ever avoided serving the Lord in ways that challenge your comfort zone? If so, you've probably missed a tremendous opportunity to overcome feelings of inadequacy. He's promised to lead us "in triumph in Christ," (v. 14) but unless we believe Him and step out in faith, we'll never experience the life He has planned for us.

Feeling inadequate is not a sin, but using it as an excuse is. When the Lord challenges you to do something that you feel is beyond your abilities, you have two options. You can focus on Christ and proceed in triumph or focus on yourself and withdraw in defeat.

It's really a matter of faith. God would never ask you to do something without empowering you to accomplish it. This doesn't necessarily mean you will do it perfectly, but each step of obedience is a victory. The alternative is to play it safe, but then you'll miss out on God's best for your life.

Names of God and What They Mean...By Allyson Holland

 Names of God and What They Mean

By Allyson Holland

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in you.” (Psalm 9:10)

How well do you know God? His character? His heart? 

It’s not enough to know about God. It’s through His biblical names that you can become intimately acquainted with Him. When you understand the meanings of God’s names then you will understand His character and His heart. He wants you to know Him. He wants to be in close personal relationship with you.

Names of God: Elohim

God is Elohim—He is your Creator.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Have you given much thought to the power God used to create the universe? How about God’s insanely creative imagination as He designed planet earth? Whether it’s hiking in the mountains, enjoying some time at the beach, or taking a leisurely walk through the woods, there’s no denying that nature is one way to connect with Elohim.   

Names of God: Abba

God is Abba—He is your Father.

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

When you place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, God adopts you into His forever family. You bear His name—Christian. And you are known as one of His children by your behavior. How wonderful to be able to call God such an intimate name—Abba.      

Names of God: Jehovah Ro'i

God is Jehovah Ro’i—He is your Shepherd. 

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

The English countryside is breathtaking. The green pastures and grazing sheep are picturesque. It’s easy to imagine what it must have been like to walk the earth while shepherds watched their flocks at night. Sheep without a shepherd quickly go astray. They may even lose their way. 

Do you find yourself feeling alone? Like you’re wandering around in life with no guidance or direction, kind of like a sheep without a shepherd? Well, Jesus is your good shepherd and He is always with you and always watching over you. And even when you don’t think you can continue to go on in your own strength, He is there to carry you through when you need Him most. He is your Jehovah Ro’i.

 

A Prayer to Guard against Grumbling...By Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Guard against Grumbling

By Emily Rose Massey

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:14-15, ESV). 

When it comes to sin in our life, sometimes we attempt to overlook or give excuses for our behavior if we feel like our actions are justified because of our circumstances. For example, when I am sleep deprived, my flesh thinks it perfectly acceptable for me to deal out a hefty dose of sarcasm to my seven-year-old who has asked me the same question twelve times before my morning coffee or to murmur under my breath that I can’t believe my husband left his glass of milk from the night before on the floor again and, of course, the toddler just dumped it all over the living room right on cue.

But those actions do not glorify God, and they are rooted in sin. If I am a child of God, His Spirit will bring conviction to my heart with His Word because it is my heart that needs attention and change. When I’m tempted to complain, which we are all naturally prone to every single day, this passage from Philippians 2 comes to mind to bring truth to my heart:

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:14-15, ESV).

As God’s children, we are not to grumble. We must remember that, ultimately, grumbling is complaining against the sovereign God of the universe and saying He isn’t good, which is sinful. When we complain, we should repent, reset our mind by thinking on things above, and rejoice and give thanks to God for His graciousness towards us. There are new mercies available to us every single morning. Perhaps it would be a beneficial habit to create a daily list of things that you are grateful for to help cultivate a heart of contentment and gratitude. Despite hardships and inconveniences in our life and relationships, we are called to rejoice and find our joy in Christ. It all comes down to the attitude and posture of our heart. 

How about your attitude when you disagree with someone, or they have offended you? When you are in a disagreement with someone, do you want to be right more than you want to pursue unity with that person? Do you allow a bad attitude to drag you into unnecessary arguments or even gossip to complain to someone else instead of going directly to the person who you are annoyed or upset with? Disagreements are inevitable, but most of all, God cares about our attitude during disagreements and doesn’t want us to be swept up in foolish arguments constantly. We can disagree with others without being disagreeable or prideful.

If we are entangled in senseless disputing and complaining, the world has trouble seeing the light of Christ in our life. We see in Philippians 2:15 that the Lord wants Christ-followers to shine bright in a culture full of darkness. Our lives are to be a brilliant beacon of light in the darkness as we stand as God’s children against the wickedness of the world. 

“…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:15, ESV).

One way we can protect ourselves against complaining and empower our hearts to shine bright for Christ is to be diligent to cling daily to the Word of life so that we can thrust it into a dark world. The Word of God helps us to renew our minds so we can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and stand out in the world, pointing others to the hope that we know in Jesus. In addition to our daily time in the Word, we must abide in the Vine by communing with Him daily. We can call upon the name of the Lord to cry out for help when we are tempted to complain and grumble. He is our ever-present help in times of need and is faithful to strengthen us.

Let’s pray:

Father God,
Although it is easy to find excuses for the reasons of my behavior, I know Your Word is very clear about the posture of our heart and attitude, especially when it comes to circumstances that are difficult, stressful, or even painful. You care about the condition of our heart and the attitude that we exude because as Christ-followers we are to look and behave differently. People are watching all the time how we react when we are offended or struggling under the weight of the cares of life. I ask that You would first and foremost, give me a hunger for more of Your Word. I know that is where my mind is renewed; The Word helps me cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and walk in obedience. Help me to guard my heart and avoid grumbling and complaining and arguing with others. I ask for a spirit of gentleness and peace with others so that I can pursue unity and be grateful for all the good gifts from You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Temporary Housing...By Lynette Kittle

 Temporary Housing

By Lynette Kittle

“For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come” - Hebrews 13:14

When my dad was slipping away from this life to his new life with Jesus, it hit me how he wasn’t taking anything with him. Not one thing. Everything on earth was being left behind including the clothes on his back and ring on his finger. Yet it seems at times that so many of us are making permanent, long-term plans to live here, like the people buying their “Forever Home” on shows like HGTV Network’s “House Hunters” series. Surely buyers know this life on earth isn’t forever?

As well our family tends to watch a lot of archeological type shows where experts are digging up and visiting ancient ruins, once-thriving cities and places now left in rubble. As I watch the uncovering of artifacts, my thoughts turn to how the residents who lived there hundreds of years ago, maybe thousands of years ago, most likely thought what they had built, created, and stored up would stand forever. Yet here it is now in shambles, broken down, and shattered over time, with layers of earth covering what once stood but now is gone.

What’s Coming Next?
Jesus made a point of letting us know our lives on earth are temporary. “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2,3).

Even so, it seems like it’s too easy for us to become too comfortable with life on earth, making ourselves so much at home, that we start to lose sight of God’s plan for us to live with Him. Some of us have become overly attached to our possessions on earth, building up our own dynasties for ourselves and to pass on to future generations, losing sight of what is truly lasting. It’s difficult for many of us to imagine how Heaven could offer us more than what we have on earth. We’ve grown so accustomed and attached to earthly pleasures, worldly comforts, and more. But like history reveals in the archeological digs, this kind of storehouse will not last the test of time. Jesus tried to prepare us and made it clear concerning the eternal value of our earthly possessions. 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Looking Forward
It’s challenging for some of us at times, to see how much more we have to look forward to ahead of us; more than what we could ever dream of possessing here. As well, some of us struggle with believing there is a better life to look forward beyond our time on earth. Yet God gives us a glimpse, described in Revelation 21:1-3, of what’s being prepared for us.

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.’”

How to Prepare
Are we preparing for our future life with God? If not, it’s not as difficult as some may think, to begin. 

1 Timothy 6:18 explains how we can start by doing good and being rich in good deeds, giving generously, and being willing to share. Scripture describes how, “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1Timothy 6:19).

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Start building your future foundation by asking God to show you how you can be generous and share with others. Purposely listen to discover others’ needs, looking for opportunities to help out.

Further Reading:
Luke 6:43-49