Are you being led by the Spirit?

One of the things that makes me most sad about the state of affairs in evangelicalism these days is the fact that so many people are ignoring what the Holy Spirit is telling them to do. This may come as a surprise to many people, isn’t the idea that the Spirit still speaks becoming more prevalent? Wouldn’t that mean that Christians are able to be more in tune with the Spirit’s leading? Logically, perhaps, however, in reality the Spirit is becoming more of a cover for (I really want to do this) and his actual leading has been swept under the rug.

Let me be clear, I believe that the Spirit still leads us today. I believe that circumstances, desires, and counsel from those around us can all be a part of seeking out God’s leading. But these things can only be helpful in light of God’s revealed will for our life in the Scripture. It seems to me that many people who do things under the guise that the Spirit still speaks to us are, at the same time, making Him appear inconsistent with Himself. The first question we must ask ourselves is not, “does the Spirit still speak?” but rather, “has the Spirit spoken?” According to Peter and Paul, He has.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)

Unless a person wants to claim that the “leading” they are experiencing is identical to that of the inspired writers of Scripture, he or she must come to an understanding of God’s will in Scripture and make sure that they’re desires are in line with God’s revealed will.

If you feel the Spirit leading you toward something, but have to do biblical gymnastics to make it seem right, that probably isn’t coming from the Spirit. This is the most freeing reality we could ever imagine. The Spirit doesn’t merely speak to us by mysterious means, everything we need to know is written out for us.

Grace and Peace,
Stephen