Being led by the Spirit. Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, -This is proof we are sons and children of God. Yet it is too often ignored by the believer. -This is a gift , no even more than that, a living proof in a believers life that they are who they say they are. 1Th 5:23 ¶ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. -note the order, spirit , soul and body. -Too often we get them out of order but it's important we see them as God sees them. -Spirit first. - We need to press into being spirit led, not our thoughts/minds/souls and not our body. - You are a triune, 3-part being. -First you are spirit, that is your inward man. It is incapable of bringing life, it is incapable of communicating what God says to you until you are born again. - Your spirit, the inward man is born again Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Joh 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?" -This is not a natural thing. Joh 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -It is a spiritual thing 1Pe 3:4 rather [let it be] the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible [beauty] of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 2Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day. 2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. -this has to be spirit because when you are born again and become a new creation you dont get a new body :) You dont grow hair if your bald, you don't lose your wrinkles :) -become more aware of your spirit. Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Pr 20:27 ¶ The spirit of a man [is] the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. -You are born again , and God's Spirit comes to dwell in your spirit. -To talk to you there , in the real you. -Spirit and soul are not the same. You also have a soul. Heb 4:12 For the word of God [is] living and powerful, and sharper than any two–edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Soul is your mind , your will, your emotions. We call that intellect. -mind/intellect/soul must be renewed Jas 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Ps 23:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. - The third part is your body. This is your tent. -Hebrew scribes read Genesis where God created man and breathed in his nostrils and say we became a speaking spirit. -We are spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body or as Peter calls it, a tent. -Your bodies Ro 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. 1Co 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring [it] into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. -YOU are not be be conformed to this world but renew your mind, -YOU are to offer your body, you are to keep your flesh/body in check. -His work is to make you a new creation, your work is to be spirit led and to take all other things, soul and body under its guidance. -how? But letting the new spirit man inside you have control, but letting your spirit man, your inward man, the real you, be the boss. -The next question would be how do I listen to the Spirit of God that is inside my spirit? There are many ways, but 3 primary, most common. -1: inward witness Ro 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 1Jo 5:10 ¶ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; Ro 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. -How does he lead? verse 16 , as we saw tells us.. -His spirit bears witness with our spirit. Ps 18:28 For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. -get with God , get quiet with God , get the noise around you to go away until you hear. No matter how long it takes. Isa 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily. -Faith isnt in a hurry. -we often ignore the inward witness. We want something sensational, instead of something supernatural. -So an inward witness is the HOly Spirit talking to your spirit. Which then speaks to your mind/soul, which you then act on in your body. -Its the way it flows. -So as I said, you have to get quiet, so you can hear it. or the noises in your head will drown it out lol or the noises around you. -As you become more tuned in to the Spirit, Sometimes the inward witness will be like a buzzer going off, a red flag.etc -Sometimes the Word of God uses the word "percieve" for an inward witness. Ac 27:9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, Ac 27:10 saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives." -You might hear people say I felt an urge, or my "gut"... -Sometimes your life is so noisy that you must not act hastily, you must get with God, get quiet, for as long as it takes to hear. -2nd way- inward voice -Conscience this is often called. -This is your spirit talking to you. this is the real you talking. -It is your spirit man talking. -Sometimes its called the still quiet voice. Ro 9:1 ¶ I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, -If you havent listened to the inward witness, your inward voice will be what its bothering you at 2am :) -You inward voice picks up it's information from the Holy Spirit living within you. As we've saw in numerous scriptures, the Holy spirit is within your Spirit. -Looking through pauls letters we see him mention conscience over and over and he always listened to it. Ac 23:1 ¶ Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, "Men [and] brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." - Is your conscience a safe guide? Yes yes and yes. If your spirit is a new man in Christ. -Because your conscience is now the voice of the spirit. -So it is a safe guide. -God lives withing you. In your mind? No, In your body? Well sort of, but not as we usually think. BUt inside your body because he is living inside your spirit. -He doesnt communicate directly with your mind. -He communicates with your spirit, which communicates with your mind. -Which is why its important for us to become spirit conscious, and why it's important we renew our minds with the Word of God, so we can begin to hear and recognize him more and more. Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 1Co 3:16 ¶ Do you not know that you are the temple of God and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you? 2Co 6:16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among [them]. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." -Your spirit knows things your head does not. -Its important you learn to listen even when it may not make natural sense to your eyes or mind. Even when you dont see danger.etc -Now, something important to keep in mind as you press into listening and being led by the spirit. 1Jo 3:20 ¶ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 1Jo 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. -The Holy spirit does not condemn you when you do something wrong as a Christian. -Your spirit does. -The Holy Spirit will not condemn you. -Jesus said very clearly the only sin the Holy Spirit convicts the world of is the sin of rejecting Jesus Joh 16:7 ¶ "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. Joh 16:8 "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Joh 16:9 "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; - The holy spirit tells the believer what to do that is right. Joh 16:10 "of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; -When you spirit is condemning you, is convicting you, the Holy Spirit is still there to comfort you, to guide you back. Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; -It's very important you listen to your conscience because it can become seared and not sense the Spirit of God if you ignore it, and then it takes much more restoration for you to be healed and hear again. -keep a tender conscience. -Just very briefly, the voice of the spirit is not the voice of the body. -It is spiritual, not natural, not carnal. It's not based on how you "Feel". -some things the holy spirit does do. Joh 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. - He will guide you into all truth -He will tell you of things to come. Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. -He will teach you all things. -He will bring all things to rememberance that are in the Word. -and the third main way to be led is the direct voice of the Holy Spirit. -There is a difference between the inward voice of the holy spirit speaking to our spirit, and the inward witness of our spirit speaking and the Holy Spirit himself speaking. -When the Holy Spirit himself speaks it is much more authoritative. -Sometimes its so real you wonder if other people heard it. Ac 10:19 ¶ While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are seeking you. -Story of samuel in 1 samuel chapter 3. Heard but thought it was Eli. -Eli finally figured out what it was and told Samuel what to do and then He heard the Lord. -So . 3 primary ways we are led by the Spirit. -But always test and prove all things against the Word. -The Spirit will never ever speak in a way that is contrary to the Word of God. 1Th 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. -The word never tells you to seek voices or visions. By doing so you are opening yourself up to demonic activity. Let God speak to you the way He wants to. Be listening, be ready to be led. -It will save your life, it will allow you to make good decisions every time in every area of your life. -There are other ways God guides, with visions, with prophecy etc. -But we primarily dealt today with the ability to be led by the main ways. -Inward witness, inward voice and voice of the Holy Spirit. -Learn to be more Spirit conscious so that God can protect you, guide you and show you His right ways in your life. -He loves you and wants the best for you.