5 Lead Points

    The final goal in this series is the one I most aspire to.   In Romans 8:4&5 “Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children.  God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him.  Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.” (the msg). More than anything this year, I want to be led by the Spirit.  The Fire Bible says that means to “think, speak and act according the Word of God”.  Sounds like a mighty tall order.   Thankfully, Pastor Cooper gave 5 tips on how to be led of the Spirit.

1.      Read the Word of God.   I’ve written before about the necessity of knowing God’s Word.  The very first sin committed by Eve came about because of not remembering what God had said.  Satan craftily asked her “Did God really say?”  and totally misrepresented what God had said.  We must read and know the Word of God.

2.     Prayer.  Real prayer.  For me, this means returning to the prayer of my childhood.  Those Wednesday nights or Tuesday mornings or whenever, where we met together and cried out to God.  Where we worshiped without the benefit of a timer or three song program.  Prayer that keeps me on my knees until I hear from God. 

3.     Godly preaching and teaching.  A friend recently suggested that we needed a class on a certain subject.  Another friend in the group said, “that’s what Sunday School is for”.  The first friend responded, “we don’t have that anymore”.  Nor do we have Sunday night or Wednesday night.   Thirty minutes once a week isn’t helping us live, grow, or be led by the Spirit. I’m grateful that Covid has brought a wealth of Godly teachers into my living room by way of the Internet.  WARNING:  Not everything on TV or online is of God, pray for discernment in your choices.  A word from God will line up with THE word of God. 

4.     Heed wise counsel.  Find one or two Godly men (for men), women (for women) that have proven themselves.  People who live Godly lives, exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, and know the Word of God.  Christians who have faithfully served the Lord for a period of time.  Completely trustworthy.  These people are your only real “accountability group”. 

5.     Exercise the gifts of the Spirit. For me, it means using my prayer language.  For all of us, it means opening ourselves to the gifts listed in  I Corinthians 12.  

I have never heard an audible voice of God, but I have been led by the Spirit on more than one occasion.  It’s always an unmistakable compulsion to pray, give, speak, do something that is in complete agreement with the Word of God. 

In 1965, Doris Akers penned “To be used of God, to speak, to sing, to pray, to be used of God to show someone the way.  I long so much to feel the touch of His consuming fire, to be used of God is my desire.” 

Thinkin’ how I can be used today.