It’s happened, on so many occasions, that I’ve been talking to people, and they say something that is absolutely un-Biblical and dangerous. I show them Scripture to let them see the truth about what the Bible says and they say to me, “I’m led by the Spirit”.
There’s a common doctrine today that says, all one needs - is to be led by the Spirit and you don’t really have to listen to the Bible; you don’t really need the Bible. This might be true in a country that don’t have the Bible, but only to an extent. The reason why we have pastors in those countries is two fold: lead the lost to God and guide those who come on a walk desired by God. It’s believed that the gentiles did not have Scripture. This is a very uneducated and horrible assumption. Scripture was constantly being copied and distributed within their books. Besides references to people, places, and events from the Old Testament, Paul quotes or paraphrases the Old Testament 183 times in his letters: Romans - 84 times; Hebrews 83 times; 1 Corinthians (26); 2 Corinthians (18); Galatians (14); Ephesians (12); Philippians (6); Colossians (3); 1 Thessalonians (1); 2 Thessalonians (7); 1 Timothy (4) and 2 Timothy (9). The only letters which Paul did not use Old Testament Scripture is in his two shortest letters: Titus and Philemon.
It's obvious from these figures that Paul used the Hebrew Scriptures to teach new convert gentiles the will of God.
We have to be so careful not to come to poor, un-Biblical, assumptions.
What does the Bible say on the subject of being led by the Spirit of God? There are two passages of Scripture that talks about being led by the Spirit. We are going to concentrate on these to passages; then, in the next video, we are going to look at other passages of what the Spirit does for us, in our lives. I would encourage you to have a pen and paper handy because we’ll be putting Scripture references on the screen. I would encourage you to write these down, look them up in the Bible, and examine whether or not I’m telling you the truth of what is written.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God
(Romans 8:14 NKJV)
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law
(Galatians 5:18 NKJV)
One of the worse things we can do, in interpreting Scripture, is to read the letters in the same manner as Proverbs; yet this is what is happening all across the church landscape today and it’s created many un-Biblical beliefs and practices. The letters were written to a specific church that was facing specific issues in a time that is different than ours. These letters are not there to answer our questions, they were written to answer their questions. Therefore, we must look at these letters in the context they were written and see what they are saying to them. Then we take the truth, within its context, and bring it across to our time and culture and apply it to our lives.
We have a portion of Scripture from a letter written by Paul to the church in Rome and a letter to the church in Galatia. Let’s put these passages back into the context of the letter and see what Paul was saying. Let’s start with his letter to the Romans.
Chapter 8 starts with the connector “therefore”, thus, we want to back up a little and see what he is basing his conclusion off of. When we back up a few verses, into chapter 7, Paul is talking about the Law, the Ten Commandments in this case because he’s talking about how the Law shows the evil that is present in us (7:21). He says that, as Christians, we delight in the Law according to our inner man (7:22), but our outward man, the flesh, brings us into captivity of the Law (7:23); because the flesh wants to do that which is against the Law (7:13-20)
Then, in chapter 8, Paul starts a conclusion to this thought - “THEREFORE” - there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. (8:1) He then tells us who those who are in Christ are: those who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (8:1). The Spirit of Life in Christ has made us free from the Law of sin and death (8:2). This is often pulled from context and people say, “I’m free from the Law” but what we see Paul saying is that we don’t walk, in practice, of sin, which is defined by the Law, but according to the will of the Father; which is a following of the Spirit. If we do not practice the ways of the flesh, we are THEN not under the Law. Paul then continues to show that because we are sinful, and we continue to fall into the Law, the flesh could not keep the Law, because of our weakness, God sent Christ who did keep the Law so that the righteous requirement of the Law will be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but rather by the Spirit of God (8:3-4). All the way up to verse 14, Paul continues to throw the comparison of how we are not to walk by the flesh but rather by the Spirit. He then says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God”.
It’s obvious that Paul is not talking about a leading of the Spirit that teaches us doctrines of God, but rather to avoid sinning. Those who do not avoid sinning are living by the flesh and are not being led by the Spirit.
Another point to look at when studying Scripture is to get to know the author. A good way to understand what the author is saying is to look at the manner which the author speaks, or writes, terms used, statements made, and the likes. This can be accomplished by looking elsewhere in the document or by looking at other documents which the author wrote, especially based on the same subject. Fortunately, Paul had to make the same address to the church in Galatia so let’s look at this passage now.
The portion we are looking at is in Galatians chapter 5, verse 18, and it says:
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law
(Galatians 5:18 NKJV)
Look for what the Word says. How many times have you told your child to do something and you hear, “yeah, BUT...” You roll your eyes and say, “but nothin, do what I told you to do”. In this passage, we see the word “but”. But’s are very important. They are conjunctions and we need to find out what the author is “butting”.
Several verses back, Paul is talking about how love fulfills the Law, we get to verse 16 and Paul says:
I say then:Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh
(Galatians 5:16 NKJV)
Isn’t that exactly what we were seeing in Romans?
Ok, so we took the only two verses in the Bible that says to be led by the Spirit, and we put them back into the context of the letters written by Paul to two specific churches facing a sin issue within the church. Paul is making clear that we have a choice of walking by the flesh or walking by the Spirit. Therefore, we need to be led by the Spirit; because, when...
you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His
(Romans 8:9 NKJV)
How do we know if we walk by the flesh or by the Spirit? How do we know if the Spirit of God leads us or if we are led by the flesh? This is key, because we are being told that if we are not led by the Spirit, the Spirit is not in us; and if the Spirit is not in us, we are not God’s.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul continues to give a list of examples of what a walk by the flesh looks like and what a leading of the Spirit looks like. Because of what we are reading, you really need to be honest in examining yourselves.
When interpreting Scripture, we need to find the timeless truths that pass from their time and culture to our time and culture. So, what are the timeless truths in these two letters? And, let’s pass those timeless truths to the contemporary church.
There’s a church - Paul is talking to, and warning, a church.
There’s temptation - We have these memories and temptations that pop up in our flesh.
There’s the avoiding a living by the flesh - though we face temptations and desires of the flesh, we are to avoid practicing those desires or the Spirit of God is not in us.
There’s living by the Spirit - We are to live according to the will of the Spirit of God.
There’s those who are Gods - If we do not live by the Spirit of God and live by the flesh, we are not God’s; which is to say, we are not living a life of salvation.
Let’s take these timeless truths and apply them to the characteristics, which Paul listed, of living by the flesh and living by the Spirit.
We can be going to church, and think we are saved, but if a person is living in adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness; which would be living with and/or having sexual relations with one they are not married to, sleeping around, engaged with porn (even if it’s low level porn like sex toy sales, etc), having un-natural sex acts (even with a spouse), that is living by the flesh. If a person is an idolator, this is ANYTHING that one may do that gets in the way of the seeking after and service to God. Paul warned that even the fact that we would eat, drink, and play, is idolatry. If a person is practicing in sorcery, which comes from the Greek word pharmaka and means drug use. If a person is going to church and thinks they are saved but has hate within their heart, contentions, jealousies, and outbursts of wrath, there is a serious condition of living by the flesh that needs to be taken into control. If the thing a person is doing is for selfish ambitions, maybe so they could get praise and a pat on the back, or maybe for financial gain, there is a problem. If a person is having a disagreements that lead to discord and as a whole of this document we are seeing un-forgiveness, if they are purposely teaching false doctrine they are living by the flesh. If a person goes to church yet has envy against his brother, if they have dealt in murder and practice in drunkenness, and loud parties; if they practice any of these things, even though they are a part of the church, they are living by the flesh and not by the Spirit of God. Then Paul makes clear that this list is non-inclusive.
It’s time to examine our lives. Do we practice any of these things? If so, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Now, understand, Paul is writing this as a warning to a church who thought they were right with God.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God
(Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV)
What does Paul say about the characteristics of living by the Spirit?
If one is going to church, and they believe they are saved and they show love to all, even those who hate and do wrong to us, they are good. If they have constant joy and peace, along with patience in spite of troubles, kindness and goodness towards others, faithful in his life towards their service to God, having a mild temperament or behavior, and self-control, these are those who live by the Spirit of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self- control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
(Galatians 5:22-24 NKJV)
What are these portions of text NOT saying? They are not saying that we continue in our sinful flesh until the Spirit convicts us. They are not saying that it’s the Spirit’s job to take this away. The verb used is if we live by which is an active verb - this is a choice and action that we must make. These passages are not saying that the Spirit will lead us to new doctrine that is contrary to Scripture. These passages are not even saying the Spirit will teach us doctrine. What these passages are saying is that if we live by the Spirit, we will not satisfy the desires of the flesh; then it gives us that list. What these passages are saying is that if we live by these things that are of the flesh, we do not have the Spirit and are not of God.
Look at these facts, we then understand that there are very few, in the church, who are actually living by the Spirit of God; even though they claim they are. This is partially because of a lack luster gospel that is being taught today; which fulfills the warnings given to us in Revelation. And, the church has fulfilled that which was warned about by Paul in that:
men have become lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self- control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power
(2 Timothy 3:2-5 NKJV)
Prophecy is fulfilled and we need to wake up and stop following false doctrine that is deceptive to lead us to a life of living after the flesh rather than living by the Spirit of God.
You may want to have a paper and pen handy. I would encourage you to write down the passages, as they flash on the screen, look up these passages, and not take my word for it... look at what God’s Word says.
The Spirit was sent to convict the world, teach in righteousness, and to judge (John 16:7-11).
The Gospels, and Acts, are an account of how Christ rose up the church. Because there were things that they were waiting for, things not yet learned, and things not yet written, the Spirit of God did different things for them then that which He does for all cultures and generations. There are many things the spirit does for all people through all times; what I mean by that is the gifts are still alive today, yet there’s comments made that was intended for the apostles only. Let me explain. They are the foundation of the church. It was through them the church arose. There were conversations that Christ was having with them that the spirit will do with them in order to raise the church up. And we have the spirit today to empower us to continue in what God intended for the church to continue in. We see these facts though misapplied Scriptures.
The Spirit guided the apostles into all truth (John 16:12-13) so that through them, and their teachings, we may become partakers of the divine nature, being able to escape the corruption of the world through lust (2 Peter 1:2-4). What the Spirit revealed to the apostles, they preached to the churches (1 Corinthians 2:9-13), and they communicated to the churches by letter (Ephesians 3:3-5).
Some say that Matt 4:4 means that man shall not live by the bread (which they say is the Word of God) alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. This thought is pulled completely from context of Scripture. Satan temped Christ to turn rocks into bread - food for the body - and Christ quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 which the passage was referring to manna, bread - food for the body. The context is that we shall not live by our stomachs along but upon the faith upon everything instructed by God.
I wanted to add in here how Christ said, “My sheep know my voice”, but I ran into a problem when looking this up. This cliché comes from John 10:27. I said cliche because to my surprise the verse actually reads:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me
(John 10:27 NKJV)
One would say that you need to know to be able to hear, and I don’t disagree with that; but that’s NOT what it says and I believe we need to be careful not to change meaning of text. When we change meaning, we allow an opening for new, un-Biblical doctrine. What Christ said is exactly what He meant. His sheep HEAR and they follow. Who is Christ? The Word. Christ’s sheep seek after, read, hear, and don’t stop there; they follow what He says.
The belief of a person being able to be led by the Spirit without the Word of God is absolutely un-Biblical. The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17); which is part of the Armor of God. All Scripture is God breathed, and is good for doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, so that a Christian will be complete and thoroughly equipped for good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In fact, Paul even states that the Holy Spirit guided through the use of Old Testament Scripture (Hebrews 3:7). Those who resist the Word, resist’s the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51-53). Therefore, when someone sets their mind on the things of the Word of the Spirit, they will be led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18), living according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh (Romans 8:5; Gal 5:16), and they will experience life and peace (Romans 8:6) as they produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). It is by the Spirit that we find the power to be able to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13); because they follow the leading of the Spirit for this purpose (Romans 8:14).
The Spirit of God is given to us to spread the word of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations (Acts 1:8); and will give us boldness to do those things (Acts 4:31).
The only way that one can receive the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit is to obey the Commandments of God (John 14:15-16); because the Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32).
How does the Spirit NOT lead the Christian? No where do we see the Spirit leading people though subjective means as in “feelings” or intuitions. Instead, we’ve seen how the Spirit uses the Word of God, we also see where there are direct and clear commands by the Spirit (Acts 16:6-7), which were contrary to what the Apostles felt they should do. Due to failure to note this distinction, there is much religious confusion. People tend to appeal to “feelings” to justify their beliefs and practices, yet our emotions and feelings can be a deceptive guide (Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:19). What may seem to be right, may not be right (Proverbs 14:12); therefore, He has provided a standard by which to know the truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Ok, you have to stay with me during this. There are many times that the Spirit has connected the dots of Scripture so that I can understand it as a whole. This would be done while I’m meditating on Scripture and on God. Many believe that no one can understand Scripture unless the Spirit guides them. This is based on 1 Corinthians 2:14. What has ended up happening is that there are many people who have claimed the Spirit led them to an interpretation that is contrary to Scripture. The context of 1 Corinthians 2:14 is a contrast between the apostles and philosophers. The philosophers cannot know God’s will simply by wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:18-20). It was by the Spirit that the apostles received God’s will (1 Corinthians 2:6-14). The one who does not seek after God does not have the benefit of the Spirit’s revelation; where those who are actively seeking Christ do. If you want to know the will of God for your life - read the Bible. It’s very clear on this subject.
The Spirit has revealed God’s will to us by the apostles and prophets and when we read their writings, we can understand that will (Ephesians 3:3-5); and know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13). The Spirit of God has already revealed God’s will through the prophets of old. We simply need to have a good and honest heart that seeks to find what is true of the will, in the Word of God (Acts 17:11). When having difficulties, He is there to help us be free from preconceived notions so that He can completely open His Word to us (Psalms 119:18).
Many think the Spirit will lead them into new truths that are not in Scripture. This is based on a misapplication of John 16:13. The context of this passage is the Spirit of God working through the lives of the apostles. This is a conversation that Christ is having with His apostles while preparing them for their work (John 16:1-7). Together, with the Spirit, they would be witnesses of Christ (John 15:26-27). The Spirit of God would aid the apostles in the tasks set out for them, reminding them of what Y’shua had taught them, and revealing the rest of what He wanted them to know (John 14:25-26; 16:12-13). With the aid of inspired Scripture, we have what we need to be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The Spirit is here, and working in us. We gain the Spirit when we accept Christ as our Lord and we repent from sin. The Spirit leads us into a walk with God that is free from the walk in fleshly desires. He uses the Scriptures, that were inspired by the Spirit of God, through the apostles to pen, and preserved for us to lead us into righteousness into good works. The Spirit fills us to give us boldness so that we can reach the nations, the world, for God. The Spirit is not leading to new truths, especially those which are contrary to that which the Spirit has already revealed in His Word. The Spirit is not teaching new doctrine. The Spirit does not replace the Word but enforces the Word of truth. And the Spirit does not come on people in a church setting so they can get goose bumps, speak in ecstatic languages, fall to the ground and roll around just so they can get up and fatten themselves on a buffet after church and sit down on the couch to watch a game when more than half the world is living in poverty and dying without God.
Let's get real. There are two types of religious groups: those who have a educated religion and those with an uneducated religion.
An educated religion is when the people have this education of what Scripture says, yet no relationship with God; and many times they rule out the timeless truths because they don’t have a relationship with God and don’t see these truths manifested in their lives.
Then the uneducated religious people are those who claim to have all these spiritual blessings, with all these spiritual gifts, but they keep it within the walls of the church because they don’t have a relationship with God, they are only after their own fuzzy feelings.
It does not matter which of these religious groups people fall into; neither one had joy. They constantly complain about every little thing, they wear their feelings on their sleeves and a chip on their shoulder. It’s no wonder the church doesn’t want what we got. If they had a relationship with God, they would not be so hateful, judgmental of the world, and grumpy. In the parable of the talents, in Matt 25, those who invested with the gifts provided to them, they found joy in the Lord. If the church stopped burying the gifts that God gave, whether by the Spirit, or by our physical, stopped playing around between four walls, and they spread what they had to others who need God, they would not be so grumpy.
We need to be straight on this, you don't need to know the bible to spread the the joy and glory of God to others - that's by the guidance of the Spirit of God. If you have the Bible, it's one way in knowing better the character of God and seeing His desires of our life so we don't get in either religious rut. If we have the Bible, and we forsake the study of the Bible so that we can play in worldly pleasures, we are living very dangerously on that fence.
Friends, don’t fall for every spirit that may seem right. Test the spirits to see if they are from God; and that is done by the Word of God.
Don't let feelings of the human spirit keep you from following the teachings of the Holy Spirit!
If we say we follow the Bible, then it’s the Bible we go by. What does the Bible say is evidence of our having the Spirit of God?
I believe, if you forget about all the theologies and teachings that are out there and you looked only at the Bible, the overwhelming message that we find is that our love for our neighbor is the primary sign of the indwelling of the Spirit of God in our lives. While some may receive some gifts and others another gift, this one piece of evidence is one that ALL who have the Spirit will have. In fact, John specifically speaks of this as a sign (1 John 4:7-19). And, in all truth, John is speaking at MORE than a bunch of people saying, “I love you” to each other. He gives an example of the sacrifice in which God made; and the sacrifice in which Christ made. It wasn’t that God just loved us, but He sacrificed for us; and that is the kind of love we are suppose to have for our neighbor - that we would sacrifice our time and comforts so they can have. This is what James is talking about in James 2:15-16.
I’ve got to be honest, I don’t see this love in the modern America church. Sure, there’s a handful of people who will give once they’ve got their bills paid, got their clothes, jewelry, another pair of shoes, stomachs full, seen a movie. But what we don’t see is a love to the level of sacrificing what we have so other can have. We don’t see the church, as a whole (or even as a most), giving up a days food so someone else can have food (Is 58:7). We may hand off some old clothes to someone so we can buy nice new clothes; but what we don’t see is the church wearing their old clothes so they can use the money for new clothes to buy even more clothes for those in need (Is 58:7). The church does not have the level of love to forgive someone of trespasses made against them (Matt 5:44; Matt 18:21-35; Matt 6:15).
Now if we take the Bible seriously - if we take the Bible SERIOUSLY, then the majority of the modern American church is not filled with the Spirit of God. Because we are unwilling to sacrifice our comforts so that our neighbor can eat, have clothes, or hear a kind word or message of love. In fact, if we take the Bible SERIOUSLY, we’ll see Christ saying that those who don’t help these in need will be doomed to hell (Matt 25:41-46).
The problem is that much of the church is concentrating on “receiving” gifts of signs and wonders but they are ignoring the greatest gift of all; and the greatest evidence that the Spirit is in us. And since the BIBLE says that it’s this level of love that proves we have the Spirit then we have to come to the conclusion that, since the church does not have this level of love, the church does not have the Spirit.
If the majority of the church does not have the Spirit of God, proven by their massive lack of sacrificial love, then from what spirit do these signs and wonders come from? We seriously need to examine ourselves on this point because Christ said that theres a large group of people, in the church, will be performing these signs and wonders in HIS name and yet STILL not make it (more people than those who do make it). In fact, not only do they not make it, but He has NEVER knew them (Matt 7:22-23).
We need not concentrate on signs and wonders found in gifts; but look for the greatest gift of the Spirit that is the sign of God’s love and make the world wonder how such love could exist. Let us return to our first love, and be a light to the world again; a witness of God’s love shining through us.