The Holy Spirit Our Helper – Part Nine

The Leading of the Holy Spirit

Finally, the Holy Spirit gives us direction. Did you know that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit? We read this in Luke 4:1,

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. (Luke 4:1)

Jesus depended on the Holy Spirit just like we must. He didn’t access his divine nature, but relied on the Holy Spirit. So, for example, he cast out demons by the Holy Spirit, whom the religious leaders blasphemed when they accused Jesus of casting out demons by Satan. Though it doesn’t say so, Jesus likely was led by the Spirit to go through Samaria that one time on his way to Galilee, stopping in Sychar and leading the Samaritan woman to faith.

Paul and his band of merry evangelists were led by the Spirit on their missionary journeys, determining where to preach by the Spirit’s leading,

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10)

If we are postured to listen for the Spirit’s guidance, we too can be led by the Spirit. Sometimes He does it even when we aren’t listening and He makes us aware that He is guiding us. Mary Ann was wanting to go to Target. She also sort of needed to go to the bank but didn’t want to. But it was like the car went to the bank. She’s saying to herself, “I don’t want to go to the bank, I’ll go some other time.” But she ended up at the bank, and on the way out she met a friend of ours whose husband had just died. Mary Ann asked her how she was doing and she began crying because this day was her husband’s birthday and she was really struggling. Mary Ann realized she was there to share in this woman’s suffering, using her gift of mercy to console her. It was a divine meeting.

Now I know what happens. You think you’re getting something in terms of direction and you wonder, “Is that really the Holy Spirit or is it just me?” But I want to urge you to take a chance that it is the Spirit guiding you. You’ll learn to recognize the voice of the Spirit as you practice looking to Him for guidance. And you know He never leads you in contradiction to His Word.

It is true that we have the greatest help as believers. The Holy Spirit in our lives is doing the work Jesus did when he was here, helping his disciples to become all he wanted them to become.