There is a huge difference in leading yourself and being led by the spirit of GOD. All of us have our own personalities and methods of how we understand things.
Some people require very little or no proof at all to make judgments or determinations about things pertaining to their lives while a very small minority of people have given up on leading themselves and in faith let GOD lead them.
In spiritual matters leading yourself is like hiring a guide to lead you through the wilderness but rather than letting the guide lead, you lead.
This will get you into trouble in both physical and spiritual situations. A new convert to the one and only true faith overtime must learn this as they, being fresh out of the world, are transitioning from leading self to GOD leading them. A person that is a practical, pragmatic individual focuses on the details of something when faced with a problem. They approach spiritual things in a physical way. They want to lead rather than be led because they feel uncomfortable not being in control.
A rigid adherence to solve a problem before they even understand the problem. This is a leftover from their previous unconverted life, excess baggage from a worldly way of thinking.
Being led by the spirit is giving up control, giving up your method of trying to understand spiritual things and let GOD be your guide, let GOD lead. Abraham left everything to follow GOD, to be led by GOD, and didn’t know where he was going.
This is true faith and the ultimate in trust. The nitty gritty, the nuts and bolts, the brass tacks, the ins and outs way of thinking goes out the window when GOD leads but if you try to lead all your former ways of thinking will not produce what you actually desire. You get in your own way when you try to be the leader in spiritual things.
Romans 8:14 “For all who are led by the spirit of GOD these are the sons of GOD” , Galatians 5:18 “But if you are led by the spirit you are not under the law” . The way to understanding anything spiritual is by GODS spirit only, 1 Corinthians 2:12 The spirit of the world is whatever our former way of thinking was. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “the unconverted mind cannot understand the things of the spirit of GOD because they are spiritually discerned” . With a babe in Christ their old way of thinking clashes with the spiritual way of thinking and will cause issues with their understanding.
They must overcome this by first realizing this is happening. As I have written about before, all true saints today are Cornelius Christians, they first receive the Holy Spirit then afterwards are baptized in the name of Jesus. This act of faith will aid the babe In Christ to overcome the problem of the conflicting leadership. The spirit of GOD is what guides us into all truth, John 16:13 and we do not lead we follow like Abraham did, in faith trusting in GOD to lead us rather than trying to lead ourselves.
As long as you feel the need to be the guide you will have problems in understanding.
I do not write these things to offend or to sound superior because once, a long time ago, I too was a babe in Christ. There was a time that I believed that there were two GODS, the greater GOD the FATHER and the lesser GOD Jesus Christ. I was in a cult that taught this idolatrous blasphemous heresy but I believed it with all my heart. When I was converted and given the Holy Spirit this powerful deception remained with me for some time . Then GOD decided it was time to reveal the truth to not only me but several others that I fellowship with. One of these brethren came to me very troubled and told me that all day he was hearing a voice in his mind saying, “the throne of GOD and the Lamb”.
This was from Revelation 22:3 and because I knew my brother very well I did not discount what he was saying. This experience caused me to look more closely into the two GOD idea that we all had. In doing so I let the spirit lead me because I was not fit to lead, I was ignorant and in need of spiritual guidance. Well, the spirit did lead me to see the truth about the FATHER is the only true GOD and Jesus was the messiah, two separate beings. Needless to say I was shocked when this knowledge was given to me and immediately knew that I needed to repent of my sinful thinking, that excess baggage I had was thrown out. Things like this will happen to all babes in Christ. It will not happen until you let GOD lead and you follow.
Jesus did not lead himself, his FATHER led him. The FATHER did all the miracles and told Jesus what to say and do. This is how it is to be with the saints. The cost of being in Christ is everything, it’s our complete life. This will include how we think about anything. It is impossible to be over spiritualized. We learn to think spiritually to develop the mind of Christ.
When first converted all things become new spiritually but the old way of carnal thinking is yet present and needs to die so the new way can live. If you give yourself to GOD then HE will give HIMSELF to you, the more you give the more you you receive. To whom much is given more will be required. This “more” is in the form of being a servant to others in the church, to edify, to lift up, build faith and serve in love.
The strong are to bear the weak or, the mature saint helps the babe. The babe should not be offended by this but rather through fellowship with the mature hear more mature things that the spirit will teach you about. It is the same spirit that taught the mature that will teach the babe.
In 1 Corinthians 14:3 Paul explains the role of a New Testament prophet. Acts 15:32 “to encourage and strengthen the brethren” , “for edification, encouragement and comfort”. In church meetings Paul gave instructions, 1 Corinthians 14:29-32 this is what the saints still do to this day.
The things revealed to a prophet are the restoration of lost truth caused by the great deception, it is the spirit of that Elijah to come that restores all things. Matthew 17:11 Also in Malachi 4:5-6 there is a prophecy concerning this very thing. This restored spiritual knowledge was then by the same spirit of GOD instilled in the minds of all the prophets and prophetesses in the church. The prophets could teach no one, they only spoke what GODS spirit told them and that same spirit of Elijah would teach the others also. This is the only way anyone comes to the knowledge of the truth of GOD.
A new convert by fellowship with these mature saints can all drink of one spirit together. They all are empowered to grow spiritually. This is how it works. It all begins for the new convert with becoming spiritually minded and stop trying to lead themselves but letting GOD lead them. You can’t lead yourself into all truth, only GOD can do that but fellowship with mature brethren is a tremendous help.
When I was converted I did not have the help of mature brethren, I was alone, and because of this there was given to me a generous supply of spiritual guidance and knowledge that took over my personality and enabled me to remember the things I was taught with great clarity as they became part of me. By sharing what I was given with others only a few were given the same things I was given by the same spirit. This produced a spiritual bond that has lasted over 30 years. So I say to all the new converts to Christ that read these words take advantage of those saints who have been eating meat for many years, hear them out, then take what they say to GOD for HIS verification.
Well said!
ReplyDelete