My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
john 10:27
If you have made Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life, that is Him talking to you. He calls us sheep, and for a good reason: we need a whole lot of guidance in this life, and the Good Shepherd has assured us that He will lead and guide us into His care when we hear His voice and follow Him.
The Business of Hearing From God
This leads us into the fourth letter of our P.R.A.Y.E.R. acrostic:
Y – Yielding to the Holy Spirit
Prayer is the key that ignites the switch to living a Spirit-led life. And if we are going to hear from God, it will be through the power of His Spirit. God speaks to us through His Spirit whether He uses an animate vehicle or an inanimate one; the end result is that we know that we heard from Heaven. Or did we?
Hearing God’s voice. Knowing God’s voice. Following God’s voice. It’s pretty serious business and not at all as easy as the statement above that our Lord made it sound. And yet, He said that we could hear and know His voice.
So let’s talk about what it means to yield to the Holy Spirit to have clarity on purpose and destiny that leads to change.
Change Your Mindset
When we refer to the third person of the Godhead: the Holy Spirit, we talk about God’s Spirit, the Spirit of God that manifested in the Earth in the Book of Acts. Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come after He left to lead us into all truth.
He is also known as the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate…
But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.
john 14:26 {AMPC}
So, you see, He holds a pretty high and essential position in our lives.
We need the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the terrain of our Christian experience.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
proverbs 16:25
When we make decisions based upon our limited knowledge (without the God’s counsel factored into the equation), sometimes we find ourselves wanting to blame God for the outcome. That is ignorant. If the Holy Spirit’s job is to lead us into all truth, then we can expect the results are guaranteed (you can take it to the bank!), and they will lead us to life and peace.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
romans 14:16-18
Discover Your Mission
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
I corinthians 2:4-10
Manifest Your Destiny
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
i corinthians 2:11-16
God has sent His Spirit into the Earth, that those who are His children (who call upon Him), may spiritually discern the things that He has for us (and for us to do), because by His Spirit, we have the mind of Christ.
Yielding to the Holy Spirit – Conclusion
Learning to hear, know and follow God’s voice can first be characterized by three bullet points: (smiling emoji)
- Does the voice that you hear align with God’s Word (He will never contradict Himself)?
- Is what the voice saying to you, giving you a sense of peace.
- Whatever God tells you to do, He will make it possible for you to do it.
Sure, giving God free reign in your life is a terrifying proposition, but it will be one of the best decisions that you have ever made because when the smoke clears, the voice that you obeyed will yield it’s corresponding result. And yielding to the Holy Spirit will yield the right result every time. That is the successful outcome of living a Spirit-led life.
Let’s Pray:
Father in times like these, I need you more than my hearts can say. Teach me to do your will, for You are my God. Lead me in the way that I should go. Please help me humble myself under your hand that I may rise above my spiritual enemies and do your will in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Silvana
