Let’s take a walk in the Spirit
What is walking in the Spirit? What does it really mean to be Spirit led and how does one do it? These questions are not easily answered, because walking in the Spirit is an experience rather than a set of rules or principles.
Basically, walking in the Spirit is simply hearing the voice of God and doing what He says when He says to do it. When you come upon a situation where you do not know what you should do, simply ask God what to do and then do what He says without trying to second guess Him.
Just say “NO” to your natural mind
Walking in the Spirit takes getting used to because we have been trained to trust our natural minds. We depend on what seems reasonable to us. However, we must learn not to rely upon the knowledge of good and evil. Our natural minds are our greatest hindrance to walking in the Spirit and doing the will of God on time without question.
Walking in the Spirit does not need to be dramatic or earth-shaking (although sometimes it is.) It can be as casual as God asking you to call a friend you haven’t seen in years and saying hi. If you do it when God says to do it you may find out that your friend is having a particularly bad day and deeply appreciates your call. It takes time for God to train us out of our dependence upon our natural minds. Through small steps, God can help us to learn to trust Him more than we trust ourselves.
When you walk in the Spirit you know things
When I come upon situations where I do not or cannot know exactly what to do, I simply ask God to give me wisdom. I figure He knows more than I do and can see the whole situation better than I can. In this way, I can rely upon knowledge and wisdom far greater than my own and therefore make better decisions with the help of my Father’s voice.
This is particularly helpful when dealing with people you are not familiar with. It is impossible to know through natural reasoning what people’s intentions are from just a casual meeting. In such situations just ask God what to do and then do it. Trust God when you have little idea how to handle things anyway and you won’t go wrong.
Demonic warfare: Know your enemy by the Spirit
Christians do not understand what is the actual extent of the demonic warfare around them. Believers’ souls are the current battlefield of a war which began before the foundations of this world. Demons are attempting to make sure as many of us accompany them to the Lake of Fire as possible. These unseen enemies hide in people, influencing them to do things that are not godly or profitable. Many times when we deal with angry people, we are in fact dealing with the demons manifesting through them. In such situations, listen to His Spirit and simply trust and do what God says. Trusting God’s voice is really the only way that we can win against such old and subtle adversaries
Trust your Father’s voice implicitly
In conclusion, we must begin to trust the voice of God. Trust His Holy Spirit in your hearts, your minds, and your spirits to a degree heretofore not imagined. When done with humility and a teachable heart, we begin to walk in the Spirit as Jesus did. Remember, you’re a child of another world where your Father’s will is done all the time, all the way, and without hesitation.
Listen to the Podcast – Learning To Walk In God – here:
Spirit Lead Me by Hillsong
Suggested book: “My Sheep Hear My Voice” by Hedgecock J.C.
(Note: when learning to walk in the Spirit take it slow. If God asks you to do something that is totally strange or life changing it is OK to seek counsel, particularly if it is dangerous or can be dangerous to someone else. Once you learn God’s voice you can trust Him for bigger things.)
Hi Mike,
when you say “manifesting through them” do you mean the demons are in them temperly or are they possessed or inhabited untill Christ makes them leave?
thx
chad
Dear Chad,
Demons interact with people on a sliding scale according to how much people have given in to them throughout their lives. Sometimes people temporarily yield to them and sometimes the demons take up residence in them.
Demons tend to want to amplify ungodliness is all its forms. If a person gives into anger they are there to take it to the next level. If a person gives into anger a lot, say when they are drunk, demons can influence them to do terrible things…things they would never do when they are sober and in “their right mind.”
So when I say “manifest through them,” I mean evils spirits are either adding too their poor choices and are actually, in some cases, controlling their poor choices. Temporarily or permanently, these foul spirits do so from within the person who manifest them. You see them speak through people in the gospels.
Demons take advantage of people when they fall into temptation to push them to do things they never would do normally. This is why, when people come back to themselves, there is so much remorse and regret of what they said or did. When a person is themselves they can’t believe they acted that way and in reality it was not all them…they were influenced to do it from demonic forces acting from within them. For example, when Judas betrayed Jesus he did so with a kiss (that was not just Judas) but afterwards, when the devil left him, he felt so badly that he killed himself.
Blessings,
Michael
“Remember, you’re a child of another world where your Father’s will is done all the time, all the way, and without hesitation.”
That gave me goosebumps! So true. If only we could imagine more – how the angels cater to Him, we would have more respect. God please forgive us. (Btw Michael…I’m going on two months. In the presence. To God be the glory. That sweet blissful presence. Nothing compares to Christ).
Dear Ugo,
I really like your phrase “imagine more!” That is so totally true! I am so glad you are posting, you are such an encrouagement to everyone.
Big hugs and lots of love,
Michael
This is a really good understanding of what walking in the Spirit is. There really is no room for natural minded thinking, or logic, when we are led by His Spirit, is there? When did God ever do anything in hisotry that seemed logical to man?
Like Ugo, in the comment above, I really like this line: “Remember, you’re a child of another world where your Father’s will is done all the time, all the way, and without hesitation.”
This is the world that we are called to live in, and we are called to represent it on the earth. Therefore, we have to, of necessity, walk by the Spirit – this is the only way to be able to do His will. I don’t think we are really able do His will at all without being led by His Spirit, because our natural minds simply can’t grasp that “other-worldly” existence we are called to live in.
Being led by the Spirit is the way God passionately wants all of his children to live and the only way we can manifest, on His behalf, the things He wants us to manifest on this earth.
Good word! Thank you!
Big hugs and lots of love –
Dear Cl,
Yes, you are right about the logic thingy, God never gave us reason, but wanted us to live by revelation. In that place, we have access to the mind of God who gives us wisdom liberally. We know, through words of knowledge or understanding or wisdom things with cannot be known through out natural minds. This is why when we are moved by His Spirit natural minded people don’t get the connections we make, because their natural minds are at odds with His Spirit.
Bug hugs and lots of love, I am so glad that God has joined us together in Him!
Michael