Subjecting One’s Spiritual Leading to the Light
Do you hear from God?
The scriptures in John 10 do indeed say “My sheep hear my voice,” so this is a promise, but we must all take care.
The only 100-percent validated words of God we have are the inspired scriptures. These were written by “holy men of old” under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
While they have been under attack for the last 2,000 years since the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, what has been passed along has been vetted.
Jesus even said His words were eternal.
Mt 24:35 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The scriptures adamantly state our very lives depend on believing, and obeying the Word — the whole word, as it applies, in the spirit of its truth!
As Christians we are thus to subject all we experience, hear, and believe as revelation or insight from God to the pure light of the scriptures.
In a world of 35,000 denominations, and so very many people who’ve gone off in error to one degree or another – while claiming to be obeying God – the following is a word to the wise.
The Word of God is the final arbiter
Heb 4:12 – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Comment: This means the Word of God measures the spirits – that which was of God in us, versus our own imagination, or worse, an evil whispering voice. If we claim to be speaking or doing something in God’s leading, the Word is the standard of whether it is of God or a mix of flesh and spirit. God’s Spirit does NOT contradict the spirit of the truth of His Word. He does not bear witness within a right-minded Christian to what violates the spirit of the truth of the Word.
OT complementary text: Prov 16:2 – All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.
Comment: This idea is repeated elsewhere in the Proverbs, and basically says that man – who is variable and a sinner by nature – can “miss it,” as it were. There is a way that “seems right to man,” say the Proverbs, but it is not God’s leading. It is either of Adam or Satan or both.
Mt. 7:18 – A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Comment: The fruit of the Spirit ought to taste and smell like Jesus. It ought not to contradict or run cross-grain against the spirit of the truth of the Word.
James 3:17 – But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Comment: The Word describes God’s wisdom and way; if we claim to be truly moved of God, we ought to see this trait of heart. There ought to be a softness of heart, a compassion. We tell the truth in love, but ought to have humility that we could be wrong and be sensitive as peacemakers to others.
2 Cor 7:1 – Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Comment: How is this done, this cleansing ourselves from filthiness of flesh and spirit? One primary way is the Holy Spirit searches and convicts us during prayer or as we otherwise walk with Him. This is part of the process of sanctification, and David in Ps. 36:9 said, “In Your light, we see light.” Man’s introspection according to his own soul searching apart from God is at best darkness. We may indeed see many things in ourselves, but God’s light comes when God searches us, and puts His light on the matter of importance to Him. Ps. 139:23-24 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This is not to say we should ignore what is clearly sin; no, we should repent. But the Word says it is God who is our sanctifier. Jesus is the good Shepherd and by the Holy Spirit, He convicts, leads, and guides. The goal is for us to become like Jesus, and God does this according to His perfect light – not necessarily as fallible man would presume it should play out.
1 Thess 5:21 – Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Comment: When deciding to follow inner guidance we suppose is of God, we must remember He has spoken first to us by His written Word. On many matters of this life we do not need a private revelation if the Word reveals God’s heart on a matter. Our duty therefore is to “rightly divide the scripture,” and “the scripture cannot be broken,” said Jesus.
This fulfills a kingdom principle: God honors those who honor Him, and Jesus Christ is the living Logos, He is the Word. We must therefore honor God’s revealed Word as unto Christ the Lord, and anything in us that bears witness against it must not be accepted as coming from God.
Additional Thoughts
In a multitide of (good) counselors, there is safety. God who loves us would spare us from many mistakes.
Mt 7:13-14 – Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
The Word has many warnings against following the wrong spirit or our fleshly inclinations even as it has many promises for those who obey the true Holy Spirit.
This assumes we are also otherwise walking in faith with a clean conscience, honoring the covenant in Christ to the best of our knowledge with a tender heart.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you.
