LIVING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Most ministers and teachers teach what they have read or what they have been taught. Reading the Word of God is a wonderful thing. Sitting under a godly minister is also a good thing. If you don’t have the discernment of the Holy Spirit, which is the Holy Spirits wisdom letting you know the difference between right and wrong in your spirit, you will never have total understanding of Gods will for your life.

A believer must understand that the power of sin is so great that no individual on earth, even the strongest Christian can overcome this monster, speaking of Satan, with his own strength or ability, it simply can not be done. Sin is so bad that Jesus had to go to the cross to defeat this monster, Satan. By taking the cross after living the perfect life without sin, Jesus sent us a gift, the Holy Spirit. In order to overcome sin, we have to have the power of the Holy Spirit. It is true that every single believer has the Holy Spirit, and more assuredly all believers should be baptized in the Holy Spirit which will give us even more power. The work of the Holy Spirit within our hearts and lives is not automatic, you need to know how He works and accept His guidance. The Spirit of God doesn’t demand much of us but He does demand that we have faith in the cross and what Christ accomplished on the cross.

John 16:13-14 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

For the law (this is talking about the law by which the Spirit works) of the Holy Spirit of life the Holy Spirit guarantees all the life that comes from Christ Jesus as a result of the cross and what Jesus did at the finished work of the cross, has made us free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:2-4 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

One of the reasons that the Christian is in trouble is because he or she doesn’t understand how the Holy Spirit works. We all need the Spirits help and need it most earnestly. If we put our faith in anything else other than the cross as it regards our victory the Holy Spirit will simply not help us. In fact, that is the law.

Romans 8:1 8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Paul constantly mentions the flesh, so what is he talking about here? He is speaking of the Christians ability and strength outside of the Holy Spirit. He is in effect saying if we try to live life by trusting in our own strength (the flesh) we will fail and fail every time.

This is exactly what he means by walking in the flesh.

Galatians 5:25 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Walk here refers to our lifestyle. This passage both life and holiness are to be the work of the Holy Spirit in us. He operates in salvation and sanctification which is helping us to choose God's way instead of sin. Both are realized on the principle of faith and that refers us right back to the cross being the object of our faith.

Many realize they have received spiritual life as it pertains to salvation through faith, they mistakenly think they can only secure sanctification by works. This is errant thinking; it can never bring us victory. We must believe in Christ and the cross for our sanctification as well as justification, this introduces us into a life of power and victory.

1 Timothy 4:1 4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

The latter times are what we are living in now. The last of the last days, which begin the fulfillment of the end time prophecies.

Some shall depart from the faith. Anytime Paul uses the term (the faith) in short, he is referring to the cross and the finished work that Jesus paid for. We are being told here that some will depart because of lack of knowledge or lack of spiritual strength concerning the means of salvation and victory. Giving heed to seducing spirits. Evil spirits or seducing spirits are sometimes called religious spirits which are demonic spirits that work totally against the word of God, making something seem like what it is not.

The doctrines of devils should have been translated, doctrines of demons. These seducing spirits entice, lure, believers away from the true faith, causing them to believe false doctrines that are inspired by demonic spirits.

This my dear friends is why it is so important to have the discerning of the Holy Spirit to give us the spiritual wisdom to know the difference between what is right and wrong. We must be overcomers to rightfully stay in good standing with God’s word. Never neglect the gift that is in you, which is the call of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit who is encouraging us to carry out the call God has given to us.

Stay in the word,

Brother Andy