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Magazine - The Power of the Spirit - November 2016
THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT.
By Andrew Murray.
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit, that we are God’s children”
(Rom 8 v14&16).
It is the same Spirit that leads us as children who also assures us that we are God’s children. Without His leading there can be no assurance of our adoption. Full assurance of faith is enjoyed by those who surrender themselves entirely to the leading of the Spirit.
What does this leading mean? Our whole inner life is to be guided by Him to what He wills. Our growth and increase, our development and progress is not our work but His, and we are to trust Him for this. As a tree grows and becomes large by the life which God has given to it, so also does the Christian by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. We have to cherish the joyful assurance that the Spirit, whom the Father gives to us, does with divine wisdom and power guide our inner life, and bring it where God wills. (see Hos. 14 v 6&7, Matt. 6 v28, Mark 4 v26&28, Luke 2 v40, Rom. 8 v2).
There are directions for this leading, “He will lead you into all the truth”. When we read the word of God, we are to wait upon Him to make us experience the truth, the essential power of what God says. He makes the word living and powerful. He leads us into a life corresponding to the word. (see John 6 v63, 14 v26, 16 v13, 1 Cor. 2 v10&14, 1 Thess. 2 v13).
When you pray, you can reckon on His leading, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness”. He leads us to what we must desire. He leads us into the way in which we are to pray, trust Him fully. (see Zech. 12 v10, Rom. 8 v26-27, Jude v12&20).
In sanctification it is He who will lead, He leads us in the path of righteousness, He leads us into all the will of God. (see 1 Cor 6 v19-20, 1 Peter 1 v2&15).
In our speaking and working for the Lord, He will lead. Every child has the Spirit, every child has need of Him to know and to do the work of the Father. Without Him no child can please or serve the Father. The leading of the Spirit is the blessed privilege and sure token, and the only power of a child of God. (see Matt 10 v20, Acts 1 v8, Rom. 8 v9, Gal. 4 v6, Eph. 1 v13).
How can we fully enjoy this leading? The first thing that is necessary is faith. You must take time to have your heart filled with the deep and living consciousness that the Spirit is in you. Read all the glorious declarations of your Father in His word, that the Spirit is in you and for you, until the conviction fills you that you really are a temple of the Spirit. Ignorance or unbelief on this point makes it impossible for the Spirit to speak in you and to lead you. Cherish the assurance that the Spirit of God dwells in you. (see Acts 19 v2, Rom. 5 v5, 1 Cor. 3 v16, 2 Cor. 5 v5, Gal. 3 v5&14).
Be still to attend to the voice of the Spirit. As the Lord Jesus acts, so does the Spirit, “He shall not cry nor lift up His voice”. He whispers gently and quietly and only the soul that sets itself very silently towards God can perceive His voice and guidance. When we become engrossed with the world, with its business, its cares, its enjoyments and its politics, the Spirit cannot lead us. When our service to God is in our own wisdom and strength, the Spirit cannot be heard. It is the weak and simple, who are willing to have themselves taught in humility, that receive the leading of the Spirit. Sit down every morning, sit down often in the day, to say, ‘Lord Jesus, I know nothing, I will be silent, let the Spirit lead me’ (see 1 Chro. 11 v12, Ps. 62 v2&6,131 v2, Isa. 42 v2, Hab. 2 v20, Zech. 4 v6, Acts 1 v4).
And then be obedient. Listen to the inner voice and do what He says. Fill your heart every day with the word and when the Spirit puts you in mind of what the word says, do it. You then become able to receive further teaching, it is to the obedient that the full blessing of the Spirit is promised. (see John 14 v15&16, Acts 5 v32).
From: ‘The New Life’.
* * * * * * *
THE EDITOR’S LETTER.
My Dear Friends,
Jesus’ promise of the coming of the Comforter is so special, but this Comforter, this Counsellor, is much more than an encourager, He is the Third Person of the Trinity, the one who gives us power. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 19, he prays that the believers would “know”, experience, the “incomparably great power” of God, that power which God exerted when He raised Jesus from death. It is this empowering, which the Spirit gives, which is the topic of this edition of the magazine.
May all God’s people experience the reality of the risen Lord in their lives by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Michael Metcalfe.