In one of our recent meetings, we were all encouraged to be led by the Spirit of God. It is imperative that we as believers be led by the Holy Spirit in all that we do – in our church services and in our daily lives. It seems this is being lost to a majority of those who once followed the Holy Ghost. I am firmly convinced that busy schedules, a need for entertainment, social gatherings, hours lost playing with electronic devices and a general lack of zeal for the things of God have greatly contributed to this. Why? People don’t need God anymore. They have learned to live life without Him.
The church world as a whole, not all churches, have learned how to have church without the founder, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Many seem to focus on their social events, outreaches, and services without asking and waiting on the Lord to tell them what to do. It is His church after all. It seems we live in an age similar to the Laodicean church Jesus talked about in Revelation 3:14-22.
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. – Revelation 3:14-22
What strikes me as significant, is that Jesus was outside the church observing what they were doing and wanted them to invite Him inside. Another remarkable point is that they did not realize He was not there or certainly they would have invited Him in.
Oh Father, in Jesus’ name I ask, “That which I see not, show Thou me. That which I know not, teach Thou me. And for that which Thou has prepared for me, prepare Thou me.” I learned this from Dad Hagin. He never did anything without first seeking God for hours, days and sometimes weeks. I follow his example and many times don’t fit in with all the religious things going on around me. I assume that is why some folks think I am missing it. I encourage you to lay aside the flesh, religion and things of this world and seek Him.
With all the things going on in the world and church, it is important more than ever, that we learn to be led by the Holy Spirit. Don’t just follow what you see and hear. Yes, there are things that you can tell instantly are not from God just by the simple question: Does this agree with the Bible? But there are other things that are not as clear or you don’t have all the information to be able to ask that question. That is why we must be led by the Holy Spirit.
