LORD’S DAY, DECEMBER 3
Psalm 32:1-8
Ezekiel 36:25-27

Remember the Lord’s Day
to keep it holy.

THE SPIRIT LEADING (III)

There has been a great proliferation among those in the “Holy Spirit Renewal” groups of “prophecies and revelations from the Lord.” Things are said and done, rightly or wrongly, by those who are “led by the Spirit.” How can we know whether such claims are authentic? One good guide is to examine each claim in the light of Scripture. Is it in accord with God’s Word? Is there anything which contradicts the Word, and is not of the truth? We should subject the claims to detailed scrutiny, asking ourselves the following questions if we claim to be “led by the Spirit”:

1. Is it “self-abasing”? The Holy Spirit leads us away from ourselves, from self-confidence in our own ability, wisdom, strength and righteousness. The Spirit leads us away from self-will, selfsatisfaction, and self-glorification. It is “more of Christ, less of self. He must increase, I must decrease.” If the Spirit is leading, He will wean us from our self-importance along a perpetual and progressive pathway, so that eventually it will be “all of Christ, none of self.”

2. Is Christ exalted? If the Spirit is in control, His function is to testify of Christ (John 15:26) and glorify Him (John 16:14). The Spirit’s leading must give us a closer realization of our union with the Saviour. He is our Head, we are but members. It must increase our consciousness of our own failings and faults. The Spirit causes us to mourn for our sins and to flee to Christ for cleansing so that we may be made more like Him.

3. Are we led along the highway of holiness? The Spirit leads us away from the vanities and seductive lures of the world, and points us to the Altogether Lovely One. He turns us away from the husks and ashes of the world to the riches of Christ in glory. He sets our affections on things above and not on things on earth. He opens our eyes to see the awfulness of sin, its filth and abomination, then He causes us to turn our feet from even the slightest sin that may grieve the Lord. He leads us to separate from sin and the world, and make Christ our lifelong delight.

THOUGHT: Am I being led by God’s Spirit, or some other spirit?
PRAYER: Lead me, O God, by Thy Spirit, to the Rock that is higher than I.