I was never taught how to walk with God.
I'm sure that walking with God- going through life with the constant presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit- was talked about and read about in my early life, and I'm sure that there were people that tried to show me what it was like, but the plain and simple fact is that I completely missed the boat.
I remember sitting in class my first year in seminary and hearing the professor talk about the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I felt like the Ephesian believers in Acts 19- Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "We haven't even heard that there IS a Holy Spirit."
I would imagine that most people that flock to our pews on Sunday are in the same boat. They get prayer, they get the Bible, they get worship, they may even get the whole giving/tithing thing, but most really don't get the Holy Spirit. I completely understand- I didn't either and to some extent, still don't. However, I will say that over the last six months, the reality of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in my life has been astounding.
I am learning that the Holy Spirit speaks to me all day long. He has directions and guidance for even the things that I think aren't worth His attention. He speaks words of comfort when I am stressed or doubting. He constantly points me to Jesus, constantly bringing my sins to the forefront of my conscience so they can be repented of, and constantly reshapes me into someone who literally knows the mind of Christ (John 16:14)
I think there are many stages that we go through as believers. The first stage is simply one of getting your sins forgiven. That's about all that is on the radar- how do I get my sins forgiven and get into heaven? Stage 2 happens when we realize that simply having our sins forgiven and "going to heaven" doesn't really mean much unless there is life change to go along with it. So, at stage 2, we begin trimming off bad behavior. We stop cussing (at least in front of our Christian friends), avoid bad movies, preset K-love and Air-1 into our car stereos, and maybe even make some radical changes to lifestyles such as breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend and/or eliminating addictions.
Stage 1 is all about getting new beliefs. Stage 2 is all about getting new behavior. I am not knocking these stages. They are important and necessary and very, very Biblical. However, a person who has only experienced stage 1 or stage 2 still doesn't get what Christianity is all about.
It isn't until Stage 3 happens that we begin to truly see Biblical Christianity. Stage 3 is when the person learns to trust and listen to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. God moves from being impersonal to very personal. We learn to listen and hear God's voice. We begin to see all of life through HIS eyes, not ours. We become less and less concerned with doing the right things (and avoiding the wrong things) and begin to become more and more concerned with following His leadership from moment to moment, day to day, month to month, and year to year.
But people will say, "That's dangerous!" Of course it is. We all know people who have "heard God's voice" that have gone off and done stupid and crazy things. That's why God set up the testimony of two witnesses as the way to ascertain truth. In a Jewish court, no one could be convicted without the testimony of two witnesses. In the same way, the Holy Spirit works with Scripture to give us the truth. The Holy Spirit never leads us to things that contradict Scripture.
Today, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit leading you and guiding you. As you listen to His voice, allow the beautiful words of Scripture to work in harmony with His leading. You will be amazed at the change in you. You will be able to say, like the old hymn says, "How marvelous, how wonderful- and my song shall ever be/ How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me!"
I'm sure that walking with God- going through life with the constant presence and leadership of the Holy Spirit- was talked about and read about in my early life, and I'm sure that there were people that tried to show me what it was like, but the plain and simple fact is that I completely missed the boat.
I remember sitting in class my first year in seminary and hearing the professor talk about the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I felt like the Ephesian believers in Acts 19- Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "We haven't even heard that there IS a Holy Spirit."
I would imagine that most people that flock to our pews on Sunday are in the same boat. They get prayer, they get the Bible, they get worship, they may even get the whole giving/tithing thing, but most really don't get the Holy Spirit. I completely understand- I didn't either and to some extent, still don't. However, I will say that over the last six months, the reality of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in my life has been astounding.
I am learning that the Holy Spirit speaks to me all day long. He has directions and guidance for even the things that I think aren't worth His attention. He speaks words of comfort when I am stressed or doubting. He constantly points me to Jesus, constantly bringing my sins to the forefront of my conscience so they can be repented of, and constantly reshapes me into someone who literally knows the mind of Christ (John 16:14)
I think there are many stages that we go through as believers. The first stage is simply one of getting your sins forgiven. That's about all that is on the radar- how do I get my sins forgiven and get into heaven? Stage 2 happens when we realize that simply having our sins forgiven and "going to heaven" doesn't really mean much unless there is life change to go along with it. So, at stage 2, we begin trimming off bad behavior. We stop cussing (at least in front of our Christian friends), avoid bad movies, preset K-love and Air-1 into our car stereos, and maybe even make some radical changes to lifestyles such as breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend and/or eliminating addictions.
Stage 1 is all about getting new beliefs. Stage 2 is all about getting new behavior. I am not knocking these stages. They are important and necessary and very, very Biblical. However, a person who has only experienced stage 1 or stage 2 still doesn't get what Christianity is all about.
It isn't until Stage 3 happens that we begin to truly see Biblical Christianity. Stage 3 is when the person learns to trust and listen to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. God moves from being impersonal to very personal. We learn to listen and hear God's voice. We begin to see all of life through HIS eyes, not ours. We become less and less concerned with doing the right things (and avoiding the wrong things) and begin to become more and more concerned with following His leadership from moment to moment, day to day, month to month, and year to year.
But people will say, "That's dangerous!" Of course it is. We all know people who have "heard God's voice" that have gone off and done stupid and crazy things. That's why God set up the testimony of two witnesses as the way to ascertain truth. In a Jewish court, no one could be convicted without the testimony of two witnesses. In the same way, the Holy Spirit works with Scripture to give us the truth. The Holy Spirit never leads us to things that contradict Scripture.
Today, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit leading you and guiding you. As you listen to His voice, allow the beautiful words of Scripture to work in harmony with His leading. You will be amazed at the change in you. You will be able to say, like the old hymn says, "How marvelous, how wonderful- and my song shall ever be/ How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me!"
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