LED BY THE SPIRIT

Fall is in the air again and I must admit that one of my favorite fall past times is going for a hike.  I have noticed, however, that there are two ways to hike.  I can go it alone, finding my own way on the path, hoping to not get lost, and being so focused on the trail that I miss the details.  More often than not this is what I do.  But I can also go with a guide, one who is experienced and knows the trail so well that while leading, he is still pointing out the best views, the splendors of nature, and the finer details I would normally miss.  If I was honest with myself, as much as I want to do it alone, I much rather prefer being led by a guide.

Sadly enough, I have tried this same tactic in my walk with God.  As I have take steps in my walk with God over the years, I have seen where in time I have moved from baby steps to steps of maturity.  Probably much like you, when we first allow God to be the head and master of our lives, He starts us out with small steps, such as changing a behavior, beginning a daily devotional time, and plugging into a church body.  Over time, though, as we grow we find ourselves being rooted deeper into His ways, wanting to do His will and hopefully wanting to be led by Him.  Without a solid foundation in those baby and toddler stages of our walk with God, however, we can be easily swayed.  The voice that we are trusting to lead us can actually be the voice of one trying to hurt us. What exactly do I mean by this?

Do you remember the tale of Pinocchio?  The wooden puppet wanted so desperately to be a real boy that he began listening to wrong voices.  In the Disney cartoon, the cricket was there to be his guide, but soon he found himself being swayed by the voices of the foxes, the great puppeteer, and others.  It wasn’t until he began turning into a donkey that he began to see the error for not following the wisdom of the cricket.  But we as followers of God have one greater than a cricket to guide us.  We have the Spirit of God.  Saving us from transforming into donkeys ourselves is the one He gives to help us and direct us on our path.  The question is if we are following His Spirit, or listening to the foxes and others who secretly are working to take us down.

In Galatians 5:16-18, we are frankly told to live by the Spirit. “So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”  It is in living by the Spirit that we are able to say “no” to the desire of sin.  True, sin promises us the world much like the foxes promised to help Pinocchio to become a real boy.  But sin’s boast is a lie.  The Spirit, however, does not lie.  As the Spirit guides and directs us, so it also brings us to the truth we have been promised, the truth of a deeper and fulfilling relationship with God.

The Father knew we would need help.  He knew the foxes would come and we would be tempted by the smooth talking that follows.  But instead of leaving us to fend for ourselves, He sent His Spirit to guide us and direct us.  The challenge, however, is knowing the Spirit's nudging, and allowing the nudges to lead us.  The promise is, though, that when we live by the Spirit we will not satisfy the desires of the flesh.  Perhaps we should change who we are following.