Dear Amy,
Why is there so much confusion today around what it means to be led by the Spirit?
I wrote recently about being led by the Spirit in the context of the grace-filled life, focusing on loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving one another, unconditionally and without exception, in joyful surrender. Surrender is in fact the key word here and there is a bit more that needs to be said.
It is remarkably easy to tell when someone is confused about what it means to be led by the Spirit, because you will hear them use words like “discern”.
Let’s consider the context in which Paul uses this expression.
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons [and daughters] of God.
― Romans 8:13-14
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
― Galatians 5:16-18
Notice that being led by the Spirit is about putting to death the deeds of the body and not gratifying the desires of the flesh. This has nothing to do with understanding or insight! It is all about the power of the sanctified will.
I can’t do better than to quote Jim Packer on this.
Twice Paul speaks of being “led” by the Spirit (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18). Both times the reference is to resisting one’s own sinful impulses as the flip side of one’s practice of righteousness. Leads is rightly taken to mean “guides”, but the guidance in view here is not a revealing to the mind of divine directives hitherto unknown; it is, rather, an impelling of our wills to pursue and practice and hold fast that sanctity whose terms we know already. Thus to be led and guided, says Paul, is the mark of a Christian.
― J.I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit, Chapter 3
An impelling of our wills to pursue and practice and hold fast that sanctity whose terms we know already. Now recall Packer’s premise from Chapter 1 of the very same book. The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to mediate the presence of Jesus in our lives.
The presence of Jesus in our lives is glorious, victorious, powerful, sanctifying. It enables us to surrender our will to what is right and true and pleasing to the Lord, and to do it, for his glory and for our own eternal blessing. Praise him!
Surrender your will, Amy, to the one who is faithful and true, to our glorious Saviour, and be led by the Spirit into a victorious life! 🙏