How to Be Led by the Holy Spirit

1. Your spirit or the Holy Spirit.

a. How to know if the Holy Spirit is speaking to you or if it is your own spirit.

b. Proverbs 20:27 AMPC – “The spirit of man [that factor in human personality which proceeds immediately from God] is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.” 

c. 1 John 3:9 AMPC – “No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.” 

d. 2 Peter 1:4 AMPC – “By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.” 

e. Acts 27:9-10 KJV – “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.”

f. Acts 26:13-19

g. Verse 19 KJV – “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”

h. Acts 10:1-21 – Cornelius and Peter

i. Acts 11:12 KJV – The spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.

j. Acts 13:1-2 KJV – “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

 

2. Guidance through prophecy.

a. To prophesy means: to bubble forth; tumble forth.

b. He who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, up-building, constructive spiritual progress, encouragement, and consolation.

c. 1 Corinthians 14:1 KJV – “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

d. 1 Corinthians 14:5 KJV – “I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.”

e. 1 Corinthians 14:27 KJV – “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”

f. 1 Corinthians 14:39 KJV – “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.”

g. 1 Corinthians 12:29 KJV – “Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?”

h. Acts 20:22-23 AMPC – “And now, you see, I am going to Jerusalem, bound by the [Holy] Spirit and obligated and compelled by the [convictions of my own] spirit, not knowing what will befall me there — 23 Except that the Holy Spirit clearly and emphatically affirms to me in city after city that imprisonment and suffering await me.” 

i. Acts 21:4 KJV – “And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”

j. Acts 21:8-14

k. Don’t build your life on prophecies. Build it on the Word.

l. Prophecy is for confirmation (not information).

m. 1 Corinthians 14:29-30 KJV – “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.”

n. We only need one person at a time to bring the revelation forth.

 

3. Guidance through visions.

a. Hebrews 13:2 KJV – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

b. Acts 9:10-12 KJV – “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”

c. Acts 10:19-20 KJV – “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.”

d. Acts 8:26-29 – The angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, telling him to go south into the desert and then to climb into the Ethiopian’s chariot to tell him about Jesus.

e. Acts 16:9 KJV – “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”

f. Acts 18:9 KJV – “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace.”

 

4. How to train the human spirit.

a. Joshua 1:8 – By meditation in the Word of God.

b. James 1:22 – By practicing the Word.

c. Proverbs 4:20-22 – By giving the Word first place.

d. Proverbs 20:27 – By instantly obeying the voice of your spirit.

 

5. Praying in/with the Spirit.

a. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 KJV – “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

b. 1 Corinthians 14:2 KJV – “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”