LED BY THE SPIRIT

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:12-17)

Devotion 2 of 20

THE NEED TO BE LED

Those in Christ Jesus have truly been "delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son" (Col 1:13). Their names have been "written in heaven," and their sins are remitted. Being reconciled to God, they have peace with Him, and find themselves in a situation where there "is therefore now no condemnation." However, this is not the total story. There are other factors that must be taken into consideration.

We have a sinful nature

We carry about within us a sinful nature that militates against the "law of our mind." As it is written, "but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members" (Rom 7:23, NIV). We are in a world that is dominated by its "god" and "prince," Satan (2 Cor 4:4; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). This "prince" is our personal adversary, and wages aggressive and relentless war against us (1 Pet 5:8-9). Employing strategies that cannot be neutralized by human ingenuity or power, he sends out a flood of delusion to corrupt the thinking of the saints (Rev 12:15-16). Many a soul, unaware of the criticality of the situation, has been carried away with this flood, finally making "shipwreck of the faith" (1 Tim 1:19). These conditions require divine guidance--the leading of the Spirit.

Faith stabilizes us while we are in a realm destined for destruction. We are in a world that is going to "pass away." In Christ, however, we have "eternal life," and thus are not suited for a temporal realm. We are citizens of another world, and live in earnest expectation of being there. We, like the saints of old time, are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb 11:13). We do not fit into this realm. Faith has, in fact, placed us at variance with it. This condition requires that we be "led," or directed, from on high.

The way of man is not in himself

There are a number of affirmations in Scripture that plainly declare our need to be "led." "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer 10:23). It only takes involvement in the "good fight of faith" to confirm this is the case. Your fleshly resources quickly dissipate when put to the test. No person is saved to navigate on their own! We have been brought into association with God through Christ because we needed to be. Our own wisdom and works took us from God. They simply cannot be the means of maintaining life in Christ. Only Divine wisdom and activity will enable us to complete the "race set before us." Suffice it to say, it is inexcusable for one professing to be in Christ to fail to see "it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." This is an elementary truth, known long before God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ Jesus. To fail to comprehend this basic component of truth now, indicates the heart is alienated--for whatever reason!

PRAYER POINT: Father, in Jesus' name, help me to see the vanity of my own wisdom, and the indispensability of Your wisdom and direction.

-- TOMORROW: A MAN'S STEPS -- ORDERED BY THE LORD --