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In this blog, I provide training and instruction on Who the Holy Spirit is, why we need Him, and how to receive Him, as well as His holy fire.  You will learn about the new wine, the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, the biblical basis for the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the role of the triune Godhead in drawing people to Himself, and the supernatural power available for all disciples.  I also discuss the importance of being led by the Spirit, correctly discerning the things of the spirit, and testing the spirits.

As the Scripture says:

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luk 11:9-13)

The Person of the Holy Spirit	Baptized with the Holy Spirit	Holy Fire Baptism
Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit: What's the Difference?	Supernatural Power for All Disciples	Discerning the Things of the Spirit
The New Wine	Testing the Spirits of False Prophets	The Holy Trinity
The Role of the Trinity in Drawing People to God	The Bodily Form of the Holy Spirit	The Holy Spirit Speaks
The Spirit without Limit	The Laying on of Hands	International Impact of Pentecost
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit	False Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit	The River of God
The Witness of the Spirit	Judging Revelations, Visions, and Prophecies	Led by the Spirit - Part I
Led by the Spirit - Part II	The Baptism of Christ	The Gift of Speaking in Tongues
Anointed by the Holy Spirit	Have the Spiritual Gifts Ceased?	The Bubbling Forth of the Spirit's new Wine
Ten Divine Expressions for Spirit Baptism

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. "Receiving the Spirit" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Author's Note: You may also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Testimonies of the Baptism with Holy Fire

I have written previously about the biblical holy fire baptism, and posted a series called The Holy Fire Series, in order to dispel myths and answer questions about this gift of God. As part of that series, I would like to share with you some testimonies of people who have received the holy fire baptism, according to Matt 3:11; Luk 3:16; 11:13; 12:49; Ac 1:5,8; 2:3-4, and Mal 3:3.

Let's begin with some video testimonies, which are always interesting to watch and hear what people experienced when they received the baptism with holy fire. Please click this link to see the Holy Fire Baptism playlist on my Youtube channel. I hope you will like, subscribe, and share, but most importantly pray to receive this baptism, if you have not already done so.

Now for testimonies of those who've received over the  past twelve years from 2012 to present.

As I imparted the holy fire to my wife, Jennifer, and the children, my hands went from being cool beforehand to very warm, even hot.  As I prayed for my daughter Faith, she felt two blazing balls of fire in her hands that we very heavy like lead balls, and she became very warm.  My daughter Charity and wife Jennifer felt the same thing.  They were amazed. My son Christopher said he felt the holy fire, especially on his back, and his hands became sweaty.  My daughter Hope did not feel much, but her hands got so sweaty that we could see them glistening wet as she held them out, receiving from the Lord.   

Charity testified, “As Daddy imparted the holy fire, it all began with a warm feeling.  I felt warmth in both pinky fingers.  A few minutes later I started to have a tingling sensation in my fingers, and they were paralyzed.  Then suddenly these round balls began to form in my hands. They were so heavy and felt like lead balls.  My arms were weighed down.  Later on this sharp, needle-like feeling came into some of my fingers, and I was sweating!”

On another occasion, my son Christopher said he felt the holy fire on his head, and then he felt a wind on the back of his neck. My daughters Faith and Charity said they felt heavy fireballs in their hands.

My nephew, Denis said he felt a tingling in his hands and "every nook and cranny" in his body. He also felt a pain at the center of both palms of his hands. 

A pastor named Rob said he felt tingling in his hands when he received.

A sister in Christ named Felicia saw white and felt heat running from the top of her head down the back of her neck.  Her hands also felt warm and numb like when the circulation is cut off, but there was no tingling sensation. She was bright eyed and full of hope after we prayed with her, saying she felt “lighter” and had a “new hope” now. 

A young man named Andrew said that when he received, he suddenly experienced a great heat from the Lord throughout his body, including his hands, and a tingling sensation on his forehead. 

Angel also said she suddenly felt a great heat throughout her body when she received the holy fire. 

Another Andrew said, "I felt empowerment and peace at the same time.  It was wonderful, but weird, because we usually don’t think of those two things being experienced together at the same time.” 

On another occasion, one lady felt warmth in her hands.  The other one felt the heat in her hands as well as the presence of the Lord inside her. She also began to wobble and found it difficult to stand straight.  

As a lady named Sarah received the holy fire, she swayed forward and backward, and seemed to find it difficult to stand. She said she felt a calm serenity inside of her.

A pastor named Linu “felt like the Holy Spirit was searching his entire being from head to toe,” as he received prayer for the holy fire the first time. The second time he received the impartation, he definitely felt the fire in his hand, and he was thanking Jesus! 

Linu's wife Nella felt the heat in her hands and forearms.  She testified that as I prayed, she saw bright light going from person to person, and she felt peace and love. 

George felt like it was a “quiet time” inside as he received the impartation of holy fire, while Nik experienced a “fresh anointing.” 

One man, named Marian was overwhelmed by the power of the Holy Spirit. He had his hands lifted up and began to breathe in and out very deeply with his mouth open, as though something very intense was happening inside. It was amazing. He was lifting his head higher and higher and beginning to arch backward, but the pastor was holding him up, keeping him from falling back. He eventually could not stand and bowed before the Lord, going down to his knees with his face to the floor. Glory to God!

One man felt two heavy fire balls in his hands. Other people felt the “peace” that passes all understanding. One lady wept, another lady trembled. One person said she felt the Holy Spirit moving inside her.  

When Fotioni received the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire he he felt peace. 

Albana testified joyfully that when she received the baptism with holy fire, she felt heat in her hands and on her head, as well as all throughout her body. She also simultaneously had a vision of yellow light like fire showering down upon her from above. 

Suphe was sweating so much that his shirt was soaking through. 

Matthew said he felt lighter.

Feriha said she felt like her feet became weak and it was difficult to stand. She also felt great joy of the Lord inside her. 

Hari was standing and his whole body from head to toe became warm. He became weak and could not stand. He fell to his knees and bowed before the Lord in praise. Afterward he was very warm and praising God. 

Anson initially saw a bright flash of pure white, gold light that came straight down upon him like a laser beam. Then he felt the heat in his body, including his feet, and felt like he had flames around his arms and legs. He felt the fire. 

Michael had a vision of himself all ablaze with fire. He felt a "pins-and-needles" sort of tingling sensation begin at his head and expand throughout his body from there. He also had a vision of his heart aflame. He had a sensation of icy heat (similar to the Icy Hot muscle-rub cream), even though he had the window open in the office at work where he was and it was around 19 degrees F outside. He felt like he could run 10 miles, too. He doesn’t drink caffeine, but felt as if he had just drunk two Red Bulls.

John felt a powerful tingling throughout his body like electricity, but it did not hurt. It caused him to experience five involuntary jolts, as if he was being shocked, and he felt a lightness and joy afterward -- such happiness. See what happened after he received the baptism with fire, when he imparted it to others at an all-night prayer meeting he was leading (link)!

I'm so grateful to the Lord for what He has done in my life and in the lives of these people whom I've prayed for over the past twelve years across the US and in various countries around the world. I will need eternity to adequately thank Him for all He has done. To God alone be all the glory, praise, and honor forever and ever. 

Please click this link to see the Holy Fire Baptism playlist on my Youtube channel. It contains brief testimonies from a few people about what they experienced when they received the holy fire. 

I hope that this has edified and encouraged you that God still baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire today, just as He did on the day of Pentecost. 

"As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened." (Dan 7:9-10)

-- Len Lacroix

 

Attribution: Scripture taken from the Holy Bible NIV. Image may be subject to copyright, used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Holy Fire Baptism, Songs of the Holy Fire, and The Holy Fire Series. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Bubbling Forth of the Spirit's New Wine

Today I'd like to share a brief devotional meditation with you about the importance of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

New Wine in New Wineskins
Jesus said, “Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (Mat 9:17)

Why is it that men pour new wine into new wineskins, which are more flexible and stretchy, rather than into old wineskins, which are more rigid and brittle? This is because the fermentation of wine produces CO2 gas that is 40 times the volume of grape juice. When that is kept in a closed container, as is necessary for fermentation to occur, it must be able to expand as more and more carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced. As mentioned, old wineskins are brittle and do not expand like new ones do, so putting new wine into old wineskins would result in both the wine and wineskin being lost. But putting new wine into new wineskins results in both the wine and wineskin being preserved.

Since the fermentation of wine produces CO2 gas that is 40 times the volume of grape juice, just imagine how much gas is produced by one liter of wine. Liquids are typically measured in liters in a lab and gases are measured in cubic centimeters (cm³). Therefore if the volume of CO2 gas produced by one liter of grape juice during fermentation is 40 times that volume, then it would produce 40 x 1 liter or 40 liters. 1 liter = 1,000 cm³, so 40 liters = 40,000 cm³. That's an enormous volume of gas compared to the relatively much smaller volume of liquid!

Fermentation Gas a Type of the Holy Spirit
The gas produced during fermentation of new wine is a type or illustration of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, Who is infinitely greater in power than the believer who is not Spirit-filled. There is a bubbling up of the Spirit within the Spirit-filled believer that cannot be contained by religious forms, customs, structures, and organizations. Even the human body cannot contain it, which is why it comes out of the believer in various manifestations of power like speaking in tongues, prophesying, gifts of healing, miracles, joyful laughter, dancing, lifting up the hands in worship, etc. Groups (such as denominations or religious institutions) that are bound by their religious forms, customs, and structures cannot control this, so they don’t know what to do with it. That's why when they encounter Spirit-filled people in their midst, it can result in a breakage like a broken wineskin, whereby the Spirit-filled person runs out, much like new wine runs out of a broken wineskin.

What is fermentation? It is the process of sugars being broken down by enzymes of microorganisms in the absence of oxygen. It’s an anaerobic process, which is why it can happen inside a sealed wineskin. Those enzymes break down the glucose in the juice, and that is what produces the gas. Those gas bubbles are a byproduct of the sugars being broken down by the enzymes. The gas bubbles just appear seemingly out of nowhere from within the fermenting liquid. The gas bubbles up from within the wine. That reminds me of the living water that Jesus said would bubble up from within the Spirit-filled believer.

A Gushing Fountain
Jesus said, “’Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (Joh 7:38-39).

On another occasion, Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (Joh 4:13-14).

The expression “welling up” in that verse is from the Greek word “hallomai”, meaning to jump; figuratively to gush: - leap, spring up. Therefore, Jesus was saying that the living water He gives us, which is the Holy Spirit, will become a spring of water gushing, bubbling up, or springing forth like a fountain. This water of the Spirit bubbles up to eternal life. That reminds me of one of the Hebrew words for "prophet" in the Bible.

One of the three Hebrew words for "prophet" is nabi, which literally means "to bubble up" like a fountain. It describes one who is stirred up in spirit. Likewise, the Hebrew word most often translated "prophesy" is naba, which literally means to "bubble up" and to "flow forth."

Be Being Filled
Paul wrote to the Ephesian Church, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." (Eph 5:18). The Greek word for "be filled" here is pleroo, which means to be filled to the full or to be filled up. But the verb is in the present continuous tense, meaning that it is an ongoing daily process that we submit to, not a one-time thing. You could say, "Continually be being filled" with the Spirit.

Closing Words

I hope that this brief article has helped to show how every believer who has received the gift of the Holy Spirit has this ever-expanding, ever-bubbling fountain within, which gushes forth to eternal life. If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, and you have never received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, then let me encourage you to ask the Heavenly Father for it today, since He promised to give this gift to His children (Lk 11:13; 24:49; Ac 1:4; 2:38; 10:45). Open up your heart today as much as you are able to, and receive this wonderful, free gift. And if you have already received, then continue asking for more each day, and be continuously filled with the Spirit as the Scripture says to be (Eph 5:18). The resulting, ever-expanding power that will be in you will be greater than anything you could bring to the table on your own.

Attributes: Images used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes only. Fountain in Geneva, Switzerland by Matt Jones under free license through Unsplash. Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission.  

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Main Directory for this blog at Home, such as Baptized with the Spirit, The New Wine, The Spirit Without Limit, The River of God, The Gift of Speaking in Tongues, Have the Spiritual Gifts Ceased?, Ten Divine Expressions for Spirit Baptism. and Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit: What's the Difference?, You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Anointed by the Holy Spirit

Most of us know that Jesus Christ was anointed by God, but we may not fully understand what that means. Let's take a look at this in Scripture to better understand what it means to be anointed.


Anointing the Kings of Israel 
First we'll begin with a little bit of historical background on the practice of anointing. Normally in Israel, when God appointed a man to be their king, then they anointed him, which consisted of pouring sacred, aromatic oil over his head or entire body. Anointing people originally came from the Hebrew practice used to anoint Aaron as high priest, which was later followed to anoint their kings, such as when Samuel the prophet anointed Saul as king.

"Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, 'Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over his inheritance?' " (1Sa 10:1)

After removing Saul, because of his disobedience, God made David their king, but He began by initially having Samuel anoint him with oil while Saul was still reigning in Israel.

"The LORD said to Samuel, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.' " (1Sa 16:1)

Once the Lord indicated to Samuel that Jesse's son David was to become king, "Then the LORD said, 'Rise and anoint him; this is the one.' So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah." (1Sa 16:12-13)

Notice how once David was anointed by the prophet at God's command, then from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. It was immediately after David was anointed as king that he defeated Goliath the giant single-handedly by the power of God. There was a direct connection between Samuel anointing David with oil, and the Spirit of the Lord coming upon David powerfully. The anointing with oil was the physical act and the Spirit of God coming upon him was the spiritual act. There is always a link between what happens in the physical and spiritual realms, as I have written about in my article called The Link Between Two Realms.

Another example was when God had Jehu anointed as king.

"The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, 'Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of olive oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi...Then take the flask and pour the oil on his head and declare, "This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel." Then open the door and run; don't delay!'" (2Ki 9:1-3)

The prophet did what Elisha told him to do and found Jehu.

"Jehu got up and went into the house [with him]. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu's head and declared, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: "I anoint you king over the LORD's people Israel."'" (2Ki 9:6)

Notice that the Lord God said to Jehu, "I anoint you king." While the prophet anointed him with oil, God anointed Him in the spirit.

Afterward the men that Jehu had been meeting with asked him what the prophet said to him in the house.

"Jehu said, 'Here is what he told me: "This is what the LORD says: I anoint you king over Israel." ' They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, 'Jehu is king!' " (2Ki 9:12b-13).

Afterward, Jehu went on to do great exploits for God. It was he who destroyed the whole house of evil King Ahab his master. It was through Jehu that God avenged the blood of His servants the prophets and the blood of all the Lord's servants shed by Jezebel. The Lord used Jehu to cut off from Ahab every last male descendant in Israel in a single event, except for one of them, whom he killed separately. It was Jehu who had Ahab's wicked wife Jezebel assassinated (2Ki 9:7-10), and later had all the prophets of Baal killed in a single event (2Ki 10:19-29). Certainly he was anointed by God to do all of this through the power of the Spirit.

God Anointed Jesus
Just as God anointed Aaron the high priest, and kings like Saul, David, and Jehu, He also anointed Jesus of Nazareth. The apostle Peter said:

"You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Act 10:38, NASB).

Peter taught that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power, and this is how He "went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil." When Jesus healed all who were oppressed by the devil, He did so through the power of the Holy Spirit, which indicated that God was with Him. Jesus Himself said that the Lord had anointed Him:

"He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, 'Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'" (Luk 4:16-21).

When Jesus made this declaration at the onset of His public ministry, He read the passage from the prophet Isaiah's sixty first chapter, which had been fulfilled in Him. In short, by reading that passage, Jesus was proclaiming: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me." The reason the Spirit of the Lord was on Jesus was that the Spirit had anointed Him. In other words, the direct result of the Spirit anointing Jesus was that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit always results in the Spirit of the Lord being upon a person. Moreover, just as happened with David, when a person is anointed and the Spirit comes upon him powerfully, he then goes about doing mighty deeds for God. In the case of Jesus, as I have already said, "He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil."

Jesus was anointed by the Spirit at His baptism when the Spirit came upon Him and remained upon Him.

"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.'" (Luk 3:21-22)

That was the moment when the Spirit of the Lord anointed Him, as He proclaimed later in the synagogue in Nazareth. After He was anointed, He was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit, where He was tempted by the devil for forty days while fasting from all food. Through the power of the Spirit and the Word, He overcame every temptation. After that time, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Luk 4:14a). Thus we see that the Spirit was upon Him in power after He was  anointed, just like what happened to David.

Jesus was also anointed with actual oil, but this came later on, shortly before His crucifixion, when a woman named Mary anointed him with very expensive ointment, which He said was to prepare for His burial (Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9; Luke 7:36–50; John 12:1–8).

Because Jesus was anointed by the Spirit, He was called the anointed One (Ac 4:6), or the Messiah, which comes from the Hebrew word Maschiah, meaning "anointed One." The English Word "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos, which is a translation of the Hebrew word Maschiah.

There were many prophecies about Christ all throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, as I have written about in my article Yeshua Ha'Maschiah in the Tanakh. Many of those refer to Him as the Messiah, which is usually translated as the Lord's "anointed One" or "Anointed" in English (e.g., Ps 2:2; 1Sa 2:35; Psa 89:38, 51; 132:17; Dan 9:25-26). But He is also referred to in other passages by different titles as well, such as "the Branch" (Isa 4:2; Zec 3:8; Zec 6:12), "My Firstborn," (Ps 89:27), and "My Servant" (1Ki 11:36; 2Ki 19:34; 20:6; Psa 89:3, 20; Isa 22:20; 41:8-9; 42:1, 19; 43:10; 44:1-2, 21; 49:3, 6; 52:13; Eze 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hag 2:23; Zec 3:8).

There are many other titles for Him, but let's just focus for a moment at that last one, "My Servant." As you can see from the Scriptures I have referenced above, it is used extensively throughout Scripture, especially in Isaiah, who wrote the Servant songs (also called the Servant poems or the Songs of the Suffering Servant). These are four songs, which include Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 49:1-6; Isaiah 50:4-7; and Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12. I want to call your attention to one particular verse in the opening line of Isaiah's first Servant song, which says:

"Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations." (Isa 42:1)

This verse is clearly referring to the Lord's anointed Servant, who is the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ. I specifically want to call your attention to the way that God says, in the context of speaking about His Servant, "I will put my Spirit on Him..." This is a key aspect of being anointed by God. When God put His Spirit on His Servant Jesus, He anointed Him with the Spirit, as it says later in Isaiah's prophecy:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners..." (Isa 61:1)

In this verse the Lord clearly says that the reason the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him was that He had anointed Him. And for what purpose was He anointed? He was anointed to serve, since He was the Lord's Servant. In what ways did the Spirit anoint Him to serve? He anointed Jesus to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Keep that in mind as we now look at how this same "anointing to serve" applies to the disciples of the Lord's Servant.

Anointed Disciples of Christ 
We get the word Christian from the word Christ, which I have already explained means Anointed One. At Antioch the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26), which in Greek is Christianos. The disciples of Christ are supposed to follow in His steps, since He has given us an example to do so (1 Pe 2:21). That means that just as He was anointed by the Spirit, we must be anointed by the Spirit. Just as the Spirit came upon Him and remained upon Him, we must ask for and allow the Spirit to come upon us and remain upon us. Only those on whom the Spirit comes and remains are anointed. This is the true biblical meaning of being anointed, as we have seen from Scripture.

This is what happened to the first disciples on the day of Pentecost, just as Jesus had promised that they would receive power when the Spirit would come upon them (Ac 1:8; 2:4). And as I pointed out in my article Holy Spirit Baptism, the same thing happened to all subsequent disciples who received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. They all received power when the Spirit came upon them. Therefore, the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the event whereby the Holy Spirit anoints a person, coming upon him just as the sacred oil would be poured upon a person in the traditional sense, and remaining upon him in such a way that he receives power in his personal life. This anointing of the Spirit enables every anointed disciple to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God, and to comfort all who mourn. It enables the disciple who receives it to do the works that Jesus did, and even greater works than these, just as He promised to all who believe in Him (Jn 14:12). This is what it means to receive power to be His witnesses when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon you, as Jesus promised us in Acts 1:8.

The apostle Paul wrote about the anointing saying: "He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Cor. 1:21b-22)

The apostle John wrote about this anointing by saying: "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth." (1Jn 2:20)

This teaches us that those who have received the baptism with the Holy Spirit have an anointing from the Holy One, and through that anointing we know the truth, because the Spirit of Truth always guides us into all truth (Jn 16:13). John further added:

"As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him." (1Jn 2:27).

This means the anointing that we receive from the Holy Spirit, which is a real anointing, remains in us and teaches us about all things.

Closing Words

Just as the priests, kings, and prophets of Israel that were appointed by God were anointed with oil, so the Lord's Servant Jesus was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to serve with supernatural power. That meant that the Spirit was on Him and remained upon Him. In the same manner, every disciple must receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, so that he may be anointed by the Spirit, receiving supernatural power to serve and to be a witness for Christ. Each one of us needs to have the Spirit of the Lord come upon us and remain on us, in order to live an empowered life. If you have never received that anointing, then I encourage you to seek it today from the Lord, who gives the Spirit without limit.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. "Anointed" image may be subject to copyright, used according to Fair Use Act for non-profit educational and commentary purposes only.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Main Directory for this blog at Home, such as Baptized with the Spirit, Ten Divine Expressions for Spirit Baptism, Supernatural Power for All Disciples, Holy Fire Baptism, The Spirit Without Limit, The Gift of Speaking in Tongues, The New Wine, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit: What's the Difference?, and The Bodily Form of the Holy Spirit. You may also enjoy By the Spirit of God Alone and Coronation of Christ as King. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Baptism of Christ

There are some things that God does, which seem deep and mysterious. The baptism of Christ is one of those. Perhaps you have even wondered about it before. So let's consider its significance together, beginning with the account of it in Matthew's gospel:

"Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?' But Jesus answering said to him, 'Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.' Then he permitted Him." (Mat 3:13-15)

Why did Jesus Christ need to be baptized, since John's baptism was for repentance and Jesus did not need to repent of any sin? When He said that they should fulfill all righteousness, what kind of righteousness was He talking about, and to whom was He referring?

In response to these questions, I would like to share some of the answers given by Matthew Henry, John Wesley, and F.B. Meyer in their commentaries. What follows is a compilation of their comments on the matter along with my own.

The Lord seems to have meant that it becomes us to receive baptism (for Jesus to receive it and John to administer it), in order that He may fully perform every part of the righteous requirements (law) of God, and the commission God had given Him. He was also our example in all things, so that we might follow in His steps (1 Pe 2:21).

Though John denounced sins, he was humbly conscious of his own and tried to forbid that his own impure hands would baptize the One in whom he as a prophet of God could find no trace of impurity. Although Jesus knew no sin, He identified with us and stood with us and for us as sinners and assumed our guilt. He identified with our human condition in every way, and this was one such instance of Christ's great humility, whereby He graciously condescended. As the proverb says, "Humility comes before honor." (Pr 18:12). Therefore, before He received honor, He first abased Himself.

In doing this, the Lord also honored John in return for the work He had done, by allowing John to baptize Him. He set His seal of approval on John's ministry. John had honored God, and now God was honoring Him. Even though John's name had become great, he still remained very humble and did not consider himself worthy of this honor, but the Lord persuaded him to accept it.

John saw and publicly confessed his need to be baptized by Christ with the Holy Ghost, even though he was filled with the Holy Ghost from birth. The purest and best of souls recognize their own need to be washed by Christ and filled with His Spirit. And the better they are the more they recognize that need. Jesus did not deny that John needed to be baptized by Him, but insisted that He now be baptized by John.

Christ fulfilled the righteousness of the ceremonial law and it's requirement for various washings. He honored it and justified God in doing so. Then He later instituted it as a gospel ordinance and showed the virtue that He had designed to put into it. And the Father put His seal of approval on the baptism of Christ by baptizing Him with the Holy Ghost immediately afterward as Jesus came up out of the water. The Father honored Him in that way, even making the Spirit's descent visible, and by His own approval that was audible to those present. Scripture records:

"After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'" (Mat 3:16-17)

I hope this has helped to explain the reason why Jesus came to John to be baptized and how his baptism was a fulfillment of righteousness. Hopefully it also sheds light on its significance to us for our own lives today. If Jesus needed to be baptized in water and with the Holy Spirit, then so do we.

Attribution notice: Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Holy Spirit" and "Baptism" paintings © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this article, I also recommend reading Holy Washings - Part I, Holy Washings - Part II, By the Spirit of God Alone, Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Son of Man, The Temptation of Christ, and The Bodily Form of the Holy Spirit. For more articles like this, please see the Home page of this blog. You can also access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Led by the Spirit - Part II

In my previous post, Led by the Spirit - Part I, I defined what it means to be led by the Spirit of God, according to Scripture. Now I would like to give some examples of people actually being led by the Spirit.

Jesus Led into the Wilderness

Christ in the Wilderness

Our Lord Jesus was always led by the Spirit, but the Scripture specifically says He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. Luke wrote, "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry." (Luk 4:1-2)

In Matthew's gospel, he wrote, "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry." (Mat 4:1-2). Matthew indicated that it was the Spirit Who led Jesus into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted by the devil. That was a difficult, forty-day fast, during which Jesus ate nothing at all. Yet it was the Spirit that led Him to do so.

Moreover, He was living by Himself with the wild animals with angels attending Him. This was not like a fast where you live at home and get to sleep in your own bed. Mark uses a word that seems to emphasize that the Spirit drove Him or sent Him away to the wilderness. "Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him." (Mar 1:12-13). As we can see, the Holy Spirit may lead us into some very difficult situations.

Peter Led to Meet Cornelius
The apostle Peter was led by the Spirit to go with the three Gentiles to the home of Cornelius the Roman centurion.

"Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon's house, appeared at the gate; and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, 'Behold, three men are looking for you. But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.'" (Act 10:17-20)

First the Holy Spirit gave Peter a vision, so that he would be willing to go into the home of a Gentile. And then when the three Gentiles came from Cornelius to call for him, the Holy Spirit told him to go with them.

Paul and Barnabas Led to the Mission Field
In Antioch, Paul and Barnabas were led by the Spirit to go and preach the gospel to the nations.

"Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus." (Act 13:1-4)

This leading from the Holy Spirit came during a time of corporate fasting and ministering to the Lord. Thus the Holy Spirit sent them out.

Paul and Silas Led into Macedonia
The Spirit led Paul and Silas into Macedonia.

"They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia; and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas."  (Act 16:6-8).

First the Holy Spirit forbid them to speak the Word in Asia, then He did not permit them to go into Bithynia as they intended to do. Afterward, the Spirit gave Paul the famous vision of the man from Macedonia, and they went at once to Macedonia, concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel to them.

My Own Experience
I have also experienced what it is to be led by the Spirit, as every child of God has. A couple examples will suffice.

During a mission trip to Bulgaria in October 2007, I went to a small town called Hisarya, where I ministered in a church one evening. I was led to preach on the topic of "purpose", and the Lord touched lives through His Word. Afterward a lady said she had been feeling useless and wondered about God’s purpose for her life since she had family issues and had just lost her job. Someone at the meeting testified that they were amazed the Lord would bring me all the way from “the ends of the earth in America to come and minister to us on this night.”  She said “you were in the right place at the right time, talking to and praying for the right group of people.” The pastor and his wife testified that the previous night they were praying and asking God to help them.  They were “expecting Him to intervene in some way, but did not think it would be so soon!” Praise the Lord for what He did that night! Anything good that happened was because of Him, and all the mistakes are mine.

The Lord had put a burden for Eastern Europe on my heart back in 1986 while I served in Berlin, Germany as a soldier in the US Army. Subsequently, during Bible school and graduate school, I received many confirmations from the Lord that I was supposed to go there one day. In fact, I did go to both Bulgaria in 1993 and Ukraine in 1995 on missions trips.

After finishing Bible school and graduate school, getting married, starting to raise a family, and being in the corporate world for a decade, the Lord began to lead us to the mission field of Eastern Europe. Specifically the Lord was leading us to be based in Budapest, Hungary. In June 2006, here is one of the many amazing things that happened through the leading of the Spirit.

I had sent an email to one of my friends from Regent University named John, telling him, “We've been praying and seeking the Lord for guidance and believe the next step is the mission field full time.  We are praying through this and investigating an open door for ministry with another couple over in Eastern Europe.”  Then I received an email from John in response saying, “Wow Len, big change maybe. I have a friend who wants to rent his house over in Budapest. That's not where you are thinking of going by any chance is it? The house is large and modern and would suit the needs of your family.  My friend is a former Regent student and is Hungarian. Right now, he lives in Austria doing a Ph.D. The house is only about 10-12 years old and is pretty nice...I've been there twice--in fact, I was in Budapest two weeks ago.  He has been hoping a missionary...could be found to rent it. He is buying a new house in Austria, so you could probably stay as long as you need to.”

There was no way John could have know that Budapest was the exact city in Eastern Europe the Spirit of God was leading us to go to. Just the day before getting that email from John, my wife Jennifer was praying that if the Lord wanted us in Budapest that He would provide us with a home big enough so we could have a place to let guests stay who may come from the US to visit and minister. This place that we now discovered for rent by a Hungarian brother in Christ had four bedrooms in addition to the living room plus two full and two half bathrooms. And since my friend John had just been there two weeks earlier, he was able to send me photos of it by email. When we saw the photos, we could plainly see it would meet our needs perfectly.

Then three months later in September 2006, Jennifer and I visited Budapest as a couple and stayed at that house, so that we could see if this was where God wanted us. The Lord arranged the whole weekend in a supernaturally amazing way. We were able to assess the home that the Hungarian brother wanted to rent to us, in order to determine whether it would adequately meet our needs. Jennifer's assessment was that she had a very positive experience there. She sensed that this was the place the Lord was calling us to live. The grace of God was there. She enjoyed it and wanted to go back there. 

As it turned out, we spent the next two years raising support, and by August 2008 we only had a small fraction of our total support raised. We prayed and fasted, asking the Lord what we should do. The Lord spoke to us clearly and indicated that we should "Just go" and He would support us. We received many confirmations of this direction. So our board released us to go, which we did in October 2008. The Hungarian brother held that house for us for those two years while we raised support, and it was there waiting for us when we arrived in October 2008. We lived in it for our first two years in Hungary, and the Lord sustained us there supernaturally for four and half years there in that country, although we never raised more than a fraction of our full budget.

The Lord used Scriptures, dreams, visions, prophecies, and even unpleasant situations, as well as amazing coincidences to lead us to go there. And the proof that it was of Him was in the results that happened while we were there, and the way He sustained us.

Leading You By Eye
Another point I would like to make is this. We all want to get a spectacular vision or dream from God to lead us. And God does use those sometimes. But He wants to be able to lead you by eye. He says, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." (Psa 32:8. KJV). This is the subtle, gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit that we must learn to respond to. We learn to do this by practicing it each day in the moment-by moment situations.

Let me explain this with an illustration. When a maestro conducts an orchestra, he doesn't want to have to wave his baton wildly every time he needs a particular section or instrument to play their part. He wants the members of the orchestra to be so cued in to him that he can simply give them a certain glance with his eyes and they respond immediately.

This is the way the Lord wants us to be. He can give spectacular visions and dreams to lead you, but He prefers to lead you by eye. He wants your attention to be so fixed on Him that any time He wants you to do something, all He has to do is give you a certain look and you know what He means. He can gently nudge you or prompt you with that still, small voice and lead you where He wants you to go, and have you do what He wants you to do. You must first learn to respond to Him in the little things, before you are able to respond to greater things. He who is faithful in the little things is faithful also in much.

Lessons Learned
Here are some lessons I would like to leave you with about being led by the Spirit. Lead a life of prayer, worship, fasting, and reading God's Word. As we walk each day, we must pray. Walk in humility.  Focus on the spiritual, not what’s happening in the natural.  Don’t focus on finances, opinions of men, results, or attacks. Prayer is key.

You need to learn to walk through the doors the Lord has opened for you and not kick down any doors that God has His heel on. When you are led by the Spirit, it is like there is a voice behind you saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." Be very attentive to the voice of the Spirit. Listen to it. The things you are sensing in your heart that God wants you to do will be confirmed by Scripture, other brethren, and circumstances, as well as the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as prophecy and the word of knowledge. For major decisions in life, such as ministry and marriage, ask the Lord to confirm His will by the mouths of two or three witnesses. You should also be accountable to others, such as your elders, for what you sense the Lord is saying.

As you pray each day and ask the Lord what He wants you to do today, He will show you.  And as you do that tomorrow, He will show you what you are to be doing tomorrow.  And as you do that each day, His plans will gradually unfold, as He takes you on into His greater purposes for you.

Be sure and keep a journal of what the Lord is saying, so you can pray over it and look back on it later to assess what God is saying. I have many pages full of documented leading from the Holy Spirit and confirmations of His leading. This has been indispensable to me in knowing God's will for my life. I hope that somehow these examples I have shared will be helpful to you as you learn to be led by the Spirit.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, unless otherwise indicated. Christ in the Wilderness image by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi - Google Cultural Center, Public Domain.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I also recommend reading Led by the Spirit - Part I, Keeping a Prayer Journal, The Ways of Life, The Way, Will, and Word of God, The Law of Christ, The Spirit's Law of Life, Obedience by the Spirit, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Straight and Narrow Path, The Wardrobe of the Saints, Faith Works!, Fruit in Every Season, Practicing Your Righteousness, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, The Voice That Changed Everything, Covenant Prayer, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, and Law of Love in the New Testament.

You may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Main Directory for this blog, such as Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Holy Spirit Speaks, The Holy Trinity, and The Spirit without Limit. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Led by the Spirit - Part I

An expression that is often used by people is being "led by the Spirit," which may mean different things to different people. To some people, this may simply mean that you do whatever you feel you are supposed to do, whether or not it agrees with Scripture. In practice, that may effectively be no different than the way things were in Israel during the time of the judges, before they had a king. Scripture says, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jdg 21:25, NASB).

During those days, as we learn from the book of Judges, there were many wicked abominations committed by the Israelites. The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord (Jdg 2:11). They provoked the Lord to anger by forsaking Him and following other gods, the gods of the people around them (Jdg 2:12). They turned quickly aside from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord (Jdg 2:17). They acted corruptly and played the harlot. There was idolatry (Jdg 8:27,33; 17:5; 18:30), mass murder (Jdg 9:5), robbery (Jdg 9:25; 17:2; 18:17), harlotry (Jdg 11:1; 16:1; 19:2), homosexuality (19:22), violent, group rape (Jdg 19:25-27), and deceit. They did not remember the Lord their God (Jdg 8:37). Therefore, the Lord's anger burned against them (Jdg 2:14). He gave them into the hands of their enemies, and no longer drove them out before them. The hand of the Lord was against them to do evil, so that they were severely distressed (Jdg 2:15).

A certain cycle repeated itself over and over during those days. Because of their sin, God allowed their enemies to oppress them. Then they would eventually cry out to God for help. The Lord would hear their cry and raise up a deliverer, who would deliver them from the hands of their enemies and be their judge for a period of time. But then they would eventually forget the Lord, they would not listen to their judges (Jdg 2:17), they did not listen to the Lord's voice (Jdg 2:20), and they would not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways (Jdg 2:19). They would return to their evil ways. This would result in another cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. And so this cycle was repeated over and over throughout this period when everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Unfortunately, it seems that this is what the situation has devolved into in the Church, where "everyone" does what is right in his own eyes. They often do so under the guise of being “led by the Spirit.” For example, we even have Christians who say God told them to divorce their wife and marry another woman. One pastor even thought he could do so and remain in his role as pastor of the church, which he tried to do until the board of elders removed him. It's no wonder so many Christians have become oppressed.

Therefore, I'd like to take a moment today to put some definition around what it means to be “led by the Spirit” according to Scripture. It comes from the apostle Paul's letter to the Romans, in which he wrote: "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." (Rom 8:14, NIV). That's one of the evidences that we are sons of God, or "children" of God, as the NIV puts it. So what does it mean to be led by the Spirit? In order to further explain this, let's look at several biblical expressions that mean essentially the same thing, beginning with those in the immediate context of Romans 8.

Living in Accordance with the Spirit
One biblical expression that means the same thing as "led by the Spirit" is to be "living in accordance with the Spirit," as Paul wrote when he said, "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." (Rom 8:5, NIV). That means to be led by the Spirit is to live in accordance with the Spirit, having our minds set on what He desires.

To live in accordance with the Spirit is also synonymous with walking according to the Spirit, which is another expression Paul used in this same passage when he wrote, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Rom 8:1, NKJV). The Greek word for "walk" in this verse is "peripateō", meaning "to tread all around, that is, walk at large; figuratively to live, deport oneself, follow, go, be occupied with, walk (about)." The Greek word for "according to" is "katah" which here means "according to or after".

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk according to the Spirit -- in other words, live according to the Spirit. This is set is contrast to walking or living according to the flesh or sinful nature, in which case the promise of "no condemnation" does not apply. The Greek word "katah" in verse 1 is the same word Paul used in verse 5, which I have just mentioned a moment ago. In verse 1, Paul referred to those who "walk (live) according to the Spirit," and in verse 5 he referred to those who live "according to the Spirit," which means exactly the same thing. While the English translations may use different words in the translation, they mean the same thing.

Controlled by the Spirit
Another expression that means the same thing as "led by the Spirit" is to be "controlled by the Spirit," as Paul wrote when he said, "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." (Rom 8:6, NIV). The 1978 version of the NIV says, "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." That means our minds must be controlled or governed by the Spirit, if we are to be led by Him.

Governed by the Law of the Spirit
Since we know that to be "led by the Spirit" is to be "governed by the Spirit," I want to show you how that is synonymous with being governed by "the law of the Spirit." As Paul wrote, "...through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Rom 8:2, NIV). That means the same as what he said in Rom 8:6 in the same passage, that our minds must be governed by the Spirit, if we are to be led by Him. When we are governed by the law of the Spirit, it sets us free from the law of sin and death.

Submitted to God's Law
Now that we have established the fact that being led by the Spirit is synonymous with our minds being controlled or governed by the Spirit, as well as the law of the Spirit, I want to prove to you how that is closely related to "submitting to God's law." We will approach it from the opposite angle, by looking at what one cannot do, whose mind is governed (controlled) by the sinful nature. "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so." (Rom 8:7, NIV). That means that anyone controlled by the sinful nature does not and cannot submit to God's law, because they are hostile to God, which is obviously a negative thing.

Conversely, if we are led by the Spirit, we will certainly be submitted to God's law. This is not the same as being "under the law," which is another expression Paul used in his epistle to the Galatians, when he wrote, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." (Gal 5:18, NIV). If we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law of Moses, but we will be subjected to the law of the Spirit, which is God's law, or the law of Christ. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "...I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law..." (1 Cor 9:21, NIV). (See The Law of Christ and The Spirit's Law of Life).

Submitted to God's Righteousness
Having established the fact that those who are led by the Spirit are submitted to God's law, let us turn our attention to another expression that is closely related to "submitting to God's law" (if not synonymous with it), which is to "submit to God's righteousness." Paul wrote, "Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness" (Rom 10:3, NIV). That means that anyone seeking to establish their own righteousness does not submit to God's righteousness, but if we are led by the Spirit, we will certainly be submitted to God's righteousness. We will walk in the way of righteousness. This is a righteousness that comes from Him and is by faith.

Walking by the Spirit
One more thing I would like to say relates back to my first point that to be "led by the Spirit" is to live according to the Spirit. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal 5:25, NIV). Another version has it, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (NASB).

Those who walk by the Spirit cannot fulfill their fleshly desires. Paul wrote, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal 5:16). The reason for this is that the Spirit and flesh are in opposition to each other as if set in battle array against one another. "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please" (Gal 5:17). The desires of the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another and are in conflict with one another.

Those who walk by the Spirit will produce the fruit of the Spirit, which is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23). On the other hand, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal 5:19-21).

If we are led by the Spirit, we will walk by the Spirit, which means to keep in step with Him. We will do what He desires, not what the flesh desires. We will not do whatever we please. We will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it.

Having the Mind of Christ
Moreover, to be "led by the Spirit" is to have the mind of Christ. For the Spirit knows the thoughts of God. Paul said, "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God." (1Co 2:11).

He also said, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1Co 2:16). Therefore, as the Spirit leads us, controlling our minds, He gives us the mind of Christ, enabling us to know the very thoughts of God in each situation.

Responding to His Promptings
Finally, we are not like the Israelites during the time of the judges who had no king. We have a King and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has sent us His Holy Spirit to help us abide by the ways and decrees of His Kingdom. If we are led by the Spirit, we are responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit moment by moment. These promptings are His bidding, commands, mandates, or directives. To be led requires a leader. You cannot be led by the Holy Spirit unless He is the Leader of your life.

The Lordship of Christ must be absolute. Nothing less will do. As the Scripture says, "See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks" (Heb 12:25). And if you hear His voice today, do not harden your heart (Heb 3:15). His promptings are not ideas or suggestions to be considered. They are directives to be followed and dictates to be obeyed.

The Holy Spirit will always lead you in paths of holiness, righteousness, and truth. He will always lead you to do what pleases the Lord and agrees with Scripture. He will always lead you in the straight and narrow path, which is the will of God, the ways of God, and the Word of God. He will never lead you to do what your flesh desires, nor any thing that is sinful, or that contradicts Scripture. He will lead you to obey God’s commands. He will lead you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus. He will lead you to follow in the steps of Christ and put His Words into practice. He will lead you to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. He will always lead you to walk in the light, not in the darkness. He will always lead you to keep the demands of the New Covenant, never to violate them.

Putting it All Together
As we have seen in God's Word, there are several expressions that all speak of the same thing. To be led by the Spirit of God is to live in accordance with the Spirit, to walk by the Spirit, to be controlled by the Spirit, to be governed by the law of the Spirit, to be submitted to God's law, to be submitted to God's righteousness, and to have the mind of Christ. The benefits of this for us who do so are that we will be set free from the law of sin and death to experience life and peace. We will bear the fruit of the Spirit. There will be no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk by the Spirit, not according to the flesh, for they will inherit eternal life.

Hopefully this has helped put some definition around the expression "led by the Spirit" for you. Now by God's grace, may we, who are children of God, be Spirit-baptized, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-controlled, Spirit-governed, and Spirit-directed.

See Led by the Spirit - Part II

Attribution notice: Most Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. Most other Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. "Receiving the Spirit" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I also recommend reading Led by the Spirit - Part II, The Ways of Life, The Way, Will, and Word of God, The Law of Christ, The Spirit's Law of Life, Obedience by the Spirit, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, The Straight and Narrow Path, The Wardrobe of the Saints, Faith Works!, Fruit in Every Season, Practicing Your Righteousness, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, The Voice That Changed Everything, Covenant Prayer, Whatever You Do, Do All Like This, and Law of Love in the New Testament.

You may also like the other posts in this blog available through the Main Directory for this blog, such as Baptized with the Spirit, Holy Fire Baptism, The Holy Spirit Speaks, The Holy Trinity, and The Spirit without Limit. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org