2 Corinthians 13:14 | MSG (14) The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
1 Corinthians 12:1 | NKJV (1) Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
The word “gifts” was added by the translators. This verse actually says,
1 Corinthians 12:1 | BBE (1) But about the things of the spirit, my brothers, it is not right for you to be without teaching.
In the previous messages, we have looked at how you can be led by the Holy Spirit. Please review these for insight.
A requirement to being led by the Holy Spirit and being used by God in spiritual things is that we must develop a sensitivity to spiritual things and specifically the Holy Spirit.
How Do We Become More Spiritually Sensitive?
- Give the Word of God first place.
This means that the Word has final authority in your life above what you see, feel, or hear.
God gave us our five physical senses and they are great if they do not contradict the Word of God. The moment that they do contradict the Word, you must choose to go with the Word instead of what they say to you.
Isaiah 55:8-11 | NKJV (8) “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. (9) “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (10) “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, (11) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 | NIV (16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Hebrews 4:12 | NIV (12) For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Do not let the Word of God be an afterthought or the LAST RESORT! Make it the first thing you go to.
- Meditate in the Word of God.
Joshua 1:8 | AMP (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.
The Word of God shall not depart out of your mouth… To meditate means to mutter or speak to yourself.
If you ever want to do anything great in life, if you ever want to amount to anything in life, take time to meditate in the Word of God.
Psalms 1:1-3 | AMPC (1) BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. (2) But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. (3) And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].
- Practice the Word of God
We have many “talkers of the Word,” and even “rejoicers about the Word,” but there aren’t nearly as many “Doers of the Word.”
James 1:22-25 | NKJV (22) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; (24) for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. (25) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Begin the practice being a doer of the Word by doing in all circumstances what the Word tells you to do.
Here is a New Testament Example:
Philippians 4:6 | TPT (6) Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life,
God does not ask us to do something that He does not give us the ability to do.
Philippians 4:7 | TPT (7) then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.
We want verse 7 results without first doing what verse 6 says. If you do verse 6, you will get verse 7.
- Instantly obey the voice of your spirit.
The human spirit has a voice. We call this our conscience. Sometimes we call it an intuition or an inner voice. The world calls it a hunch.
As you give your newborn spirit the privilege of meditating on the Word of God, the Word becomes its source of information. Your spirit will become strong and the inward voice of your conscience, educated and fed by the Word will become a true guide.
We always put the Word first and therefore our spirit becomes an authoritative guide. This is a process that takes time to learn.
- Spend time praying in other tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:2 | AMPC (2) For one who speaks in an [unknown] tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the [Holy] Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things [not obvious to the understanding].
- When you pray in other tongues, you are speaking directly to God – the Father of spirits.
1 Corinthians 14:14 | AMPC (14) For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].
- Praying in other tongues causes us to become more spirit-conscious.
- When you pray in other tongues, your mind grows quiet – because you are not praying out of your mind.