I was asked today by a pastor friend what I might think it means to be “Spirit-led” or “Spirit-empowered”? Here is my brief response:
It is to see and hear what the the Spirit is doing/saying, and to find ourselves participants of such by faith.
It is to bear witness to the one the Spirit bears witness to: King Jesus.
It is to find our prayers taken up into the prayers of Jesus where by the Spirit of sonship we cry “Abba, Father” in our affirming testimony of belonging to God as his children in Christ Jesus by the Spirit.
It is to be consumed by the sanctifying love of God in Christ Jesus.
So how might you define being “Spirit-led” or “Spirit-empowered”?
In your short outline of what it means to be Spirit-led or empowered, I was struck by two points.
1.”It is to bear witness to the one the Spirit bears witness to: King Jesus”. This seems obvious but rings so profoundly in my ears and heart. In John 16:13 Jesus says, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” The Spirit always bears witness to Jesus as King. However, what seems obvious at times also seems to not be practiced or forgotten in the more “Spirit-led” services. At times it appears we can get caught up in the charisma of the Spirit, that we elevate Him above Jesus as King. Reading your words above brings a smile to my face and a reminder to my spirit, that Jesus is King and the Spirit of God continues, and will always bear witness to that fact.
2. “It is to be consumed by the sanctifying love of God in Christ Jesus”. The words consumed and love stand out to me. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and reminded them that we have all been baptized into the same Spirit, We have been consumed into Him and it is in this position that we are sanctified. You also use the word love and a descriptor of the means of sanctification. Here is where I rejoice. Too often I believe the Church has used fear to attempt to induce sanctification. While fear may be a good short term motivator, we are told by Paul that sanctification is a marathon, a life long journey of hills and valleys. It is as if we are attempting to scare the Hell out of people, while God is loving the Hell out of people.
I loved your other two points on being Spirit-led but these two spoke directly to me today. Thank you.
Thanks for the comments. My own thoughts are motivated in the very ways you have heard my brief words.