The Christian believes that in this life we are on a journey, a pilgrimage, and that we are being led by God the Holy Spirit. Despite all the obstacles and trials on the journey, all the temptations to turn aside, or to quit the journey, we believe God is leading us on to the Promised Land. On the way we have much to learn about following the Spirit, about being willing to be led by the Spirit.

How does this take place? It is not a passive or negative description, such as being led astray, or being led by the nose. Neither is it being 'forced' or 'driven.' The Spirit does not drive the children of God. Instead the Spirit persuades us. He leads us by persuasion; not by brute force, not against our will. He persuades the will, which is a very different thing. What the Spirit does is to enlighten and persuade us so that we desire to follow God's will in our lives. The Spirit puts a new principle, a new disposition into us, and then we desire the things of God.

Consider Isaiah 30:21: "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" We hear and respond. That is how God guides - by his Word, by the persuasion of the Holy Scriptures.

To be 'led by the Spirit' means that our life is guided and determined and directed by the Holy Spirit. That is what makes a Christian a child of God. The natural man is neither guided by the Spirit nor led by the Spirit. He is guided by his own desires; he feels an urge to do something, and he indulges it. He is guided by his impulses, instincts, passions, by all that his physical life in its separation from God desires. He might be guided by the mind of the world, the culture, the morés of the social group, as are those who do not think for themselves. They do what everyone else does. They are led and guided by the powers that control the media. Some are led by their reason. But natural human reason is not enough. Human understanding is defective. The natural man does not see the subtleties of his situation. He is at best guided by reason and common sense; never anything higher than that. He is not led by the Spirit; he uses his own understanding, his will-power and his own determination. Jesus called such people children of the devil: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire." (John 8:44)

The follower of Christ is in an entirely different position and category. He is not led by his own natural powers, but, ultimately, by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God may lead him partly through his reason and in other ways, but what is central about him is that he and his life seek to be governed by the leading, the direction, of the Holy Spirit of God. That does not mean for a moment that he is perfect. He is not perfect. But it can be said of him that the main and obvious tendency and direction of his life is that which is guided by the Holy Spirit.

We can test what we believe is the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The truth which the Holy Spirit conveys to us is the truth which is written in the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The Spirit leads us into a new way of Christ-like living through the teaching of the Bible. The Holy Spirit leads us to a knowledge and understanding of the truth about Jesus Christ, His Person and His Work. The Holy Spirit leads us into an understanding of the whole purpose of God in the world. The Holy Spirit leads us to believe that God has a great plan and purpose for the world, that he is going to bring to fulfillment.

Can you say that your life, taken as a whole - your thought life, your feelings, your actions, your will, seeks to be under the direction of the Spirit of God? Can you say this: 'With all my faults and failures, and all that is true of me, I can say that I want the directing force and principle in my life to be the Spirit of God?' St. Paul states that if you can say that, you are a son or daughter of God. Is the main direction of your life following the leading of the Spirit of God? Is it your greatest desire that it should be? If it is, whatever else may be true of you, whatever your faults and failures, you are a 'child of God.'

With that designation, being adopted into God's family you have a similarity of mind and of outlook. You look at everything from God's standpoint, from the aspect of eternity. God looks at you in a very special way, as his beloved sons and daughters. He takes a very special interest in you, in your well-being, in your welfare, in your good. He is interested in every one of you individually. You may not think that to be true from time to time when you are in trouble. Sometimes he may have to discipline you as a loving Father, so that you will learn and mature.

" 'My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.

It's the child he loves that he disciplines, the child he embraces, he also corrects.'

God is educating you, that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, It pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationships with God." (Hebrews 12:5-10, The Message)

Being led by the Spirit is a sign that we are children of God. Sometimes that leading involves being corrected in love. Experiencing correction can be painful. We are tempted to believe that God doesn't love us. But correction has a purpose. We learn the errors of our ways. We learn what is good and what is not. We learn to follow God's leading, and to do what is best.

If you feel that you are in a correction phase of life, because of some suffering you are experiencing; whether it be due to finances, or health, or relationships, then seek the leading of the Spirit, and be assured that your suffering proves that you are a beloved child of God. "The trouble you're in isn't punishment... God is doing what is best for you, training us to live God's holy best." Let the Spirit lead you safely through this minefield, to the other side. (Some material in this exposition comes from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: The Sons of God, p.159ff.)

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