GALATIANS 5:18

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.”

There have been many decisions that I have made in my life as a believer that were not led by the Spirit. I simply chose to do what I wanted to do because I wanted to do it. Those decisions seldom if ever turned out for the best. But whenever my wife and I prayed about a matter and listened to the Spirit’s direction, things turned out better. I am not saying it was always the easiest way, but it was the better way.

Paul knew all too well the controlling power of the Law. He knew how it bound people to a rigid, unforgiving, impossible lifestyle. Once he was set free by Jesus on that Damascus road, Paul couldn’t wait to tell others about this freedom. Read Acts 9 sometime and see how Paul responded. He says in today’s verse that we are to be “led by the Spirit.” What does that mean?

APPLICATION

Being led somewhere is very different than being driven or pushed somewhere. Let me give you an example. Get a piece of string and lay it on a table so it’s straight. Now place your finger on one end of that string and push it towards the other end. What happens? The string just bunches up in a wad. Now, straighten it out again and this time, place your finger on one end and pull the string away from the other end. What happens? The rest of the string follows. That’s “being led.”

In Luke 4:1, we see Jesus being led by the Spirit. “Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness.” The Spirit doesn’t always lead us somewhere that is comfortable. He led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Jesus submitted to the Spirit in order to show Satan who was boss!

Over in Romans 8:14 Paul says, “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.” We should follow the one God has sent to dwell within us. Do you understand that the God of the universe indwells you through the Holy Spirit? That person of the trinity lives in each of us if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. So, follow Him.

Forgive me, Lord, when I buck up and refuse to follow Your Spirit. I know He only wants what is best for me.