6th of November 2022. 

THEME:  HOW TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD   

LESSON:     NINE 

TEXT:   Deuteronomy 8:1-5; Psalm 23:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-16 

MEMORY TRACK:  

By God’s grace, in our last lesson, we learnt that Spiritual Authorities are to partner with God to help our growth in faith and not to lord itself over God’s heritage. It was emphasized that spiritual authorities are not meant to rule over believers’ spirit. This is to guide against the unbiblical and excessive use of authority over the flock of God. 

Shedding more light on Subjective leading of the Spirit of God 

In our previous studies, we learnt that the subjective leading of the Spirit is the wisdom God employs to move a believer from being a baby/child in Christ to maturity. The primary purpose of subjective leading of the Spirit is for to change a man’s nature from carnal to spiritual, who can inherit the promise of eternal life or a person who can enter and inherit the kingdom of God and ultimately sit on the throne of God (1 Cor 15:50) 

Subjective Leadings of the Spirit of God: Types and Shadows in the Scriptures (Heb 11:1-40) 

The essence of showing types and shadows of the subjective leading of the Spirit is to deepen our understanding in this peculiar type of leading of the Spirit. Also, it is to make us know that our dealings (orchestrated and supervised by God) are common to all men. Below are some scriptural examples of subjective leading of the Spirit of God: 

  • The leading of Abraham and Sarah from Ur of the Chaldees to Canaan (Gen 12:1, Heb 11:8-9) 
  • The leading of Jacob from his father’s house to his uncle’s; Laban’s house (Gen 29) 
  • The selling-off of Joseph to slavery (Gen 37:22-25) 
  • The leading of Israel to Egypt (Gen. 15:13) and out of Egypt (house of bondage) to the promised land (Gen. 15:13, Deut.6:6-10) 
  • The leading of John the Baptist to the wilderness to build capacity for recognising and introducing the Messiah to Israel (Luke 1:80, Matt 3:1-5). 
  • The leading of Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt 4:1) etc 

What we can deduce from these is that:  

  • Subjective leading is the most reliable and surest way of God making any man of Eternal relevance. 
  • God still respects our will; All men that were subjectively led and came out glorious also cooperated with the Lord to be led at one point or another. God will not strive with us forever and He will make every effort to win us over to do His will. In as much as God in His sovereignty and might subject us to dealings, we can still choose to cooperate or not.
    • God is the one in charge of whatever means or medium He decides to use to accomplish His purpose in us.  
  • God does not lead men in the same way, nor does He use the same manner to lead men subjectively, so there are no grounds nor reason for comparison.  
  • There is nothing special about our various experiences of subjective dealings but in every way and sense it is our most treasured experience, and it cannot be sold for earthly gain. We must always remember it is common to all men whom God loves. 

What subjective leading of the Spirit of God is not! 

  • It is not every lack of money or earthly goods that are as a result of dealings of the Spirit of God or subjective leading, although God can use absence or presence of such to train men. God’s dealing is aimed at our souls, and He goes after anything and everything that attaches unto a man’s soul as idols. 
  • God does not use subjective leading to punish us for our past sins. Rather He uses it to remove nature and tendencies that are not consistent with His life (which we are called to inherit). 
  • God does not use subjective leading to make us pay for the promise. But uses it to make us worthy of it. 
Signs that you are in the season of Subjective leading of the Spirit of God 
  • The Word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3, Psalm 119:50, Luke 3:1-3): All men that are subjectively led came in contact with the word of God that changed their life and way of life forever (eternally). This is the time we prosper in understanding the word of God. 
  • Increase in activities of the spirit: There is also an increase in the activities of the Spirit around those who are being subjectively led. The heaven over such believer is opened for constant activities of the spirit of the Lord (Matt 4:1, 

Luke 1:80) 

  • It is the season of exposure to higher evil spirits and Satan. God allows them to tempt us but the succor of the Lord abounds much more (Eph. 6:12-18) 
  • Abundant comfort of the Spirit (2 Cor 1:3-4,7): God often tampers systems and lifestyle that has prospered through carnal life, which was untouched while we were babies in Christ. This is to properly align the soul to understand the word of God and accommodate activities of the Spirit within and upon. God can allow affliction, lack, disappointment etc., to befall us, but His comfort and consolation abounds.  
  • This season is characterized with many repentances, soberness, godly sorrow, contriteness, broken spirit, as a means of chastising the soul. This will ultimately end up in a change of nature, rapid spiritual growth, and acquisition of more life (Ps 52) 
  • The subjective leading of the Spirit is actually the normal life of the spiritual man. The external factors by which God accomplishes such dealing can vary or change from time to time but the culture of constantly surrendering our hearts to God’s sovereignty over every affair of life, remains a major life force that coordinates our relationship with our heavenly Father. 
Discerning various levels of dealings (Jam 5:13, 1Pet 5:9) 
  • We must know that we (believers) are not at the same level of growth and we are fighting Satan at every level of growth, and must know how to deal with him at our various levels of growth. 
  • God does some things subjectively in our life that are painful and abnormal to a natural man but works out His purpose in our lives. For example, shutting Sarah’s and Hannah’s womb not to conceive, suffering the Israelite to hunger etc. In this instance you pray to bear it and submit to the Will of God (1 Sam 1:6, 1Pet 4:19). 
  • There are things God allows Satan to do because He knows it will work out His purpose in our lives. For example, the affliction of Job and Apostle Paul. In this time, pray (2Cor 12:8-9, James 5:8-12). It is obvious that affliction is from the devil and not of God. God chastises us so that we can inherit His nature while Satan afflicts us to tempt us out of the way. In this time pray as God does not allow Satan to afflict Children or babies in Christ. 
  • There are things Satan does without God’s permission because he is a lawless entity. This can be because of carelessness or disobedience of a believer, and atimes it may not. At such times, rebuke the devil in the name of Jesus. 
CONCLUSION 

Regardless of the dealing we are going through, we must not assume or conclude on any matter except the Lord has spoken (Gen 25:21, 2Cor 12:8-9). This should be proven by the word and such matters should be submitted to those who are spiritual or mature.