20th of November, 2022. 

THEME:  HOW TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD   

LESSON:     ELEVEN 

TEXT:   Psalm 23; 1Cor. 10:1-13; Eph 5:22-28 

MEMORY TRACK:  

By God’s grace, in our last study, we looked at different phases of the subjective leading of the Spirit of God. We also learnt that God wants all of our lives and not just a part of them. We also learnt that we cannot properly benefit from the subjective leading of the Spirit without doctrine. 

Relationship between Doctrine and Subjective Leading (1Cor. 10:1-13, Deut. 8:1-3):  

The Lord led individuals subjectively from generation to generation but the leading of Israel out of Egypt to the promised land foreshadows how God would lead the New Testament Church subjectively to obtain Eternal Life. Below are some things that stood out in the leading of Israel from Egypt to the wilderness which we need to consider: 

  • They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and the Sea:  

The crossing of the red sea was majorly an experience that birthed faith in the heart for the journey. It was a dealing of mercy upon the Israelites and God used 2 major elements – the sea and the cloud, to wrought the work of faith in their hearts (Exo 14:31). This was a major baptism needed for the next phase of God’s dealing. Anyone who has not gone through this experience is disqualified from entering the wilderness (the realm of Christ). This is likened to Faith in the Lord and Love towards all the saints that qualify us for the meal called Christ (Eph 1:15). 

  • They ate the same spiritual meal and drank the same spiritual drink:  

The actual meal that can bring forth the best out of an experience of the subjective leading of the Spirit of God is the spiritual meat and drink, which was Christ. The milk, which is the beginning doctrine, was not designed to accommodate the full dealing of the subjective leading of the Spirit. This is because milk can still accommodate many things of man; our dreams, our lusts and our ways. The Lord begins to bring stronger subjective leading upon a soul when he has moved such from milk to meat. The meat of the word is the spiritual meat of the New Testament, required to make us spiritual. The meat directly moves against our ways and thoughts which makes us carnal (Isa 55:7). 

Subjecting the soul under the same cloud, sea, spiritual meat and drink (Eph. 4:4-6, 1Cor 12:12-13, Eph 3:27, Ps 133) 

The Lord subjectively led Israel corporately because they were all to inherit the same promise. So, they were all under the same economy of the Word and the Spirit. The subjective leading of the Spirit is how God gathers the flock under one Shepherd to lead them to inherit life in different degrees. The sheepfold is bound together by the same pasture where one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God is expressed by the subjective leading of the Spirit (Eph 4:4-6). Anyone who refuses to be subjectively led will not enjoy the blessing God commands through the oneness of the brethren (Ps 133). We are meant to eat the same thing to inherit the same promise of life. 

Subjecting the soul under doctrine to be led (Psalm 23)  

The meat and the strong meat of the Word are meals that do not appeal to our carnal needs, dreams and aspirations. These meals are designed to terminate a man’s life of sin and death. No soul will submit under this kind of doctrine if the Lord has not “MADE SUCH A SOUL TO LIE DOWN” God works out this heart state by shutting down every “good and bad thing” that works against the purpose of God in such a man. The Israelites were subjectively led into the wilderness to create a conducive environment where they can receive a spiritual meal and drink. There, God made covenants with them and gave them the law. 

The way of the Word and subjective leading (Exo 33:13; Deut. 10:12; Deut. 11:22; Deut. 8:2; Ps 25:4,5,7,8) 

Every spoken word has its ways, and the way of the word cannot be discovered if we are not subjectively led by the Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost guiding us into all truth is the accurate definition of being subjectively led in the path of the truth (John 16:13). There is an initial understanding that we receive when the word is preached, and this is needed to make the soul willingly submit to the Lord’s dealing. The Word spoken has its way (manner of life, conversation etc.) that it wants to work out. The word is to be converted into a lifestyle that will rule in the affairs of our life. The subjective leading of the Spirit is how words are converted into a lifestyle. This is the reason why most of the New Testament epistle ends with instructions for life. 

Subjective leadings of the Spirit to come under the Lordship of Christ (Eph 5:22-27)  

In conclusion, many believers have confessed Jesus as Lord but only a few have allowed him to be Lord. One of the essences of subjective leading of the Spirit is to bring the soul out of his/her filth and uncleanness but that cannot be achieved if the soul is not subject to the Lord (to sanctify it and make it holy without blemish, spot, wrinkles etc.). The Lord through the subjective leading of the Spirit cleanses the soul from its filth, uncleanness, and wicked ways by subjecting such souls to the ways of His revealed Word. Submitting to the demands and commandments of the Lord through His words is subjecting our souls to the Lordship of Jesus.