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Led by the Holy Spirit

Question 3: Would you discuss briefly your personal thoughts about Bible foundation and being 'led by the Holy Spirit'?

A: Christians often feel that being led by the Spirit and being grounded in scripture are contradictory. The reason for this is that often we don't really understand what the word of God is.

God's Word is His creative power. It is His wisdom. God's Word gives the transcript, the basic principles, the meaning of everything that is. God's Word is written in the rocks. It is written in the stars. It is written in your DNA. It is written in scripture. It is spoken through the words of prophets.

We can quite easily get into trouble by misunderstanding the various forms in which we encounter God's Word. Astrologers see divine word(s) written in the stars, but that is not the information God has written there. Many people see a wonder in what God has written in nature, and thus they "worship the creature more than the creator." Nothing that you see in the natural world or written in scripture can compare to the God who is the source of everything that is.

When we are led by the Spirit we are being led by the Word of God manifested through the action of the Holy Spirit. The living Spirit of Jesus is in us, and activates and directs our lives. If we are indeed led by the Spirit of Christ, and if we indeed understand the scriptures as God intended them, then there will be no conflict between the two.

One common conflict is simply to use these two sources of God's guidance in the wrong way and for the wrong purpose.

God's guidance to you personally is not intended to provide broad moral principles. It is intended to help guide you in your daily life. What is the best thing for me to do at this time? How can I best serve my neighbor? Where does God want me to be at this moment?

God's guidance through the scriptures are given through an individual and recognized by the community of believers as enlightening us as a community over a period of time. In studying its events and laws, we can find eternal, absolute moral principles. But not every specific application will be provided in scripture.

For example, we are all commanded to be witnesses-to go and make disciples. But whether to approach a particular person at a particular time, and how to approach that person if you do is a subject of the guidance of the Spirit. If you receive guidance indicating you are exempt from the command to go and make disciples, you should suspect the source of that guidance. On the other hand, you would not refuse to approach someone on a bus or airplane, you wouldn't refuse to do so on the grounds that busses and airplanes are not mentioned in the Bible. That is a proper subject for the specific leading of the Spirit to guide you into how to apply the broader principles of witnessing and disciple making.

What Scripture Directs my Ministry Call

Question 4: Share with us a personal Scripture that directs you in the ministry 'call' God has given to you?

A: I need to present three Scriptures to answer this question. The first two drive me to the third one, much as a knowledge of sinfulness drives the sinner to the savior.

"My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly than others." James 3:1 (CEV)

Since I am called to the office of teacher within the church, this passage has always carried a certain amount of fear with it. The modern church rarely recognizes the calling of a teacher in a formal way, though many are clearly accepted in that role. Who am I to say I'm a teacher? Do I want to say that, considering teachers are judged more strictly?

"Now listen to what I, the living LORD God, am saying to you shepherds. My sheep have been attacked and eaten by wild animals, because you refused to watch them. You never went looking for the lost ones, and you fed yourselves without feeding my sheep. So I, the LORD, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the LORD, have spoken." Ezekiel 34:7-10 (CEV)

Many think that this passage applies only to the pastors, but I believe it applies to all the offices of the church, and even to anyone who has a position of leadership over another person. It suggests that those of us who are in a position to guide and direct others, no matter what the office, must be extremely careful to speak with integrity and to guide those who depend on us in true paths. But it also suggests that we have a duty to truly care for those who are hurting or in need. No ministry, even the teaching ministry, is purely technical, nor is it directed only to spreading information.

God judges failure to carry out a call. If I am called to teach the Word truthfully, accurately but above all lovingly, God will judge me for failing to do so. I can become wonderfully knowledgeable about the scriptures by studying in my office. I can win debates with other teachers or pastors. I can write technical manuscripts. But if I fail to take care of the sheep I will be subject to judgment by God.

With all that tough language, why then am I a teacher? First, because it is, in fact, God's call. You will be judged just as much for failing to answer God's call as for failing in your effort to carry out His call. But second, because when we obey, God empowers. It is not because I'm extraordinarily smart, or exceptionally insightful about people, nor because I am charismatic in speaking and presenting the message. It is because God calls and equips.

Just as he once saved me, so Jesus calls me. The things that I think make me ready for the ministry are not what's important. "Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. I have given up everything and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life." (selected from Philippians 3:7-10) I recommend you read that entire passage.

But then I get to the part that keeps my courage up as I struggle day by day. Sometimes I fail, but I know the power under which I work and that brings me back.

"I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. [How well I know!] But Christ has taken hold of me. [There's the key! If he has hold of you, how can you fail?] So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. [Just keep you eye on the goal, and feel the hand of Christ who has taken hold of you!] My friends, I don't feel that I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, [this is what Satan doesn't want you to do, and it is critical that you do it] and I struggle for what is ahead. [This applies to your ministry as well as to your Christian walk.] I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. [Now listen to the next part. It applies to ministry as well as your salvation.] This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done." Philippians 3:12-14 (CEV, bracketed comments are mine)

Let Christ get hold of you!

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