"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Rom. 8:14).

Many people today attribute various personal thoughts and decisions to the miraculous leading of the Holy Spirit. There is no doubt the faithful Christian is led by the Holy Spirit. The question is "How does the Holy Spirit lead us?" Does He do so miraculously (through an inner voice or our feelings) or does He lead the child of God through His revealed word?

The Bible teaches that this leading of the Holy Spirit is not against our will. Earlier in the chapter, Paul said, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (v. 5). Man is responsible for setting his mind upon the things of the Spirit. If his focus is upon the things of the Holy Spirit, he will be inclined to seek after and receive the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit works through His word, and this includes the word of leading Christians in their service to God. This fact does no insult to the Holy Spirit, for He wrote the Word (2 Pet. 1:20-21). To be "filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18) is to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16). We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13), yet Jesus prayed that the Father would sanctify His disciples through His word (John 17:17).

One who is responding positively to the leading or guiding of the Holy Spirit will manifest a change in his conduct. He will allow the teaching of the Holy Spirit to produce a change in the way he thinks and lives. He will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16), but will bear the fruit of the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:22-23).

The teachings of the Holy Spirit as found in His word will bring forth these changes in the life of a Christian, but only if the Christian cooperates. Man has the choice of resisting the instructions of the Holy Spirit. Consider what Stephen told the Jews. "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you... who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it" (Acts 7:51, 53). Notice, they resisted the Holy Spirit by not keeping the law of God. We do the same thing today.

When Christians refuse to be led by the Holy Spirit they are guilty of grieving the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians chapter four, Paul gave detailed instructions regarding how Christians were to put off the old man of sin and put on the new man of righteousness and holiness (vs. 17-32). In the midst of these instructions, Paul warned, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (v. 30). To grieve means to make one sorrowful. The Christian brings sorrow to the Holy Spirit when he refuses to comply with the Spirit's instructions (found in the Word of God), or, to put it another way, when he refuses to be led by the Spirit.

Are you a "Spirit-led" Christian? Are you following the teachings of the Holy Spirit that are found in the Word of God?