We can easily be led by our fears or emotions, but we must learn how to be led by the Spirit.

Has a bad decision or a past incident left you carrying fear? I had 2 infections back in the summer. The doctors prescribed me a cream that caused bad itchiness all over my body throughout the night.

When the second infection came back positive, they prescribed me another medicine in a cream form. I had much hesitation with this cream medicine because of my bad previous experience with another cream medicine.

As I was about to decline the medication, I felt the Holy Spirit convict me that I didn’t seek the Lord, whether I should take the medicine, but instead I was about to make a decision out of fear.

To my surprise, I felt the Lord say to take the cream medicine. There was fear in my stepping out in faith, but I knew my decision to take this cream was out of faith and not fear.

I took the cream, and it didn’t give me any bad reactions but aided in my healing. This situation was a great reminder for me to be led by the Spirit.

Do not be led by fear

Before making a decision, ask yourself: “Am I making this decision out of fear or faith? Am I doing this because I’m afraid of (insert reason), or am I doing this because I feel the peace and leading of the Lord?

There’s a difference between being afraid as we step out in faith and making decisions driven by fear.

We cannot be led by the Holy Spirit and fear. The spirit of fear and the Holy Spirit are 2 separate spirits. If we want to be led by the Holy Spirit, we must remove fear by renewing our minds with God’s truth.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Choose to be led by the Holy Spirit because He knows what is best.

We need the Holy Spirit. Living with the Holy Spirit cannot be optional for followers of Jesus.

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His Spirit, the Holy Spirit lives in us.  Through Jesus, we are baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11).

The Holy Spirit gives us joy in the midst of pain, strength in times of suffering, and boldness with God’s wisdom and power to be a witness and ambassador of Jesus. He also teaches and reminds us of all things that Jesus tells us in the Word (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is who reveals Jesus to us and allows us to be close and intimate with Him.

Jesus overcame death and is coming back for us. Though He is not physically with us, He is with us every day by His Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that we will face trouble in this world, but we can take heart that He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

We get filled with the Holy Spirit by asking the Holy Spirit to fill us and surrendering our lives daily for Him to take over. Surrendering ourselves to the Holy Spirit looks like denying our own fleshly desires to seek and yield after His desires.

Galatians 5:24-25 says, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Every day we are invited to walk by the Spirit and not the flesh.

The disciples needed to be filled with the Holy Spirit, so how much more do we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Leaning on the Holy Spirit

Let us not forget that we have 24/7 access to our Helper, the Holy Spirit. Even though Jesus is not physically with us, we have Him ever present with us through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

Jesus even tells us that it is to our advantage that He departs so that we can receive the Holy Spirit who is our Helper.

Jesus says in John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

Are you actively seeking guidance and help from the Holy Spirit?

May we lean on the Holy Spirit in everything we do. Jesus knows what is best for us in every area of our lives.

The first step to leaning on the Holy Spirit is to first acknowledge the Holy Spirit. Before you work on an assignment or tackle a problem, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom and strength you need. The Holy Spirit will not force His way on us. He speaks as much as we invite Him to speak.

The Holy Spirit is gentle, but convicting. We can quench the Holy Spirit’s voice in our lives if we continue to disregard His guidance. The more we disregard the nudge of the Holy Spirit, the more we quench our ability to hear the Holy Spirit. God says in 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬, “Do not quench the Spirit.” Be open to listening to the Holy Spirit, even in areas where you may think you know what is best.

Humility is our willingness to be lowly and seek God. A humble heart is a repentful heart.

Will you be intentional every day to listen and yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading?

Do you want to grow in hearing the Holy Spirit? It starts with obeying and yielding in humility to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Our choice to hold on to offense, fear, grumbling, and willful acts of sin quenches the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus in us and through us.

There’s no better way than following where the Spirit leads (which will always align with Jesus and His Word—the Bible).

Our anxieties and fears belong in the hands of Jesus. The next time fear comes, give it to Jesus through prayer, and trust that He hears you and has you covered.

God tells us in Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The peace of God comes as we surrender our worries into His hands. Surrendering to God means we trust God with the process and result of what we are worrying about.

So remember, give your worries to Jesus and be led by the Spirit. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit to guide us, help us, and lead us in truth. Forgive us for the times we allow fear or emotions to make our decisions instead of seeking You first. Teach us to surrender our worries, anxieties, and plans into Your hands. Help us to walk by the Spirit daily, trusting that You know what is best for every area of our lives. Lead us in peace, faith, and obedience. Amen.

Listen to our Podcast “How to be Led by the Spirit”