Today’s New Covenant nugget is from Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Being Spirit led and hearing the voice of God in these last days is a matter of life and death… The Lord wants to lead, speak to us and guide us on a path beside still waters – there is a rocky path with sharp stones and rocks that will cut your feet, there is a jungle path with thorns and snakes and spiders, and then there is a smooth path beside still waters, and that is the path that the Lord wants to lead us on.
The biggest obstacle to believers being led by the Spirit is that many, if not most believers have not died to their flesh, and when you walk in the flesh, you cannot be led by the Spirit. “The mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to His direction, because it cannot!” – Romans 8:7 (TPT)
Very few preachers ever teach about dying to our flesh, but it is a vital part of the New Covenant and of the message of grace. By grace through faith we die to the old nature and we then walk in the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit, led by the Spirit.
Many want to live in resurrection power but do not want to put to death their flesh… we have so many believers who love Jesus, are going to heaven, but who are struggling in life and are unable to receive the promises of God and live the blessed life because they do not know that they have to crucify their flesh in order to walk in resurrection power.
WHAT IS THE FLESH?
THE FLESH IS THE SELF-FOCUSED, SELF-SEEKING, SELF-PRIORITIZING, SELF-PRESERVING, SELF DEFENDING PART OF YOU THAT CONSIDERS SELF-BENEFIT AND SHORT-TERM PLEASURE THE NUMBER ONE GOAL.
Romans 8:5-9 (TPT)
5 Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities. (The Spirit’s leading)
6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.
7-8 In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to His direction, because it cannot! For no matter how hard they try, God finds no pleasure with those who are controlled by the flesh. (The Mirror Bible says, “It is impossible for those immersed in flesh to at the same time accommodate themselves to the opinion, desire and interest of God.”)
9 But when the Spirit of Christ empowers your life, you are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if you are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, you are not of Him.
HOW DO I CRUCIFY MY FLESH?
Firstly, we have to understand that crucifying the flesh is ongoing… we have to carry our cross as we follow Jesus, in other words, we have to continually put our flesh to death to follow Jesus as the Spirit leads. As you sense your flesh rising up within you, tell it “no”… say, “satan, the blood of Jesus is against you, flesh, die in Jesus Name, flesh, I bind you, in Jesus Name!” We have to do this every time our flesh rises up and tries to resurrect… my Grandfather used to say, “the problem with a living sacrifice is that it is always trying to crawl off the altar!”
Another important thing to remember is… ‘whatever you feed will live!’
If you continually feed your flesh on social media, secular music, television, continually listening to the news and other secular, worldly things, then your flesh will become a giant… to kill the flesh, we have to starve it and feed our spirit man the Word and the sustenance of the kingdom of God.
Meditating on the Word, listening to the anointed Word being preached, speaking in tongues, building yourself up, praying in the Holy Ghost, worshipping the Lord and praying, all feed your spirit man.
As you feed your spirit and starve your flesh, your flesh will not be able to dominate you and you will be able to put it to death and walk in resurrection power.
PAUL AND THE EARLY CHURCH WERE TOTALLY LED BY THE SPIRIT...
Acts 16:6-7 – “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”
Just as in the days of Paul, the Holy Spirit wants to direct us in everything… He wants to steer us around the devil’s traps and lead us besides still waters.
DISCERNING THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT...
As a believer who is spiritually alive and who has crucified the flesh… start by asking the Holy Spirit to lead you, then spend time waiting upon Him to speak to you and to lead you… do not be in a rush.
I understand that some things come up quickly and require immediate action, and when that happens, the grace of God will allow you to be led as you walk, but for the bigger decisions… take your time, visualize the different options that you have set before you, and then look for the anointing and the joy and the peace of God. Do this over and over as you speak to the Holy Spirit. Many times He will lead you through a still small voice, the anointing, and many times He will give you a scripture.
The bottom line is that He will lead you – He will give you the answer and the direction that you are looking for – you can be led by the Spirit on a path beside still waters in these troubled times.
MAKE THIS CONFESSION OF FAITH…
“I SPEAK DEATH TO MY FLESH AND LIFE TO MY SPIRIT, IN JESUS NAME!
I LAY DOWN MY LIFE AND I FOLLOW JESUS.
HOLY SPIRIT, LEAD ME, SPEAK TO ME, DIRECT ME.
I DECLARE THAT I AM SPIRIT LED IN ALL THINGS,
I AM SUBMITTED TO THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT,
I TRUST THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT.
THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT WILL KEEP ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD ON THE PATH OF LIFE.
THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT WILL KEEP ME SAFE.
I WILL NOT FEAR!
I AM SPIRIT LED, IN JESUS NAME!”
Blessings on you, Nick
