Prompting

<<urging, prodding>>

We need to discern how the Spirit works in our lives, so we can be Spirit-led for without His guidance that 'fleshes out' and makes relevant the Bible's teaching and principles to specific everyday events we are spiritually blind (Lk 4:1; Rom 8:14). His directing can be described as an inner impression, a nudge, a strong inner knowing or voice speaking to our heart. The first prompting of the Holy Spirit anyone

Being Spirit-led is acting on His promptings

experiences is to accept Jesus as Saviour. At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and desires to show us what to do and say, or not do and not say (Lk 12:12; Act 8:29, 13:2; 1 Cor 3:16, 6:19). As we live Spirit-filled lives He prompts us to say no to ourselves and yes to Him resulting in His character being expressed (the fruit of the Spirit) as we walk humbly with Him (Gal 5:16-25). Thus it is vital to be sensitive to hear what God is saying and obey (Mt 7:24, 11:15; Jas 1:22). When our words, actions or attitude don’t honour the Lord the Spirit lets us know by sharing His grief in our hearts (Eph 4:29-31).

As we consciously endeavour to walk in His ways by focusing our attention on Him through praying, reading and studying the Bible we can expect to receive His guidance – which is often through portions of Scripture being brought to mind (Ps 32:8; Jn 14:26; Eph 6:17). He wants to help us make right choices and take the right path by ‘directing

Can you identify such promptings in your experience?

us into all truth’ as we abide in Christ – He always has our best interests in mind (Jn 16:13; 1 Jn 2:27). Sometimes He convicts us of wrongdoing in order to correct us. By rejecting that behaviour and realigning with Him we will walk closer with our Saviour. This ‘refining fire’ of the Holy Spirit may expose idols that have crept into our lives. While these might be legitimate interests if they are now taking a higher place than acceptable to God He will require we ‘lay them on the altar’ in surrender and re-consecrate ourselves by honouring Him.

Promptings should be a common experience in our walk with God (Ezra 1:5; Lk 2:27; Act 20:22; 1 Thes 1:3; 2 Thes 1:11). However, not all promptings are from God, they can come from our ungodly thoughts or even Satan himself so we are to test them (Jn 13:2; Rom 12:2; 1 Jn 4:1). Ask, ‘does this agree with Scripture and the nature of God?’ If so, this is God speaking and should be obeyed. If not, then it should be rejected and not acted on. Remember Satan is a master at twisting the Scriptures to infer something God never intended so we should look at the context of a passage to gain its true meaning (Gen 3:1; Lk 4:3,9-11).

We are instructed to not grieve or cause the Holy Spirit sorrow by the way we live, this can either be by choosing to do wrong or not sensitive and so not hearing and doing what He instructs (Eph 4:30). If you realise you have

Do what the Spirit prompts you to do

failed to follow the prompting of the Spirit, confess you have made a mistake then ask yourself ‘how can I keep this from happening again’? As with many things in life it is a matter of trial and error as we grow in our relationship with Him.