The Leading of the Holy Spirit

For an in-depth study, Mark Copeland offers a clear, biblical overview of how the Spirit leads us: Executable Outlines on the Holy Spirit. This study describes how the Holy Spirit leads us through the written Word and how He impacts a Christian’s life.

Over the years, I have met many Christians who believe the Holy Spirit speaks to them directly. They believe He tells them what Bible passages mean, what job to accept, or where to live.

While Francis Chan famously called the Holy Spirit “The Forgotten God,” the Spirit is often the subject of great misunderstanding. Scripture does not give us many details about how the Spirit works behind the scenes. Despite this, many people still attribute direct personal messages and directions to Him.

(For a helpful critique of this view, see Gardner Hall’s review of Chan’s book: Gardner Hall’s Review of Forgotten God. Hall discusses the scriptural problems with the idea of direct Spirit leading.)

What Does Scripture Teach?

The Bible does not teach that the Holy Spirit leads us through direct, personal revelations.

When we look closely at scripture, we find:

• No instructions on how to listen for the Spirit’s voice.
• No guide on how to distinguish between our own thoughts and the Holy Spirit now that the age of miraculous spiritual gifts has ended.
• No mention of consequences for ignoring a supposed message from the Spirit. For instance, if you don’t take a job the Spirit supposedly told you to take, is that a sin? Scripture never says so.

Furthermore, people who claim the Spirit guides them directly often contradict each other. Since “God is not the author of confusion,” He would not lead different people in opposite directions.

Finally, in the Bible, new revelations from God were always confirmed by public, undeniable miracles. We do not see those same miracles today to confirm personal feelings or promptings.

The Danger of Relying on Feelings

Years ago, I knew believers who started by hoping the Spirit would help them understand scripture. They eventually believed the Spirit was setting up daily “appointments” for them. Over time, they felt the Spirit was dictating everything they did—what to wear, where to eat, and exactly what to say.

They essentially became puppets, refusing to make their own decisions.

This is very different from the Christian life described in the Bible:

• God wants us to use our minds.
• We are transformed by studying and applying the Spirit-inspired scriptures.
• We grow in spiritual discernment (the ability to judge between right and wrong).

Instead of waiting for a mystical prompt, we should make wise, kingdom-focused choices. We should choose our careers and homes based on how we can best glorify God and teach others.