How Does the Holy Spirit Lead?

I'm learning to listen to Him more.

An urging which sort of goes against what I was thinking of doing...

An idea that kind of 'pops' in that definitely was NOT my own!

Doors shutting (which I ask for when I am not sure which way to go) which leave me with only His choice of which direction to head in.

My husband's advice.

Sometimes just doing what I know I should be doing.

Sometimes a restlessness to stop what I am doing and be aware of something else going on.

Different ways at different times. Being aware of God and His involvement in my life is imperative.

 

I'm sorta dense when it comes to discerning God's will, or discerning when the HS is trying to deal with me.

A couple of times, God sort of beat me over the head to deal with my lack of desire to go on a mission trip.

A set of circumstances which I won't detail here cut me off at every turn.

He flooded my mind with answers to all the reasons I really didn't want to go.

And he used his words, the Word, ("the fields are white unto harvest") which was the text of a Bible study I was teaching.

Once I told my pastor I'd go, suddenly there welled up in me a tremendous desire to go. Now, not six months from now. It was a life-changing and theology changing experience.

Now all of these things could have been just coincidental, but I knew, just knew, that God was in the middle of all those things he was using to cut off my objections.

My son is fond of saying, "Dad, when you pray for God's guidance, and things start happening, pay attention."

 

Knowledge of the Spirit

Does the number of answers to this post indicate how little is known about the ways of the Spirit. How He leads and deals with those who seek Him? At least the thought is something to consider.

 

Good post. And I think if we all took an honest look at that question we would have a difficult time coming up with an answer, because other than Scripture I'm not sure there is a lot of uniformity. He may do one thing for me that He doesn't do for someone else, but one thing we can know for sure is that the Holy Spirit will NEVER contradict Scripture.

I find myself a lot like my fellow believer Tom in that I am pretty dense most of the time. He's had to whack me pretty hard to get my attention at times.

 

In many ways

I feel Helen wrote for me, as in her answers is exactly how I am lead by the Holy Spirit. I read a book by John Maxwell "Listening For God" and "When God Whispers your Name". Both were wonderful books and truly helped me discern when God is speaking to me, and nudging me along in life.

I can feel a strong pull on my heart and emotions...
I can hear him in my mind and soul...
He speaks through my husband and friends...
He guides me through the word... and other books..

There are many, many ways .....raying:

 

I agree with Helen, but would add, when we beleive God has spoken to us, it absoutley must line up with scripture, or we're mistaken, either we didn't hear from God, or we misinterpeted it.

 

Although I am thinking of how I would answer, or what exactly my answer would be. For starters, I am dense like Tom said, and God sometimes pounds on me to get it.

Mima,

While your question was a good one, I would be interested in hearing what you have to say on this thread.

Jamie