The Leadership of The Holy Spirit
- Rachel Shirley
- Apr 3
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Many of us deeply desire to know the Holy Spirit is with us at every moment throughout the stormy seasons we experience.
I'm guessing you're familiar with that tug in your heart and longing within your soul to figure out or understand what God is up to while you feel left out on an island you've come to affectionately call "grief-island" or the mudslide mountainside called "regret and remorse".
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" ~ Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)
Ahh, and there is the tension and rub. You used to be the person who was on fire for God. You were in step with the Holy Spirit because you trusted His leading and promptings and hearing from Him through His Word.
Until...that "thing" happened in your life. Yes, that thing...
Even though you were still plugged into His Word, you may have felt your passion was beginning to take a plunge, and you felt an unsettling sense within your heart that God might not be pleased with you because "you should be able to handle this 'thing' better than 'you are' or 'did' because people look up to you." Or something similar.
"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness."~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT))
If you're like me, a detailed roadmap can feel restricting when you know the Holy Spirit guides and illuminates your every move even in the stormy seasons of life.
Choose the Leadership of the Holy Spirit
I believe we all have been there and will continue to as we know on this side of heaven, we'll have troubles, trials, and tribulations.
What I can share is some hard-earned, not-so-pretty, downright exhausting and painful at times, but meaningful and priceless experience, courageous strength, and hope in Christ. It's been my experience that when we humble ourselves and let go of "control," that's where the freedom is. Let me explain.
At least for me, sometimes when I'm in a stormy season and I feel like I can't hear from the Holy Spirit like I used to, I go into "fix it or try to control it" mode.
This looks like going full-on blast-off mode into leaning unto my own understanding. It's not a dip-toe-in, but I jump right in. Can I get a witness?
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." ~ Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)
Honestly, I'm stifling/hindering/grieving the Holy Spirit when I attempt to take control of my life out of fear, confusion, or any other emotion that might be driving/motivating force of trying to fix or control my situation/circumstances in the stormy season, whether it's people, places, or things.
I remind myself that fear, confusion, and distractions are from the enemy, not from God.
I also remind myself that God does not control us.
Our Heavenly Father is a Gentleman. He sent His Son Jesus as the propitiation for our sins. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, Guide, and Teacher, and He lives inside us as born-again believers. Hallelujah! Celebrating and rejoicing with you!
“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” ~ 1 John 4:10 (ESV)
“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” ~ Romans 8:11 (NLT)
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” ~ John 14:26 (NKJV)
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.” ~ John 16:13 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit's leadership is with us, inviting us to participate in receiving God's precious promises and living an abundant life. However, He will not force us to follow His promptings, guidance, direction, and comfort because we have free will.
The simplicities of God's ways are beautiful to me. Life and death—choose life. Walk the narrow road—walk in and with the Spirit or the world's ways—the choice is ours. The list goes on—simplicity—that's why the world's road maps don't work for this woman of God over here. I trust the Holy Spirit!
The bottom line is that I am either choosing to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, with the Holy Spirit, or choosing to walk and make decisions according to the world's standards and ways of doing things.
The choice is ours because God gave us free will. It is that simple. In those moments, you, me, or we can make the fruit-filled choice that leads to honoring and glorifing God while living an abundant life.
Remembering God's Unwaivering Love for You
I'm here to remind you of what you already know.
God loves you, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit loves you—the Trinity, the Godhead. Yes, triple Amen and Hallelugha! Can you tell I get a little excited about how much our God loves you?
What freedom there is remembering this truth. God's unconditional and unwavering love is unstoppable.
"Nothing can ever separate us from God's love…" ~ Romans 8:38–39 (NLT))
He's such a faithful Father. Abba, our Father, gives us such graciousness by taking the pressure off ourselves to know all the answers.
It's been my experience that I can be out of alignment with my divine assignments when I'm rigidly holding on to a map. The leadership of the Holy Spirit is the navigator of my soul; how about you? '
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..."~ John 16:13 (ESV)
Lean into the One who created you and invites you to deeper revelation of His goodness, faithfulness, loving kindness, mercy, grace, divine healing, provision, protection, prosperity, and precious promises... Shall I go on?
Our purposes and divine assignments are placed in front of us. He sets us up to come from a place of abundance and overflow even in our pain, grief, trauma, and hardships.
"Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this..." ~ Ephesians 3:20 (TPT)
Remember that you are equipped, anointed, and highly favored.
Also remember, your free will can glorify Him! Choose to walk with the Holy Spirit, despite what your emotions and circumstances tell you. Look into your mirror—the Word of God! You are a new creation, a child of God.
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives." ~ Galatians 5:16 (NLT))
Hands & Feet + Salt & Light
We never know where, when, or how God will use us. We can make an earthly and eternal impact by being available and receptive to all the potential assignments right before us—even in the middle of a stormy season—because it's not about us.
It's about Him. It's about helping others and being the hand and feet of Jesus. Salt and Light, my friends. It's time...
From my heart to yours,
Rachel