Are you having issues knowing how to follow the Spirit? Do you tell yourself “I don’t know whether it’s the Spirit or my mind”? Can I be led by the Spirit of God? If you have these questions, then this book review is for you. I’d advice that you follow through all the chapters so you can learn. I also advice that you take your time to open the Scriptures referred to, this would help you understand better.
HOW TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD – KENNETH HAGIN
CHAPTER 1 – THE LAMP OF THE LORD
# In this chapter, the author of the book helps us to understand who we are. By the reason of the new birth,we were made a part of God’s family. As children of God, we are eligible to access privileges that those who haven’t experienced the new birth cannot access. As much as our earthly parents nurture us and expect us to follow their lead, so does the Lord want us to follow His lead.( Romans 8 vs 14-16).
God will not lead a man that is not His child, it is also worthy of note that every child of God has to be led. The scripture says that the Spirit of the Lord is meant to guide us into all truths ( John 16:13).
# Really, “Truth” is a person that we must all know (John 14:6). This is why it worthy of note that we are being led.
# How the children of God are meant to be led is by the Spirit( Proverbs 20:27). The Spirit of the Lord resides in our spirit because that part of us is recreated. It is a good place for Him to stay. So the spirit is like a lamp that God uses to search out things.
However, to understand the reason why we have to be led, it is important that we know who we are.
CHAPTER 2- MAN: AN ETERNAL SPIRIT ( JOHN 4:24)
# Who is a man? Man is a spirit , he has a soul and he lives in a body.
In Genesis 1: 26-27, we see that God decided to create man in His image. It is good to know what God
looks like since we are created in His image. He is a Spirit. This affirms that man is also a spirit. Before any other part of a man comes to a place, he is firstly a spirit.
# However, man has a soul and lives in a body. The body is the outward man that can perish.
When the physical body of man is dead and in the grave, the spirit lives on. That part of man is eternal. Spirits can never die, and man is a spirit.
“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.“(Philippians 1:23,24)
Paul is speaking of physical death in the Scripture above.
Paul is going to live. Whether in the body or out of the body, he is still going to live. If he abides, or lives, in the flesh he can teach the church at Philippi and be a blessing to them. That would be more needful for them. It would be far better for Paul himself, however, to depart and be with Christ. Paul was actually saying, “I am going to live in the body or I am going to depart and be with Christ.”
CHAPTER 3- SPIRIT CONSCIOUS
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
# Paul begins with the inside, the innermost part of man, the heart of his being, which is his spirit, and comes to the outside. Yet most people misquote this verse. They say, body, soul, and spirit. Why do they put the body first? Because they are more body-conscious than spirit-conscious. Natural things mean more to them than spiritual things. So they put physical things first.
# If indeed we are spirits, we ought to live in the consciousness of it. We must not be carried away by the affairs of this life. We should not be too conscious of the mental or physical realm and ignorant of the spiritual. Since we are spirits, we should be much more aware of the things of the spirit. That’s really what the enemy is working against this period. Everyone is getting caught up in trap of the enemy. This is not to say we should be spooky but we ought to know our Lord much more in this period. So we should plunge our lives into the Spirit.
CHAPTER 4- DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRIT AND SOUL
# It is only the Word of God that can accurately divide the spirit from the soul. ( Hebrews 4 vs 12). It is very easy to misplace them. That’s why you hear someone say “I don’t know if it is the Lord leading me or my mind”. This is a major role the Spirit plays actually- To know and discern the voice of the Lord accurately.
CHAPTER 5- THE SAVING OF THE SOUL
# This chapter knocks off any false teaching that says “We are already saved in our souls”. James 1:21.
The whole essence of the church is for our souls to be saved. The Spirit does not take time to be saved but the soul does. This is why Scriptures admonishes us to receive the Word with meekness. If you feel you know everything about a Scripture, it is Pride!!!
# Our souls are dark and old because we have once walked in the course of this world (Ephesians 2:2). The only way our mind/soul can be renewed is by God’s Word (Romans 12 vs 2). God’s Word when obeyed brings newness to our souls.
Watch out for the next three chapters!!!
Author Profile
- Fopefoluwa Boluwatife Ibraheem is a 200 level student of the department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos. She loves God passionately and is a kingdom seeker
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