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There are many occasions in ministry when we withdraw from our bank of creativity and great ideas. Then there are other times when we really just need God-breathed inspiration. We want to see things happen not by our own strength, but by the power of our awesome God who activates with perfect timing and heavenly tactics. We can only accomplish this through making decisions with the guidance of the Holy Spirit! Remember that: we walk by faith and not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)!
Walking by the Holy Spirit is quite simple…and seemingly arbitrary at times. Ultimately, it comes down to how you live your life on the daily. Being Spirit-Led is not an event or an action; rather, it is a lifestyle that must be fully embraced. This means that we invite the Holy Spirit to be an active participant in our lives and we allow Him to have authority over our lives. We have to surrender our lives each day to His will and not our own. When we make these daily sacrifices, I believe that heavenly revelation and power will be more so in our lives. Right now, say to God: “This day is Yours Lord…do what you want with me.” It is so powerful when we do this with our heart fully involved.
This may sound crazy, but you will also have to practice being Spirit-Led. I find that rarely do we observe anyone’s motives or agendas outside of our own. We need practice recognizing the Spirit’s voice and hearing His specific promptings. If we want the power of God over our lives and in our ministries then we cannot settle for a quick “give us wisdom” prayer all the time. We have to really buckle down and ask the Spirit to move—recognizing that He can move in unimaginable ways compared to our meager efforts. The Holy Spirit is an important member of your ministry team—do not forget to invite Him to your meetings!
I wish there were surefire strategies that I could share with you that aren’t so obvious. However, I feel that each person and their humanly nature dictates what type of approach to take when making decisions through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It may be more beneficial to cover a few go-to mindsets and how to find balance when working through them.
Prayer Mindset
Healthy Habit: Let me be up front and say that there is nothing implicitly wrong with this mindset. In fact, Scripture recommends that we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). How else can we hear from God amidst the plethora of opinions, ideas, and general noise? We need to seek God and find His direction for our ministry. I find that there are times when we really need to buckle down and pray.
These are the times when we have some self-awareness that things are not “smooth sailing.” It’s during these tough times when we question our sense of direction and do not see much fruit currently coming from our ministry. I believe that it is important to note that God is trying to communicate something through these dry spells. His message is most likely either: “Persevere and keep going my beloved” or “Come, sit at my feet, and we will work out something new together.”
There are times when we feel in our spirit that we need to sit at Jesus’ feet to hear what He is saying to us. We may have to pray with more focus than usual—we may even be led to fast! It’s important that we respond appropriately during these times of realignment to what God is doing.
Possible Pitfalls: I know what you are thinking—“How could praying possibly be a pitfall?!” My answer: it’s not. However, there are times to pray and then there are times to act. I tend to think of this story that was told to me that illustrates what I am trying to say.
It’s a story about a man trapped during a flood. He prayed that God would rescue him as he was stranded on some type of fixture. A lifeboat came by and called him aboard. “No, I am waiting on God to rescue me,” he said. The lifeboat left to grab other people in need. Eventually another lifeboat came along and then another. His response was the same—“I am waiting for God to rescue me,” he said again and again. Eventually, the man perished in the flood. When he arrived in Heaven he asked God, “ Why didn’t you save me, God?” The Lord said, “I did try to save you. Those three lifeboats you turned away were all sent from me!”
My point is that sometimes we do not always get the clearest picture of what God is saying to us. Our eyes need to be open and alert to our surroundings because He may be moving us to act while trusting Him. There are times to pray and then there are times to act—trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us as we move forward in faith. There is a verse in the book of Ezra when the people around encouraged him to take courage and to act.
“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4 (NIV)
After spending time in prayer, we need to recognize that sometimes God is supporting us and wants us to move forward in faith. We have to trust that the Holy Spirit will direct us and, like a GPS, recalculate our paths according to God’s plans.
Advice Mindset
Healthy Habit: If you are like me, then you like getting spiritual guidance from other trusted individuals. Sometimes it is great to have a tangible support system when you are unsure of yourself and the decisions you need to make. Plus, tapping the opinions of someone well seasoned in ministry and who is wise in the Lord can bring a refreshing perspective when you are feeling a bit lost.
I believe that some of us need to learn how to ask for help every once in a while. It is okay to borrow inspiration from others! Then you do not always have to “recreate the wheel” so to speak.
Though it may seem strange, the Holy Spirit can bring newness to your ministry through the thoughts and advice of other trusted individuals. God has put people in your life that can unlock blessing in your own life and, therefore, bring blessing to your ministry. If you are currently feeling stuck, take a second right now to evaluate who is in your life that can bring a fresh and Spirit-guided perspective! But remember to bring it all back to God: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God […]” – 1 John 4:1
Possible Pitfalls: While seeking advice from others can bring great blessing, it could also be a hindrance to what God may be trying to reveal to you about your ministry. The opinions of others can be a distraction and they can even cause us to error when making choices about our ministry outside of seeking the Lord. This is not always the case—as we just talked about the positives for seeking the counsel of others. Sometimes God wants to conference with you—and you alone—regarding His guidance and direction for your ministry. Do not be afraid to put an “opinion shield” up to focus on His voice alone for a period of time.
I hope that you clicking on this post means that you are open to being Spirit-led in both in your personal life and in ministry. Please recognize that God wants to do incredible things through you! We need to be humble and give the Lord all the glory, but it is very exciting to serve God and see miracles happen. I pray that the Holy Spirit moves mightily in your life and that others may benefit from your lifestyle of surrender to God.
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