Reflection on chapter 15 & 16 by Adebola Adesina
Chap 15: Depend on your spirit
Chap 16: Tenderhearted
Book: How to be led by the Spirit by Kenneth Hagin
Anchor scripture
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God— Rom. 8:14
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit—Romans 8:16
We must train our spirit to a level where our faith in God works. Chap 6 talks about letting the man inside us dominate- i.e. letting your spirit dominate your soul and body. Your spirit knows what your head does not know because the Holy Spirit is in your spirit.
YOU DON’T GET TO DEPEND ON YOUR SPIRIT IF YOU DO NOT DEVELOP IT. How do you develop your spirit? Spending time in the word, ruminating on it and doing what He says. It’s not enough to have a head knowledge about scriptures, it has to enter your spirit because out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water (the Holy Spirit).
That still small voice that told you to take the right turn today where you have been taking a left turn for the past 15 years is what we are talking about. Sometimes, by reason of training, you realize that a scripture just jumps out to you in prayer or at work and you get a new revelation out of it.
There is no point in hearing the still small voice if you will not obey it. The Holy Spirit is a gentle spirit. It does not force his will on people. It’s your duty to develop your spirit.
Many people are looking for the spectacular and missing the supernatural that is right there all the time.
Mark 11:23-24 says: For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, whatever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
WAIT!!!! PAUSE AND REFLECT ON THAT!
Are you truly trusting God or you are trusting this minute and doubting the next?
The text said whosoever (that means anyone in Christ)…. Shall have whatsoever (this means whatsoever)!!!.
We need to get to a level of confidence in God that no matter what you are seeing physically, you know too well that God cannot lie and whatever He has promised, He is able to fulfill. A lot of times as Christians, we tend to doubt God and then put the onus on God that we have been praying and it looks like nothing is happening, forgetting that the Bible says a double-minded person cannot receive anything from God.
Confidence is a defense, but you don’t just build confidence in a day neither do you just build a defense (physical) in a day- it’s a combination of consistent work on your mind and in the case of a defense- culmination of different ingredients albeit right amounts. We can also apply this to our spiritual life. You build your spirit by consistently dwelling in His presence either through worship, the word (e.g. listening to messages), prayer, and obedience. Over time, your sense of awareness is heightened and you pick things fast in your spirit.
We had learned earlier in chap 7 how a new testament Christian should be. Your spirit should have been developed to a level where a prophet will only confirm what you have in your spirit. We are not to be running up and down after any prophet asking what God is saying.
It’s NOT enough to know scriptures and be able to quote it, the exposé needs to enter your spirit to a level where it becomes a personal revelation to you. When we spend time with God, overtime, His nature begins to rub off on us. It’s like training a muscle as an athlete, you remain consistent and then before you know it, your muscle has gotten to the point you want it to be.
Whatsoever you receive in your spirit and your faith in the word is activated by speaking. It’s not enough to read the word of God- nothing will work on earth if we don’t begin to confess these words of God. God said: let there be Light and there was light. Light will probably not exist here on earth if God had not said it, and since we are made in the image and likeness of God, we should speak whatever our spirit communicates with us. We should speak it until we see the manifestations. It’s not that one should start confessing what is not in alignment with the word of God, but as you train your spirit, you begin to receive specific instructions and the word of God begins to jump out to you, then you confess it and see the manifestation. Halleluyah!
Chapter 16- Tenderhearted
Being tenderhearted is really important because the bible says in Luke 17: 1 that offense will come but it’s important to know that we should live above this. The Holy Spirit does not condemn us! Hallelujah. After you give your life to Christ, the Holy Spirit is there to teach you, correct you, intercede for you, advocate for you, stand by you, guide you, tell you the truth (He is the spirit of truth) and help you in your Christian walk not to condemn you! He can correct you, but He won’t condemn you. The bible says in Romans 8: 1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Our conscience should have been developed to a level where when you do something that you don’t even know would be wrong, your conscience will convict you but it’s important not to stay in condemnation. It’s important not to cover up our wrong deeds either. I think one word that could resonate is repentance. If you offend someone, ask God first to forgive you and then go to the person and apologize as the need may be. If you have truly trained your spirit, you will not have peace until that is settled. Sincerity of heart is one thing that God loves, be sincere about how you are feeling and express it to God.
In 1 Timothy 4: 2 AMP
2 [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning]
Notice that our conscience does not suddenly become seared, it’s from continuous use in that state so also is a tender heart. A tender heart does not just happen, it comes from continuous training- spending time with the word of God and His person.
I love how this chapter ended: learn to keep a tender conscience. Learn the minute you miss it and your conscience condemns you, to correct it right then.
The Holy Spirit will not continue to lead someone who does not listen to him. We can silence Him or we can decide to open up to him and be vulnerable with Him.
I will conclude with this scripture; Hebrew 5: 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses (powers of discernment, skills, Minds) trained to discern good and evil.
Your heart can be trained by reason of practice to always be tender to the things of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.