Hearing From The Holy Spirit
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:1-2
There are many different ways we can sense the Holy Spirit as followers of Jesus. We can sense Him through worship. We can sense Him when we are using our spiritual gifts to minister to others. And we can also sense Him when we are reading and studying the Word of God.
When you open God’s Word and begin searching for insight and direction, you will sense the Holy Spirit giving you understanding and discernment of Scripture. God will speak to you through His Word in order to show you what you should or shouldn’t do. And as you’re reading, you will sense the tug, the affirmation, the confirmation, or sometimes even the conviction from the Holy Spirit who is at work through the Word and in your heart.
In Romans chapter 12, Paul writes, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will” (v. 2). This renewal of the mind he is talking about happens through the Holy Spirit. When we allow the Spirit of God to renew our minds through Scripture, we will begin to gain clarity and understanding around our Heavenly Father’s will for our lives.
This is where I want to encourage you - don’t use shortcuts by going to other people for explanations or understanding. You might think it's easier to hear from God that way, but that's not really true. The Holy Spirit is with you always, and you have 24/7 access to Him through the Holy Spirit.
God has equipped you with His Spirit so you have everything you need to realize His will and His plan for your life. God wants to speak directly to you through His Word. This is a big part of having a relationship with Him. So take the time to get into the Word and ask the Lord to guide you with His Spirit and to renew your mind so that you can begin to see His will for you.