Spirit Lead Me

“Spirit Lead Me”..... Could there be a bolder statement when proclaimed with one hundred percent intention? We lift up praise in the form of songs like “Oceans” from Hillsong United which is literally a request for unimaginable faith. One of the most popular worship songs of our generation winning pretty much every award possible in the Christian music scene when it came out. Still today, several years later, this song has an incredible impact on so many. I challenge you to look through the lyrics and break down just how boldly you are requesting God to pave the path ahead.

My wife, Tanja, and I had the joy of seeing Hillsong United perform live this year here in Kansas City, and man did they put on a show. It was inspiring. The story of how Taya Smith became lead vocalist for “Oceans” is a powerful one. Taya had just auditioned for Australia’s version of The Voice, confident this was finely her break into the secular music industry. She was on vacation and still dealing with the blistering defeat of not moving on to the live studio recording when she was requested to come in and record vocals for a couple of Hillsong United’s new projects. The rest is history and Taya to this day still has absolutely no regrets about the decision. Oftentimes, when we try to pave our own way and create our own path, it doesn’t always go the way we intend it to. Taya attempted to pave her own way, and create her own path, but it wasn’t until Taya was in a moment of defeat that she cried out to God for the Spirit to lead her that things began to fall into place for her ministry through worship music.

This reminds me of Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia. In Galatians 5 Paul urges the churches to let the Holy Spirit guide their lives. He explained in verse 17 how our own natural desires are sinful and in direct opposition to the Spirit’s desires. He explains that these two forces are constantly fighting each other. Our own natural desires will fail us every time. They will lead us to a place desolate of the spirit. When we try to take the lead and make decisions void of the Spirit’s lead in our lives, the outcome will ultimately become dismal and in direct opposition of the Spirit.

Let me provide you with a very vulnerable situation of my own. As many of you know I am blessed with a great staff and play a limited background role from a distance for my business which has given me a significant amount of free time. At one point last fall I began volunteering at our local church during the week. That quickly morphed into running our Connections Ministry, and month over month this role continues to develop into greater opportunity to serve our church and our community. Over the course of the last year I have felt the calling in a very real way to ultimately get into full-time ministry. I have become completely open to God’s plan for my life in that regard, but it has been a process. In fact this may have been the largest area of growth in my life over the course of the last year.

Even just a few months ago I was still trying to figure out what direction the Lord wanted me to go. Was I to continue developing my faith and serving here at my local church? Was I to pursue other areas of opportunity to grow and learn that seemed to be appearing here and there? Through all of these decisions I was still trying to pave my way and, in reality, trying to control outcomes in certain situations. My own natural desires were at times taking control of my decisions. What was I thinking? I still had no idea, and in some ways still don’t, of exactly what the Lord was and is calling me into, but I began to truly instill something we all hear so often. Less of me, more of Him. Less of me, more of Him. LESS OF ME, MORE OF HIM! Sometimes this is an easy statement of self-accountability and quickly puts me back into the correct mindset. Sometimes it is me practically yelling it at myself. But there isn’t a single instance where spending more time one on one with God doesn’t provide me with a better outcome in every situation and decision process.

The last few months have been an incredible time of growth for me in this area. I’ve truly begun to pray a prayer similar to that found in “Oceans”, but I can’t do it lightly. One thing we fail to remember is that by asking the Spirit to truly lead us, that doesn’t mean he’s always going to lead us down the path we choose, or even the path we enjoy, and definitely not the path of least resistance. The more we lean into what God is truly calling us to do and the more we utilize the gifts that he has given us specifically to be effective in that calling, the more the enemy will attack. The more useful we become for the kingdom, the more opposition will arise. When we truly pray for an unimaginable faith, we need to remind ourselves that it isn’t always going to be easy. And that’s okay.

“But Tom, I haven’t felt the spirit lead me into full-time ministry? What about me?” Every role is important. The thing we so easily forget is that we need Christians that possess unimaginable faith in every line of work. We need individuals who are led by the Spirit in almost every occupation. Your workplace can be a ministry in and of itself.

I encourage you to take a look at the lyrics to “Oceans” and ask yourself, Am I ready to truly ask God for a love this big? For a trust this limitless? For a faith this unimaginable? If so, hop in, but strap that seat belt tight, because the journey is long, and the road is still being paved so it might get a bit rocky at times!

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing." (Psalm 143:10)

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won ‘t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” (Galatians 5:16)