Holy Spirit Guided Life
An all-creatures Bible Message

Holy Spirit Guided Life
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
23 April 2017
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Acts 2:33-35
1 Peter 2:9-25

Holy Spirit guided life is what we should have, if we are living in the heavenly will of God here on earth as it is in heaven.
 
The Holy Spirit guides us away from all the violence, bloodshed, pain, and suffering that cause millions of humans and billions of animals to die every year here on earth, for this is the way of the world and the people who follow the devil and his minions.
 
Years ago, when I was doing prison ministry, I had the opportunity to privately ask about 500 inmates if they heard a still small voice within them telling them not to do what they did to end up in prison, and every single one of them said they did.
 
What these men heard was the voice of the Holy Spirit trying to guide them away from evil and into the heavenly will of God, but these men didn’t listen.
 
We hope and pray that others will listen and respond positively.
 
In Acts 2:33-35, Peter was trying to lead people to repentance and accept the Lord Jesus as their Savior; he was amplifying the voice of the Holy Spirit in the hope that they would all respond.
 
Note what he said…

33. "[Jesus] Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

The Holy Spirit can do marvelous things in our lives, if we let Him, and when we do, we have a Holy Spirit guided life.

34. "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
 
35. Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet." ' 
NASB

The main enemy on this earth is the devil, and those who follow him, and he wants everyone to be like him; he is totally against us having a Holy Spirit Guided life.
 
Even before I recognized and accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I had felt the presence of the Holy Spirit trying to guide my life in the heavenly will of God, but I kept dismissing what I felt or sensed.
 
It wasn’t until after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior that I finally understood what a Holy Spirit guided life was all about, and my life has never been the same.
 
It’s not just that we believe, but that we have the faith to act upon that belief, and become a true peacemaking child of God, and do everything in our power to free creation from its present corruption.
 
And in this new life style, I could no longer eat or exploit an animal, for I could feel their pain and suffering, just as I can for other humans.
 
To us, this is what it means to truly live in the heavenly will of God here on earth as it is in heaven.
 
In 1 Peter 2:9-25, we are told about what it really means to have a Holy Spirit guided life, which is always in the heavenly will of God.

9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
 
10. for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This is how we should appear to both God and the world we live in if we have a Holy Spirit guided life.
 
This is what is supposed to happen when we are truly born again.
 
Unfortunately, this is not the way most of the people in this world are, including most of the people who claim to be born again, for they live, act, and appear to be like all the other worldly people on the earth, who take part in all the violence, bloodshed, suffering, and death that is directed toward billions of animals every year.
 
Eating and wearing animals and their by-products is of the worldly system.
 
It is never in the heavenly will of God.
 
Nor, does it have any part in living a Holy Spirit guided life.

11. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.

If we are truly children of God, then in this world we should be aliens and strangers, for we do not partake in the corrupt ways of this world.

12. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

This happens when we live a Holy Spirit guided life before the people in this world who follow its corrupt ways.
 
A Holy Spirit guided life makes us stand out in a crowd of worldly people, and will hopefully lead some of them to live in the heavenly will of God.

13. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
 
14. or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

To submit ourselves to such authority only means in the heavenly will of God, for God is the highest authority and we must comply with Him first, just as Jesus did.
 
We are never to stoop to the level of the corrupt ways of this world.

15. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

We are to do this even if our foolish leaders stiffen their backs and harden their hearts and demand we do something against the heavenly will of God; we are to always and continually lead a Holy Spirit guided life.

16. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

We are free in the Lord, but we are not free to do or be a part of the evil ways of this world; we are always to be living in the heavenly will of God.

17. Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

We can and should love and honor all the people of this world, but we are never to conform to ungodly things they do in their lives; instead, we are to set the example of the heavenly will of God.

18. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

Today, this is very similar to being an employee, and doing the work that our employers desire; that is, as long as it is in the heavenly will of God.
 
We are never to compromise our position with God for the sake of worldly people.
 
We are always to be a child of God who has a Holy Spirit guided life.

19. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.

This is what can happen when we follow the heavenly will of God, and not the will of corrupt worldly leaders and employers.

20. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

This isn’t a pleasant thought, but it’s the way things have been here on earth for thousands of years.

21. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
 
22. who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
 
23. and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
 
24. and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Thankfully, these kinds of things aren’t happening as often today as they did in the past, but no matter what the situation, we are always to have a Holy Spirit guided life.
 
Remember, if we live in the heavenly will of God, and do everything we can to free creation from its present corruption, we will be glorifying the Lord our God.

25. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
NASB

This is the change that takes place when we are born again, or it’s what is supposed to take place, but unfortunately most people who claim to be born again fail to fully return to God, for they still want to have one foot in the world and be a part of the violence, suffering, and bloodshed that brings death to millions of people and billions of animals every year.
 
We are not to be like these two-faced people; we are to be the peacemaking children of God who lead a Holy Spirit guided life.
 
Amen.

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