Holy Spirit Guidance
An all-creatures Bible Message

Holy Spirit Guidance
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
4 June 2017
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

John 7:1-36

Holy Spirit guidance is much more than speaking in tongues; it is allowing ourselves to be guided by God in His heavenly will.
 
Since today is also Pentecost, when we commemorate the day the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Jesus, and they spoke in foreign languages that they did not know, but others who were gathered there heard them in their own native language.
 
We believe it’s a good idea to discuss how much more Holy Spirit guidance is all about.
 
So today we are going to look at some examples of Holy Spirit guidance, and some examples of being guided by the ways of the world.
 
If someone is selectively loving, such as loving a companion animal and eating some other animal, that person is not fully living in the heavenly will of God, for true Holy Spirit guidance shows us that we are to love God and the whole of His creation unconditionally, which includes every other person, every other animal, and the environment in which we all live.
 
This is what Holy Spirit guidance should be all about.
 
Let’s begin by looking at John 7:1-36, and discerning whether or not what is happening is in the heavenly will of God.

1. And after these things Jesus was walking in Galilee; for He was unwilling to walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

John is obviously writing about the Jewish religious leaders and not all Jews for we know that Jesus’ disciples were also Jewish.
 
And from this verse we can discern that the religious leaders were not living in the heavenly will of God, for if they were, they would not seek to kill anyone.
 
Holy Spirit guidance leads us to solve our differences through love, true unconditional heavenly love.

2. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand.
 
3. His brothers therefore said to Him, "Depart from here, and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may behold Your works which You are doing.
 
4. "For no one does anything in secret, when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world."

It’s also obvious that even the brothers of Jesus were not living in the heavenly will of God, for they wanted to send their own brother into danger.

5. For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
 
6. Jesus therefore said to them, "My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune. 
 
7. "The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

Jesus sees through their words to their true intent and says to them…

8. "Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come." 
 
9. And having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

If we are truly living in the heavenly will of God and have His Holy Spirit guidance, then we should be able to discern the true intent of other people’s words and actions, or at least whether or not they are following what the Lord desires them to do.

10. But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as it were, in secret.

Holy Spirit guidance also tells us when to hold back when we are in physical danger, and when to speak out to end the pain and suffering that has been plaguing this world for thousands of years, even if we will be ridiculed.
 
But because Jesus was in physical danger, He held back.

11. The Jews therefore were seeking Him at the feast, and were saying, "Where is He?"
 
12. And there was much grumbling among the multitudes concerning Him; some were saying, "He is a good man"; others were saying, "No, on the contrary, He leads the multitude astray."
 
13. Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

Their fear shows us that the religious leaders were actually working against God and not for Him, which religious leaders are supposed to do.
 
This also shows us that terrorism, even if done in the name of God, can never be from God; for it is being done in the ways of the devil, as is the ill treatment of animals.
 
Let’s go on with our study…

14. But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach.

Jesus did this because there were many more people there, including the ones who liked what He taught, and He knew that the religious leaders would be reluctant to do anything against Him in the midst of the crowd; He was being prudent.

15. The Jews therefore were marveling, saying, "How has this man become learned, having never been educated?"

Jesus’ education was directly from God, and He was living under Holy Spirit guidance.

16. Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

In other words, God!

17. "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself.

This only happens with Holy Spirit guidance.
 
This does not just happen; we have to allow it to happen, and want it to happen, and even pray for it to happen.

18. "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Jesus is speaking of Himself, here, but we believe that this is really meant for all of us, if we are willing.

19. "Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" 

The Law tells us not to kill, and Holy Spirit guidance tells us that this commandment should also be applied to all the non-human animals, just as it applies to humans.

20. The multitude answered, "You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?"

These kinds of statements should immediately tell us that they are not coming from God, but from the devil.
 
God wants us to live both here on earth and forever with Him in heaven.
 
It’s only the devil who wants bloodshed and death, and unfortunately he uses other people to carry out his evil deeds, just as we are seeing here.

21. Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel.
 
22. "On this account Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.
 
23. "If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath?

Note how the people and their religious leaders twist the Law to suit their own purposes and not the heavenly will of God.

24. "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

This is why having Holy Spirit guidance is so important, for it is His guidance that always shows us the heavenly will of God, and how to judge righteously.

25. Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill?
 
26. "And look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?

This is also proof that while some of the people with Holy Spirit guidance recognized Jesus for who He is, while the religious leadership, who were not being guided by the Holy Spirit kept silent.

27. "However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from."
 
28. Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.

The religious leaders were the ones who should have been filled with the Holy Spirit, but they were not.
 
They were supposed to lead the people in the ways of God so that they could avoid the corrupt ways of the devil and the evil that was happening all around them, but they were unwilling, and even participated in the worldly ways.
 
And this is going on all over the world, for they are continuing to promote the corrupt ways of this world, particularly when it comes to animals, for they continue to eat them and have animal flesh fund raisers in the church.
 
So Jesus goes on…

29. "I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent Me." 
 
30. They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.
 
31. But many of the multitude believed in Him; and they were saying, "When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?"

Even the people who recognized Jesus as Messiah had some doubts, because of the religious leaders, and most of the people were following His teaching and the heavenly will of God.
 
This is why Jesus said elsewhere that broad is the way that leads to destruction, and narrow is the path that leads to life.
 
Each and every one of us needs to learn to trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit that sees through the lies and corruption to the heavenly will of God and eternal life.

32. The Pharisees heard the multitude muttering these things about Him; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him.

The religious leaders are following the ways of the devil and not the will of God, for if they were, they would have welcomed Jesus into their midst, and listened to His teachings instead of fighting against Him.

33. Jesus therefore said, "For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.
 
34. "You shall seek Me, and shall not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come."

In other words, if these religious leaders remain so hard of heart, they will never be with Jesus in heaven. 

35. The Jews therefore said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we shall not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He?
 
36. "What is this statement that He said, 'You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come'?" 
NASB

From such statements, we should realize that they do not have Holy Spirit guidance.
 
Even today, some 2,000 years after this incident took place, we are still having the same problems in the world, and we need to recognize that these people lack Holy Spirit guidance, and we should not be following them, even if they are clergy.
 
The clergy should be living in the heavenly will of God, and feel the pain of the whole of creation (humans, other animals, and the environment in which we all live), and not bring any harm to anyone, and we should recognize who they are really following by what they put on their plates.
 
Seek Holy Spirit guidance.
 
Seek the truth.
 
Seek the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, and follow His peacemaking heavenly teachings.
 
Amen.

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