Many of us are going through great struggles in our current times – the unstable economy, increasing market disruptions in most business sectors, competitive work environment, job losses and so on. For Christians who have put their faith in Christ, we may be faced with impossible situations as well and this is a time when we need to quieten ourselves to spend time in the presence of the Lord through contemplative prayer so we can hear God speak into our struggle.
How we cope in any crisis depends on our lifestyle of faith and fellowship with God. One in which we develop complete trust in God where we step out in faith to be led by the Holy Spirit. We should recognise that there are no conflicts in the work, character and attributes of the Trinity because They are one and are consistent in Their ways. God has good plans and purposes for our lives. He will not harm us. He will not lead us into temptation but will deliver us from evil. He sent His son Jesus Christ to lay down His life for us. He protects us and watches over us as He journeys with us through the Holy Spirit whom He sent as our Helper. He is our good shepherd who can lead us to green pastures and still waters when we are stressed and anxious. This is possible because God is Spirit and He created us as spiritual beings with souls as well as physical bodies and He leads our spirit by the Holy Spirit.
However, there may be hinderances to our spirit being led by the Holy Spirit due to rationalisation, reasoning and scepticism of God’s Word. We also receive much worldly knowledge, live self-centred lives, elevate our reasoning and rationalisation above God’s, fight for our rights and privileges with strong wills, all of which will make listening to and being led by the Holy Spirit difficult.
I Corinthians 2:16 NKJV For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
When we take time to pray and read the Bible, we can know God more and put our faith in Him based on His revelation from His Word and not on our own reasoning or experience. We will experience God as we act on our faith and convictions. His Word renews our minds and we are able to be instructed and be led by Him when we read His word. Unless we make Jesus the absolute Lord of our lives and yield to His prompting through His Word, our minds cannot be renewed to know God’s good and perfect will for our lives, and we will be walking in our own ways like sheep without a shepherd.
Sermon Series: From the Closet to the Board Room (Part 3)
如何让圣灵来带领
罗马书8：14-16因为凡被神的灵引导的、都是神的儿子。你们所受的不是奴仆的心、仍旧害怕．所受的乃是儿子的心、因此我们呼叫阿爸、父。圣灵与我们的心同证我们是神的儿女．”
我们中的许多人当前正在经历剧烈的挣扎，包括经济的不稳定，大多数商业领域中日益严重的市场混乱，充满竞争的工作环境，失业等。对那些一路来都信靠基督的基督徒，也可能面临及其困难的情况，这时我们需要藉着沉思祷告使自己安静下来，花时间于神的同在之中，好听见神针对我们的挣扎所说的话。
我们对危机的应对取决于我们信心且与上帝团契的生活方式。我们在其中建立了对上帝完全的信任，我们凭信心跨出脚步，任圣灵引导。我们应该认识到，三一神各位格的行事，品格和属性之间没有冲突，因为它们是一体的，并且是一致的。上帝对我们的生命有美好的旨意和计划。祂不会伤害我们。祂不会带领我们陷入诱惑，反而会救我们脱离邪恶。祂派爱子耶稣基督为我们舍命。祂差派圣灵作我们的帮助者与我们同行，保护我们，守望我们。祂是我们的好牧者，当我们感到压力和焦虑时，祂会带我们到青草地上和可安歇的水边。这是可能的，因为上帝是个灵，祂造我们为有魂和体的灵，藉着圣灵带领我们的灵。
但是，由于理性、推论以及对圣经的怀疑态度，这些会阻碍圣灵引导我们的灵。我们还获取了许多属世的知识，过着以自我为中心的生活，将我们的推理和理性提升到上帝之上，铁了心地争取我们的利益和特权，所有这些都会使我们难以聆听和接受圣灵引领。
哥林多前书2:16 谁曾知道主的心去教导他呢．但我们是有基督的心了。
当我们花时间祷告和阅读圣经时，我们可以更加了解上帝并信靠祂，这是基于圣经的启示，而不是我们自己的推理和经验。当我们按照自己的信仰和信念行事时，我们将经历到上帝。祂的话语使我们的心意更新，当我们经时，我们就能得到祂的指引和带领。除非我们使耶稣成为我们生命中绝对的主，并通过圣经上的提示顺服祂，否则我们的思想无法获得更新，就无法了解上帝对我们生命那美善纯全的旨意，我们将如同失去牧者的羊偏行己路。
讲章系列：从内室进到会议室（第三部分）