Walking by the Spirit
There are external influences that have input in our daily life, and most times this happens without us knowing it. Some of these influences are aimed at hurting us, but for a Christian, there is a way to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit so that we are controlled by Him in everything we do, even without realizing it. When I look back, I can see many steps I took in life without knowing it was the Holy Spirit leading me, while there are other times I realized I did certain things that were not birthed by the Holy Spirit.
The difference between these two times came down to my relationship with God. I noticed that when I was more prayerful—especially praying in tongues—and studious of the Word, I was easily sensitive and influenced by the Holy Spirit. When I was not, I found out I was easily manipulated by the devil.
As Christians, we should not always wait to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us before we do everything in His will. In life, there will be times when you will not have an ampleful amount of time to inquire of the Lord before acting. Instead, it is our previous preparation in charging up our spirit man in His presence that makes us easily susceptible to the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not force Himself on people as the devil does, but He will control a life that is full of the Holy Spirit. Even Jesus Christ was led by the Holy Spirit to do things a natural human would not know when nor want to do. The Scripture says, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Luke 4:1).
The Scripture makes us know that we are the temple of the Lord in this new dispensation (1 Corinthians 6:19), and in God’s temple is found the presence of God. Now, the presence of God resides in the Holy of Holies, which in our bodies is the spirit man. Being charged up as a Christian means stirring up the Spirit of God within us to come out of the spirit man, into the soul, and eventually envelop our body like a covering. This is what it means to be full of the Holy Spirit.
When this happens, the Holy Spirit is able to influence our thinking and actions easily—just as a drunk man acts under the influence of alcohol without fully realizing what he says or does. The Scripture says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
I remember once when the late Dr. Dora Akunyili, a true Nigerian patriot who fought for what was right in trying to eradicate fake drugs in Nigeria during her time as a minister in the government of her country, was targeted for assassination. She had made many enemies because of the good work she was doing. In one attempt, her assassins tried to shoot her through her car while she was being driven. At the exact moment the assassin was shooting, she was moved to bend her head to adjust her head-tie. Not seeing what was about to happen, the bullet narrowly passed over her head, and she was not hurt. I believe that was her being led by the Holy Spirit without her knowing it, simply to save her life.
In the times we live in, we need such help from God as Christians because we live in dangerous days, where people go out and fear they may not return home due to high rates of kidnapping, terrorist attacks, and various accidents. How filled up we are with the Holy Spirit determines the level of influence He can have over our lives to quickly help us.
You can cultivate a Spirit-filled life by praying, especially in tongues, for just five minutes at a time rather than feeling pressured to pray for an hour all at once. Really, it is all about doing whatever keeps you in God’s presence, which the Psalmist calls the "secret place." It is secret because it is not done in the open, yet its results are seen openly. The Psalmist says “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence” (Psalms 91:1–3).
So, I encourage you not go around as a Christian without charging yourself spiritually by spending time in God’s presence, because that is your true security. Have a blessed day!
Today’s Reading:
Psalms 91, Ephesians 5
Nevertheless, if you are not born again, you can accept Christ today by saying this simple prayer out loud in faith, believing that Jesus Christ died and rose again for your sins:
Prayer for Salvation
“Dear Lord, I believe Jesus died and rose again for me. Forgive me my sins and come into my life. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Wash me with your precious blood. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.”
Congratulations! Your status has changed to that of a child of God if you said this prayer in faith.