We need to be in tune with the Spirit if we are going to grow into mature disciplers of God’s people. How do we do that?
Being in tune with the Spirit first requires that we hear the tune. You need ears to hear it. Anytime you want to hear what the Spirit is saying, read the Scripture. All Scripture is “God-breathed” Paul says (2 Timothy 3:16). The Scripture contains everything the Spirit wants us to know about God, who He is, what He is doing, and how we fit in to that.
Second it requires that we know the tune. We not only need to hear, but we need to understand what we hear. We need to discern what the Spirit is doing and what His goals are. It is a tune that sings to the glory of God the Father, that announces that Jesus has conquered sin and death, and established His Kingdom and that that is very good news—the very best news.
Third it requires that we carry the tune. We not only need to hear the Spirit, and understand the Spirit, but we need to live by the Spirit. The Spirit that created a spring of living water in the Samaritan woman does the same for every man, woman, and child that reaches out to Jesus in faith. That spring creates in us the desire and potential to love God with all we are and then flows out to loving our neighbors as ourselves, and flows out further in making disciples. How that happens will be different from person to person because no two people are exactly the same. Oh there will be common things and even similar experiences, but if we are in tune with the Spirit, we will work right where we see Him working, saying what we hear Him saying, and even how He wants us to say it.
We need to submit to the Spirit’s leading. We need to have the courage to submit to the Spirit’s leading when it is clear that He is convicting a person in a certain way or on a certain point. That may be hard for us and it may be hard for the other to hear.
But it is also important for us to have the courage to hold back what we want to say when the Spirit is not leading where we want or convicting where we want. It is the Spirit’s job to convict, and He is quite good at it. While the Spirit of Christ is going to be convicting us, convincing us, and changing us so that we more and more reflect the character and love of Christ, we need to be careful that sanctification does not become an idol to us. Fénelon said it best,
There is something about your suffering which is very subtle and perhaps hard for you to understand. For even though you are convinced that your first concern is the glory of God, yet in your inmost soul it is the old self which keeps causing you so much trouble. The way I see the problem is this: I think that you really do want God to be glorified in your life, but you think that this is going to be accomplished by becoming more and more perfect. And in doing this you still are thinking of your own personal worth. So if you would truly derive profit from the discovery of your imperfections, I would suggest two things. First of all, never try to justify yourself before God. And second, do not condemn yourself. Instead, why not quietly lay your imperfections before God? And if, at that moment, there are some things you cannot understand about His will, simply tell Him that you are willing to conform your will to His in all things. And then go on in peace. For you must understand that peace is the will of God for you in every situation. There is, in fact, a peace of conscience which nonbelievers themselves should experience when awakened to repentance by God. And every tear of repentance should be peaceful and equaled with comfort. Remember the beautiful word which once delighted you, that the Lord was not in noise and confusion, but in the still, small voice. (I Kings 19:11-12).—Francis Fénelon, Let Go (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1973).
Ask God to give you ears to hear His Spirit. Read and study the Scriptures so that you not only can recognize His voice, but understand what He is doing. One of the things He is doing in every Christian is moving them to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind; and to love their neighbor as themselves. And another is to be making disciples—helping others by helping others to love God, love others, and make disciples.
Be willing to submit yourself to His leading. Where is He leading you to go? Be open to the idea that He may lead you to places that you would not think to go or to places others may not think you should go. Who is He wanting you to disciple? When you find yourself in one of these divine appointments—be it with someone you might meet only once like the woman at the well or like Jesus’ disciples who you might be a spiritual parent to—where is the Spirit working in this person? Don’t take the lead, but follow where He leads.
Learning To Be Full Of Grace And Truth. 