Chain Reaction in Realms of the Spirit
Beauty For Ashes Part 4 - George H. Warnock

CHAPTER 6 - LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14).

Being led by the Spirit of God is the sign of sonship. Not to say that we are not born of God if we have not come to this kind of sensitivity in the Spirit where we are flowing along in the movements of God. But this is God's desire, and this is the sign of being a mature son of God--simply to flow along in the movements of His Spirit, in the winds of His guidance and influence.

We are "born again" by the blowing of the winds of God. We know not whence they come, or whither they go. (See Jn. 3:8). How then can we plan and arrange and predetermine our course of life? We are born into the Kingdom of God in a way we cannot understand; and the same winds of Heaven will carry us along in the currents of His will--if we are not afraid of those heavenly currents. We can neither plan the day of our birth, nor choose our calling in life. It is all according to the sovereign moving of His Spirit in our lives, revealing Christ, and making us to know that we are born into an entirely new realm that is not subject to natural law.

But there is growth in this realm, and there is much need for the discipline of the Lord to bring us away from the old man we are in Adam, and to cause us to walk in the new life that we find in Christ. And so the apostle John speaks of a three-fold expression of those who are born into the Kingdom of God--Little Children, Fathers, and Young Men; and he wrote loving words to all of them. (See 1 Jn. 2:12-14).

You will notice in this order set forth by the apostle that the category of "Young Men" is last on the list, and not second as most people would make it to be. And he repeats this same order, giving us a double witness. This is different from the natural order, for God's desire for His children is that their last days should be their strongest, their very best. True, their mortal frame may be in a state of decline; but God has provided a quickening by His Spirit, where our weaknesses are overshadowed with His strength, and the resurrection life of Jesus actively functions within us. And as the "outward man" perishes; so there is to be a renewal of the "inward man... day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16).

"Young Men." These are the sons of God. They are "strong" because like the Son of God, their elder Brother, they can do NOTHING OF THEMSELVES. They are totally dependent upon the Father for the direction, the guidance, and the strength they need in all that they do. They do not walk in this way for lack of wisdom, but because of it. The wisdom of God teaches them that if they want to find themselves flowing along in the eternal purposes of God they must lay aside all their own desires, thoughts, pursuits, and ambitions in life. They know they must walk with God if they are to discover what the mind of the Spirit is. They know that God ordains all things according to His own plan and purpose, and that if they are going to become an integral part of that plan, then they must be moved to flow in it by His Spirit. The Word of God abides in them, nurturing them with truth and understanding. And because they understand a little about God's ways they know that men of faith all through history were men who waited for God and were quick to respond to His voice when He made Himself known. The Word of God was always their lodestar. Yet each in his own generation recognized that he must sail his troubled seas according to God's specific dealings with him. And because he is led by the Spirit he finds himself apprehended in the pathway of God, and becoming a part of His eternal purpose.

It is so important that we understand this, if we are going to walk in a way that coincides with God's eternal purposes. The plans and purposes of God are vast, complicated, and incomprehensible--and we must never try to meddle with that. We rejoice in what He shows us. It gives vision and hope--and this hope cleanses and purifies. But we cannot say, "I know this is God's plan so I am going to seek to fulfill it." It is enough that we simply learn to do His will, and find grace to walk in His way. Only then will we begin to relate and to coincide with the eternal purpose of God as it relates to ourselves--and to others who are likewise being led by His Spirit. As we are committed to do the will of God, God will be faithful to show us what His will is. But if we start working on God's objective, rather than seeking to discover His explicit will for our lives, we are seeking to do God's work, and will end up in distress, perplexity, frustration, and dismal failure. Why do we say this?

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD" (Isa. 55:8).

We as the Church have totally failed in this area, not recognizing that God's WAY is to come before Him with much heart-searching and repentance, and wait till we are consumed with His love and His truth. Then God is able to send us forth by the Holy Spirit to invade the kingdoms of darkness, The New Testament Church never got involved with all manner of human programming to get the job done. THEY WAITED UPON GOD TILL THEY WERE FIRED WITH THE BREATH OF HEAVEN-FIRED WITH HIS LOVE AND TRUTH--AND THEN GOD SENT THEM...

AND BECAUSE THEY WERE SENT OF GOD THEY SET OFF A CHAIN REACTION OF LIFE WHEREVER THEY WENT.

Any true child of God must be grieved and pained as he beholds the horrendous conditions in the world about us--the hunger, the poverty, the spiritual darkness that holds mastery over the bodies and souls of men.

BUT IF OUR CONCERN IS AS GREAT AS WE PROFESS IT TO BE, WE WOULD CANCEL OUR PLANS AND CALL UPON GOD FOR THE POWER AND THE AUTHORITY AND THE GLORY WE NEED TO BREAK THE BANDS, AND SET THE PRISONERS FREE.

God is bringing forth a masterpiece of His wisdom in the redeemed sons of men, and He alone knows how to interlace the threads of His purposes in the lives of His chosen ones. We as God's sons know very little about all this. Sometimes the little understanding He gives is overwhelming, and we wonder how we could comprehend any more. Nevertheless, our pursuit is not to acquire more and more of this kind of knowledge, BUT TO KNOW HIS WILL AND TO WALK WITH GOD IN THE WAYS OF TRUTH. FOR ONLY THEN CAN HIS PURPOSES BE FULFILLED IN OUR LIVES, AND IN THE LIVES OF HIS PEOPLE.

Horse And Mule Guidance

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee [or, 'to make them submissive']" (Psa. 32:8-9).

Now we thank the Lord for the restraint of the "bit and bridle" when we need it, but the disciplined son of God does not require it, for the reins of God are in his heart and his delight is in doing the will of the Father.

"Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee" (Prov. 6:21-22).

What is he saying? Let the Word of God be close to your heart, and not just a doctrine that delights the intellect. "Tie them about thy neck," to keep you from being stiff-necked and rebellious, and from turning in this direction or in that as the winds of doctrine might blow. Then truth is wrought "in the inward parts," and your desires are motivated toward God. You will not fall into deception, for He will guard you in your times of "sleep" when you are not aware of the dangers that the Enemy is about to unload in your pathway. Suddenly you are awake, and you realize what has been going on, and the Truth talks with you, and reveals to you more and more of the hidden treasures of His grace and wisdom and knowledge.

David prayed, "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart" (Psa. 26:2). Or, "Test my motives, O LORD..." For God is looking for a "willing" people whose hearts are motivated toward Him.

Constrained By The Anointing

This is entirely different from the "bit and bridle" that God has designed for the horse and the mule. God liberates us from the bridle, but not so we can go our own way and indulge in our own ambitious pursuits. He liberates us from ourselves, and from the ways of men, in order to bring us under His yoke--His yoke of learning God's ways: "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me." In ourselves we can very easily become contaminated with fleshly desire and ambition. That is why we have to know such a discipline of His Spirit, and be so committed to His will, that we will know how to survive the "pull". For out from our own hearts or from others there is going to be that pressure that would seek to move us in a direction that points to greater enlargement and fulfillment. God tries the reins of our hearts to see if we are looking for success and achievement, or simply for Him--and for a way of life that will be a delight to His own heart. The Spirit of the Lord is a liberating Spirit; but as we walk in the Spirit we will soon discover that the pathway of true liberty is a pathway which liberates us from ourselves, and constrains us to walk in the ways of God.

Led By The Spirit Of God... Into Realms Of The Heavenlies

Let us not emphasize this matter of being led by the Spirit, in the context of things temporal or geographical. These are important too, but if we are faithful to be led of the Lord into living truth, and into realms heavenly and spiritual, then I am sure we will find ourselves doing the right things regarding the temporal, and being in the proper place geographically. If we are moving in the Spirit, and walking in God's will, we will always discover that we are in God's place at God's time. I believe all this is a vital part of Jesus' promise: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

The purpose of the Holy Spirit coming to abide in His people is to guide us "into all truth..." (Jn. 16:13). It is to lead us into spiritual realms, where we are seated with Christ "in the heavenlies" (Eph. 2:6)--a place in God where we recognize we are "dead" as far as this world is concerned, and our life is "hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:8). God would lead us to His own heart and into "perfect love," for this is the ultimate end of our journey, God's ultimate desire for His own:

"God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made PERFECT, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but PERFECT LOVE casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made PERFECT IN LOVE" (1 Jn. 4:16-18).

This is the "end" of the journey for those who are led by the Spirit--an "end," of course, that is swallowed up in eternity. He brings us to the heart of God, and we struggle no more with the tangled underbrush of the wilderness way. The Law of the Spirit of Life working in His people, has brought us into the full desire of God's heart. We find our home in God. And God finds His home in our hearts.

Chapter 7 - The Law of Life in Our Lord Jesus
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