- 57 minutes ago
13"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, 14how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Psalm 81:13-14).
If we want to be led and controlled by the Holy Spirit, we must obey the Holy Spirit's promptings. What do I mean by promptings? Let me give you an example: Several years ago, while living in England, my American-born wife, Sandy, left our home to visit her parents in the United States for two weeks. The night before her return, she called me from the Chicago airport to confirm that she was boarding her plane; it would be an eight-hour flight, arriving at Heathrow Airport at 6:00 a.m. I woke up at 3:30 am to drive the two hours to the airport, and as I was gathering my things, the thought popped into my head, "Take your passport!" When the idea came to me, I immediately dismissed it, thinking I wouldn’t need a passport since I wasn’t going anywhere. I continued getting ready, holding my keys in my hand. Just as I put on my jacket to head out the door, the thought came again: "Take your passport!" I found this odd, but I decided to obey the prompting because I had some experience listening to such leading of the Spirit. So, I hurried upstairs, found my passport, and rushed out the door to the car.
I arrived at Heathrow Airport on time, and as I entered the Arrival Hall, I checked the screens and saw that Sandy’s flight had arrived as scheduled. However, after waiting two hours, I started to worry. The usual wait time is only about half an hour after landing before clearing customs and immigration. Then, through the public address system, I heard a message, "Would Mr. Keith Thomas come to the Information Booth?" I grew more anxious when I didn’t see Sandy there. A uniformed immigration officer was waiting for me. "Mr. Thomas?" he said, "We can sort this out if you happen to have your passport on you!" With a big smile, I pulled my passport out of my pocket as he explained that British Immigration just needed to verify that Sandy's husband was a British citizen. Only the passport could prove it! Sandy was relieved after waiting at least a couple of hours, detained in a small room at the airport. Unknowingly, after we married and she first came to England with me, Sandy had only been on a visitor visa, and her residence status had not yet been approved. Without proof that I was British, and she was my wife, they would have sent her home on the next flight because she had overstayed her visa.
God was gracious in prompting me to take my passport a second time. I wonder how many other times the Lord has inspired me like that, and I haven't listened. If we would only listen to Him, how many victories and miracles of provision could we receive? God longs to be gracious and speak specific things to our hearts if only we would quiet our spirit enough to listen.
If there is a secret to being filled and led by the Holy Spirit, it is by learning to listen to and obey the inner promptings of the Spirit. One way I've found helpful in distinguishing the Holy Spirit's prompting from my own thoughts is to analyze the thought that comes, whether it appears as a chain of successive thoughts or just seems to pop out of nowhere. If no link of thoughts connects to it, and the idea appears suddenly, like a light bulb turning on, it could be the Holy Spirit's prompting. The next step is to ask yourself: What would likely happen if I obeyed that thought? Is there a chance that God would be glorified through my obedience? Would it align with the Scriptures? Is there a potential blessing in it? What is the worst-case scenario if it’s merely your own thoughts or indigestion rather than the Spirit's prompt? If the only risk is possible embarrassment, then go for it! “If my people would but listen to me…how quickly would I subdue their enemies” (Psalm 81:13-14). Keith Thomas