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 Periodically I will hear someone say something to the effect of the importance of being led by the Spirit.  “We need to be led by the Spirit,” they will say.  “They’re really led by the Spirit” someone else says.  “We need to let the Spirit lead” says another.  What is meant by these and other similar statements?  Honestly, when you really ask someone to explain or define what is meant by these sorts of statements, I don’t think people really know what they mean or at least it becomes quite difficult to articulate.  Generally, I think people mean we want God to be control and guiding us into all his will.  Of course, even that becomes problematic because would we really know it if we saw it?  And, how often do we actually want what God wants?  More often than not our wills are more in conflict with the Lord’s will than aligned with it.  Furthermore, what it looks like to be led by the Spirit differs in people’s minds and experience.  So, what does it mean actually to be led by the Spirit?  The Apostle Paul actually uses this exact phrase in Romans 8:14, when he says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”  Here Paul states that one of the tests of salvation experience is to be led by the Spirit of God.  Those are led are sons (and daughters).  Conversely, if you are not led by the Spirit, you are not a son of God.  This then is quite a serious matter.  It would be important then for us to know what qualifies as being led by the Spirit.  Does it mean having a great worship experience?  Does it mean the operation of spiritual gifts?  Does it mean the guidance of the Spirit in the variety of decisions we face?  The answer to each of these questions is an unequivocal NO.  To be led by the Spirit, as Paul uses the phrase is not any of those things.  As important as those things are and understanding that those things can be done in or without the Spirit, they are not what Paul is speaking about when he says that those “led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”  So what else can it be?  The word “For” in verse 14 is a clue for us to look at verse 13.  In verse 13 Paul, says, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  Here we are told that the evidence of being led by the Spirit is if you and I are actively and relentlessly engaged in putting to death the deeds of the body.  That means we are regularly working to kill the sin that is done in the body.  Is that happening in your life?  Is it happening in mine?  Why would this be so?  Because the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit.  He does not desire to tolerate, coddle, or adopt sinful attitudes, words, thoughts or practices.  He is out to make us holy as Jesus is holy (Romans 8:28-29).  Sin is the greatest enemy we have and yet how often we tolerate and indulge our “small” sins.  We commonly categorize our sins into “big” sins that we carefully avoid and “small” sins that we much less concerned about.  But the Lord God doesn’t make these distinctions.  The Lord says, to “strive for … holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”  So to be led by the Spirit means an all-out assault on our daily sin, big and small.  May I encourage you today to ask yourself are there any sins I am tolerating?  Is it a critical spirit, a complaining attitude, a prideful manner, the fear of man or something else?  What is happening in you?  Second, may I urge you cast yourself upon the Holy Spirit and ask Him to lead you by helping you in your daily assault on your sin.  Finally, tell someone you trust.  Invite someone else in to pray with you.  Satan wants us to keep our sin hidden.  But God says, “bring it into the light.” For those that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery … but the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”   God’s grace be upon you.