How to Let the Holy Spirit Lead Your Life

If you’re a Christian, it’s essential that you know how to let the Holy Spirit lead your life.

Once you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, amazing things happened at the moment of your conversion. Here are just a few:

  • You were forgiven of your sins. (“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” – Ephesians 1:7-8)
  • Your eternity in heaven was guaranteed. (“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” – Philippians 3:20-21)
  • You were justified, or made right with Him. (“Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” – Galatians 3:7-9)
  • He’s continually sanctifying you – working out the refining process to make you like Him. (“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23)
  • The Holy Spirit also sealed you as a deposit – He vouches for you and your salvation.

If you're a Christian, it's essential that you know how to let the Holy Spirit lead your life.

What does the Holy Spirit do?

As Ephesians 1:13 says: “In him (Christ) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

In 2 Corinthians 1:22 the Apostle Paul teaches, “ And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

When you become a believer, you’re given the Lord’s Spirit in your heart. He’s your guarantee.

Letting the Holy Spirit Lead

But just because you’re filled with the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t mean you automatically live like it.

Each day, you have a choice to walk by the Spirit – or walk by your own will. The Apostle Paul equates this life choice to walking. Are you walking following the course of this world (Ephesians 2:2)? Or are you walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1)?

In his letter to the Galatian church, Paul makes a believer’s responsibility abundantly clear: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,” (Galatians 5:16) and “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:25).

Each day you have a choice if you’ll follow the path of the world or where the Spirit leads you. (Here’s a giveaway: they’re not the same path!)

If you want to let the Holy Spirit lead your life and walk by the Spirit, it’s a conscious choice you need to make each and every day. Pray that the Lord will fill you with His Spirit. Pray that you would walk by the Spirit. Then be ready to obey!

Throughout your day, watch and listen for opportunities to obey the Spirit’s promptings. When you can sense in your spirit what you need to do (and it lines up with Scripture), then do it. It may not always seem comfortable or be easy, but it’s important to obey.

If you're a Christian, it's essential that you know how to let the Holy Spirit lead your life.

Obedience is the key in walking closer and closer step with the Holy Spirit.

By choosing obedience when you sense His leading, you will be walking in the Spirit – and He’ll lead your life. I’ve found that the more I pray, listen and obey, the closer He is. Just like James 4:8, draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

As much as an independent, self-centered life is touted today, that approach is so worldly. An obedient, selfless life truly is a Christian’s calling. That selfless life truly involves less of yourself and more of Christ.

Instead of being laborious, that sort of Christ-centric life brings joy and peace. And it’s refreshing, not burdensome. As Christ promised, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It includes a power to do the seemingly impossible as God works through you – in His power, not your own.

As you let the Holy Spirit lead your life, you’ll notice the fruit of the Spirit – the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control you’ll never have in your own attempts. In the process, you’ll reflect the beauty of a life that’s surrendered to Him and empowered by Him.

If you're a Christian, it's essential that you know how to let the Holy Spirit lead your life.

What has helped you as you let the Holy Spirit lead your life?

All images courtesy of Unsplash.

Hilary
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37 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing, very well said. I’ve been a spirit filled Christian for many years, and am just now learning to abide, hear, obey. Step by step walking in what He has. : )) thank you

    1. amen great work i ask that you pray that i can decern more clearly and walk in the holy spirt

  2. I need the Holy Spirit to lead my life.. Please pray for me to be drawn nearer & closer to God. Thank you

    1. What you’re going to do is, “Pray and Believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior then allow Him to take control of your heart and mind just like a driver driving a vehicle. Then be ready to obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings.

  3. Thank you for the encouragement and the direction the spirit has given to you – thank you for sharing that with us.

  4. It’s only by my daily communion with the Holy Spirit can take far and deeper in my Christian race on earth.
    Thank you I learnt more lessons.

  5. Thank you, mum
    For making this available for me for I found myself eager to understand how do I stay open to the things of the Spirit…and this article happen. God bless you.

  6. I don’t know how to pray in The Holy Spirit, I have just been praying to God worshiping Praising Him and telling Him that I love Him and then pray for others and for my needs. But I’ve been told that I must pray in The Holy Spirit I don’t know how to do that.I don’t feel as though I am in The Holy Spirit and God doesn’t speak to me. I am a born again believer. Please help me.

    1. Thanks for asking, Valerie! As a born-again believer, the Holy Spirit lives in you … He’s right there. The fact that you’re praying to God in worship, praise, and love is wonderful. I’m not exactly sure what is meant to “pray in the Holy Spirit” like your question and Ephesians 6:18 says. Your question made me look into this more at DesiringGod.org. (https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-pray-in-the-holy-spirit) A very good point is that you could pray in the flesh – so pray for the things you selfishly want or even prayers you could accomplish on your own. But praying by the Spirit, in contrast, is not really carrying your own agenda into your prayers, but letting the Spirit lead you with what to pray about and even how to pray.

      I think one important thing to keep in mind is we, as believers, won’t always feel like God speaks to us. Sometimes, it’s abundantly clear that He does. Other times, we just need to walk by faith and trust that He’s there, listening, knowing us, and understanding us … even if and when He seems quiet.

      1. Perfectly put Hilary, your response is filled with Holy Spirit traits that truly glorify God and our savior Jesus. I also encourage others to ask God to fill their hearts with His Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. John 14:14 Jesus said: If you ask anything in my name I will do it. God Bless you abundantly my sister in Christ in the name of Sweet Loving Jesus!

    2. I am in the same boat. I don’t know how to be led by the Holy Spirit. I don’t feel I get these “promptings”. I have a physical disability (my muscles don’t work properly in my legs) and kidney disease which causes fluid to behold up extremely quickly in my legs. Because of these two things, I am stuck in my bedroom in my bed 99% of my days I leave my bedroom approximately two hours per fortnight. Because of this I only see my husband, my daughter and my support worker (see her 6 hrs per week). So I don’t get to come across many opportunities to sin but I do smoke and I have heard stories where the Holy Spirit “helped” peoples give up smoking but I don’t know what “help” they got because I have tried and tried to give up but it’s so hard (especially when my husband smokes). So I feel there isn’t many situations that the Holy Spirit can lead me even if he were leading me and the one thing I need help with, I’m not getting help (well maybe I am but I don’t know what help looks like). I am so frustrated. I’ve been a Christian for 6 months now and I know my personality is such that I like (probably love) rules and processes to follow but I have learned that this is legalistic and living under the law but without rules and processes, how do you know what is expected or what you should be doing. For example, if you pray I’ve heard you don’t ask God for the same thing twice or he will think you didn’t believe he heard you or don’t trust he did anything about it the first time, you must include thanksgiving and praise for most of it, you have the right motive, you can’t have any in forgiveness toward anyone etc etc. I know this is legalistic but I don’t know how to be led by the Holy Spirit.

      So I feel ya Sister!

      1. You can learn about God’s rules and those guidelines you’re looking for by reading the Word daily. The Bible is our roadmap, our guide book for living the life God intended. Read daily or multiple times a day to know and understand Him better.

        1. Thank you Holy Spirit for leading me here. Jesus You are The Word, may all believers find a deep heart passion to read YOU from Genesis to Revelations, each and every year that You give them breath on earth. Thank you for the vision of heaven with multitudes who will follow through preparing their hearts to see YOU, Jesus, Face to face, in your name I pray and praise AMEN.

      2. Hey Sandra, about the part where you heard that people say you should only pray once or else God will think you don’t believe in him, is totally not true. In Luke 18: 1-8 it tells a parable about a persistent widow, ”One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”“
        ‭‭ This parable tells us that we should pray constantly, even about the same thing. However, God is not like the unjust judge, God delights in hearing our prayers, and does NOT get annoyed. I hope this helps🙏

    3. Prayer means communication….I’d like you to replace the words now prayer for communication….God understands everything…he just wants you to talk to him …I believe you have been praying in the Holy Spirit without even knowing ..you see the people you interceded for it may seem as if you were the one that decided to intercede for them…but no the holy spirit flashed them across your heart when you were communicating with him..praying in the Holy Spirit means letting our prayers be backed up by the Holy Spirit’s leading…then praying by the Holy Spirit means praying in an unknown language edifying and building up our spirit they are two words there “in”and “by” …have you been studying the word? That is God speaking to you he speaks all the time by his word a prayer made by faith is heard …Amen

    4. God has maney ways to speak you for example when you reading hollybible, when you are making some decision on your life he tells you on your mind whether it is good or bad, and also he can speak to you using your friends family etc.

  7. good lesson for a Christian, everyday invite holy spirit struck me, in your daily life.

    1. Oh holy spirit please come lead my life.I know our lord has prepared a place in Heaven for me but without the spirit leading my life I will not able to there.

  8. I would like you to help me in this matter lam a called pastor but the fellowship I pastor is facing many challenges I would like to know if it is a will of God for me to continue or to quit.
    Myself I need directions in my finances because currently I struggle financially. how can holy spirit led me in this situation.

    1. I encourage you to pray! And then keep praying for direction and the Lord’s guidance. As you continue to pray, He will lead you … you’ll just need to watch and listen for the way He guides you. You might find direction in what you’re reading in the Bible, what someone else says to you, or other situations, but I believe He’ll lead your way. Be ready to follow Him step by step.

  9. The Holy Spirit

    “The Holy Ghost is one with the Father and with the Son. Equal in eternity, power and glory. In creation He moved upon the face of the waters and developed form and beauty out of disorder and confusion. He proceeded from the Father and from the Son, and took up His abode with His church on earth. He has ever been with them since His coming on Pentecost. He is the comforter, guide and Sanctifier of His people.”

    “The Holy Spirit is the same Lord and Master as our Lord Jesus Christ who is now seated at the right hand of God the Father.” (Luke 22:69; Heb.1:13; 12: 2) reigning, (Luke 20:43; Act 2:35) interceding (praying) for His children (us) as our High Priest. (Heb.8:10; 10:12)

    The Holy Spirit. “His unspeakable Gift.”

    “The Holy Spirit also, who is the Light of the church on earth, as well as in Heaven, is impressing the minds of the most godly in the church militant. A special promise of the presence and help of the Holy Spirit was given to all the apostles. The Spirit of Truth thus promised was to bring to our remembrance whatever the Lord had taught us, and new truths brought from the fountains above, were His special delight. The writers of the New Testament always identify their words of the Holy Spirit, announcing their messages as in truth the Word of God; the Word of the Lord that endure forever. They breathe the pure spirit of His goodness and carry the stamp of His authority, and will stand forever.”

  10. “Awesome.” Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

  11. I know and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in me. The feeling of deep happiness and joy as we let the Holy Spirit controls our lives. The Lord will always help us along the way thro trials and tribulations in life. Most of the time we fail to recognise his presence. KEEP TRUSTING HIM 100% . Only then can the power of God comes into our life.

  12. Thanks for making this available to me.
    Please pray for me to be led by the Holy Spirit everyday.
    Thanks so much, Hilary.
    From Malaysia with love.

  13. When we pray to the Holy Spirit we supposed in our secret room, that you and Him only, at first surrender our self to Him then ask forgiveness, He is with us already 24 hours a day just activate it, Jesus left us our comforter and our helper and that is the Holy Spirit living in us when Jesus went up to the Father or ascended to the Father. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

  14. My husband left in 2011 after being a faithful wife and mother of 3 children. He left for a higher paying job in another country and left me to finish raising them. I have been preyed on by many men taking advantage of me over the years. I turned to God and He still has not sent me a husband.I was granted an annulment and have been obedient for years.
    I have to work overtime and I’m the only grandparent who can help my kids out in town. The spirit is not providing a husband for me and I am growing old alone.
    I have prayed for years. I believe in the spirit but I am very discouraged because prayers are not answered. I feel like I don’t count or matter to the Lord. He does not speak to me.
    You are very blessed to have the life you have. Some are not so blessed.
    Thank you for your article here.
    I do believe in the Spirit.
    I just think it is not always clear

  15. Hello Diane! Leave everything to God in prayer. He’s a prayer answering God. Maybe you had in mind the type of man you want and so when God is speaking you don’t pay attention to it. Obedience is key when led by the Holy spirit. Clear every doubt and focus on God and you will be fine.

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