Led by the Spirit

Acts chapter 8 gives an account of Philip which is remarkable. When the church was scattered by the persecution after Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 8, Philip, rather than becoming scared to share the gospel, went to a city in Samaria and proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah there. Though he himself was not an apostle, he performed great signs and miracles including deliverance from impure spirits, healing of many who were paralyzed or lame, and leading many to believe and be baptised in response to his preaching of the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. The apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to complete the work started through Philip - yet Philip is not done!

In Acts 8:26-40 Philip shares the good news about Jesus with an important Ethiopian treasury official, a eunuch who was on his way home after worshipping in Jerusalem. He does this by explaining how Jesus fulfils the very passage of Scripture that the eunuch was reading; the eunuch believes and is baptised immediately, and goes on his way rejoicing. How did Philip end up doing this?

Firstly, an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip with specific instructions to go to the desert road that the eunuch was travelling on. Secondly, when Philip saw the eunuch’s chariot, the Spirit spoke to him, telling him to go up to it. Philip then finds the eunuch reading Isaiah, and engages him on what he is reading.

It is entirely consistent with the character and nature of God for Him to guide His children by speaking directly to them through His Spirit, as well as in other ways, such as through an angel (as in this passage, or with Cornelius in Acts 10, Peter in Acts 12), a dream (for example, Jesus’ earthly father Joseph was guided through angels speaking to him in dreams multiple times in Matthew 1 and 2), or a vision (for example, Paul and his companions were called to Macedonia through one in Acts 16:9-10).

It’s not that Philip was doing something out of character or weird for a believer - he ended up simply sharing the gospel from the Scriptures. But that unique opportunity would never have presented itself to him unless he had followed the instructions given to him by the angel and the Holy Spirit.

Michael Eaton once said that the wonderful thing about the Christian life is that you never know when you’ve just done the most significant thing you’ll ever do. We don’t produce the fruit by our own effort; we abide in Christ, obey his words and trust that He will produce the fruit.

One way that can happen is by God’s guiding us by his Holy Spirit. This guidance is not inherently separate from the Spirit’s work in leading us into all truth (John 16:13) or into living godly lives - in fact Galatians 5:18 uses the phrase “led by the Spirit” as part of a wider discussion about walking by the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and living by the Spirit, and connects them all with crucifying our sinful passions and desires and inheriting God’s kingdom. The same phrase is used to describe Jesus being “led by the Spirit” into the wilderness in Luke 4:1-2.

As we seek to grow in likeness to Jesus, I believe we should also emulate him in seeking to be led by his Holy Spirit.

In my experience, the Spirit’s leading happens within the broader context of believing and seeking to obey Jesus. God can and sometimes will interrupt us when we are going astray, and we should always aim to have hearts that are willing to recognise the conviction of the Spirit when He shows us our own sinful behaviour or attitudes. It requires a certain humility to acknowledge our own faults and repent - that is part of regular gospel living.

In the same way, it requires humility to acknowledge that we don’t always know best exactly what we should do, and to be open to the Spirit directing us in unexpected or surprising ways. I don’t know that Philip had any “logical” reason to leave Samaria where he was seeing so much fruit from his work. He didn’t have a GPS tracker notifying him of the location of significant Ethiopian officials so that he could share the gospel with him. But God knew, and Philip was prepared to trust him.

Question for reflection:

Do you desire to be led and guided by the Spirit? How would you imagine God may guide you?

Prayer:

Father, I thank you that you know all things and are the source of all wisdom. Please would you lead and guide me by your Spirit so that I may do all that you have prepared for me to do. Help me to be humble, to grow more and more like Jesus, and to trust you as you lead me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Relevant verses:

• Luke 2:27 Simeon is moved by the Spirit to go into the temple courts at just the time Jesus is being brought there by his parents
• Matthew 4:1/Luke 4:1 - Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
• Acts 13:4 Paul and Barnabas are sent on their way by the Holy Spirit
• Acts 16:6 Paul and his companions are kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia
• Acts 20:22 Paul is compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, warned of persecution
• Romans 8:14 Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God
• Galatians 5:18 If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.