Reading Plan:
Acts 20


Our Thoughts:
When it comes to hearing and obeying God’s voice, we have to move, to some large degree, based on what seems subjective. It would be wonderful if we received an angel-gram every time we made a decision or sensed we were to do something, where a voice from heaven said, “That’s it! You’re doing the exact right thing!”
But, as I’m sure you know, that doesn’t seem to happen that often for most of us.
The Holy Spirit speaks to us, with more regularity, in the language of impressions and intuitions. And it seems that the Holy Spirit is comfortable with human beings being human beings—bringing all of our strengths, weaknesses, subjectivity, personal histories, hang-ups, personalities, emotional wiring, maturities, immaturities, and sensitivities with us, even into the moments when he speaks and we hear his voice.
Yet while we trust Jesus and Jesus trusts us, we often are not able to trust ourselves—or our “impressions” or “intuitions”—because we’ve headed down the wrong path following those subjective inner promptings at other times in our lives.
When we choose to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit fills us, and we go into intensive and long-form discipleship training to become spiritual athletes living out the way of Jesus (1 Cor. 9:25-26), to learn the way of love, and to express the fruits of the Spirit. It is in that process that the Father helps us, making our senses whole as He begins to heal and transform us on our journey. He does this for our good and so that He can use our intuitions, thoughts, and feelings to guide us to do His will.
Taking Paul in Acts 20:22-23 as our example, as Scripture-soaked people who are also seeking to live like Jesus in the world, we can learn to receive guidance and to practice obedience in the form of responding to subtle impressions, mental pictures, “a sense” that something is the right thing to do. As we practice obedience, our discernment gets stronger.
Here’s a practical next step to help you practice this: take a chance encouraging people as the Spirit leads you. It’s a great, low-risk way to practice following impressions that the Spirit gives. Just be normal, or “naturally supernatural” as my mentors would say, and follow that inner lead.
You’ll be glad you did.


More Questions:
• What kind of impressions or intuitions have you experienced in your life that you felt were from the Holy Spirit? How did you know, and were others positively impacted?


Prayer:
Jesus, I am thankful that your salvation has reached into my thoughts and emotions and is healing them as we walk together. Come, Holy Spirit, give me impressions and guidance so I can partner with you in the healing of hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.



Author: Blake Houston