How To Be Led By The Holy Spirit - Part 2

Welcome to the Lone Start Church Podcast.

Pastors CF and Nicole Ray are here to share the Word of God with you each week, helping you grasp the fullness of God's plan for your life.

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We started talking last week about how to be led by the Spirit of God.

It's one of the most important things you need to understand out of the Bible.

And it's one thing that honestly we probably don't teach on enough.

And so we try to emphasize at least every once in a while.

Usually I try to do this at least once a year.

Really emphasize how to be led by the Spirit of God.

Why?

Because your decisions matter.

Your decisions matter.

In fact, your decisions, some of your decisions, number one, your decision whether to accept Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior or not, that is an eternal decision.

Some of your other decisions are long-lasting decisions.

Right?

How many know you can make a decision that's not just a momentary thing, it can last for years in your life.

Years in your life, right?

We decide to get married.

That's lasted for a long time.

Right?

Getting close 30 years.

Be careful.

I'm just going to be nice.

This I said might got me in trouble first service, but we'll try to be okay.

I do that every once in a while, and then every once in a while I'll get a guy, usually here or here, that amends it, and then you get yourself in trouble.

You think you'd learn, just let Pastor get in trouble.

I'll just stay away from it.

I'll look at my wife and be like, I can't believe he'd say that.

You can like it on the inside without being outwardly agreeing with it.

We don't want deceive in church, but if I were you, I'd probably do that.

But learning how to hear from the Spirit of God is so important because that is how God leads you.

God does not lead us as believers, and we're about to, well, let's go ahead and look at it.

Let's go to Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

We're going to look at verse 14 and 60, then we'll talk about a little deeper.

We looked at these last week, but it sure bears repeating, doesn't it?

How many know you can't just learn something once and get it?

None of you probably learn very much just one time you heard it.

You need to hear it a bunch of times.

I've been teaching math recently, algebra, to be more exact.

And uh one of the teachers had a baby, and so they asked me to fill in, and I thought it would be over, but it's continuing.

She will return.

I talked to her yesterday.

She will return, and I'll be done teaching algebra.

But what I found is in just teaching algebra, and right now we're working with numbers that aren't real big.

A lot of the numbers we work with are single-digit numbers.

Right between one and nine.

I'll need to teach you all that.

You know what a single-digit number is.

Some of my kids do not.

Where are we gonna move decibel?

Here, what is that?

18.

Is that a single-digit number?

No.

Nicole's like, well, you know, they're probably just playing dumb.

I said, I don't think they're playing.

God bless them.

I love them.

And they're all smart.

I all my kids, all the kids I teach are smart.

But you try to teach math and you get, and and and we were working with the number one time, and it we had 49.

I said, Well, well, uh, what number times itself is going to equal 49?

And they pull out a calculator.

I said, put that calculator away.

But but today's generation, uh, for the most part, they did not memorize math facts.

When I was a kid, we were not afraid to uh publicly show how everyone was doing.

Meaning this, I had a teacher when we were learning those math facts, Miss Danner, Mrs.

Danner, and she had a chart that was on the wall that everyone could see, that have everyone's name.

And once you got your twos, you move to your threes, your fours, right?

So two times two is four, right?

And and I could say things like right now, I can say six times six, and most of you that are of certain generation would be like 36.

You you don't have to add it, you don't have to think about it, it's 36.

So you get your twos, your threes, and here's what would happen.

When you'd get them, and you'd have to come up in in front of everyone, and she'd go through it and you'd say them, and she'd time you, and you would get a star on that chart.

Well, today it'd be like, you can't embarrass kids, you can't make kids feel bad.

Some kids need embarrassed.

Amen.

Why?

Because you get a little embarrassed and it spurs you on.

I probably need to get my fours down.

I was reading this, I was literally reading this thing online.

This lady that teaches chemistry, she goes, what I have found is the students get to me in high school, they do not know their math facts.

They do not know 7 times 7 is 49.

They do not know, right?

That these numbers times 6 times 7 is 42.

They don't know these numbers.

She goes, so I've started going over with them.

Here they're 15, 16, 17, 18 years old, don't know it.

She says, Well, I gotta go back.

But we knew it.

Why?

Because they would embarrass you if you didn't.

Because you'd be out on the playground.

You're picking teams.

So we want Timmy?

Man, he's stuck on his twos.

I don't want Timmy.

You can't get your threes down.

You can't throw a ball.

I don't know about that.

Literally, anyone could walk in to that classroom.

Chili Supper.

Everyone remember the Chili Supper at Albany, right?

PTO would put the chili supper on.

And during the fall, you'd come in, and it was a big fundraiser, and you go into each class, you'd look at your kids' stuff, right?

And you go in, you're like, hey, let's see your stuff.

And you're like, hey, your friend, Billy.

I told you that boy's not smart.

Do you see it?

Today we hide everything, we keep everything away.

Honestly, I believe that's a problem.

Lord, where am I going with this?

Where I'm going is you didn't learn your twos, even your twos, your threes, your fours the first time you did it.

You had to go over it.

So with the Bible, it's the same thing.

We're going to go over some things.

And so if I'm going to teach you, which is what I'm called to do as pastor, how many know some Sundays I preach, some Sundays I teach?

We're teaching.

You need to hear these things.

So if you understand you need to be led by the Spirit of God, I'm not just going to give you Romans 8, 14, and 16 one time.

We're going to probably go over it a number of times.

In fact, every Sunday we talk about this, we're probably going to read these scriptures.

So guess what?

If I were you, I'd just go ahead and memorize them.

Maybe I'll just institute memory verse Sundays.

You're like, oh yeah, that'd be great.

Yeah, it's great until I call your name and say, hey, come out here.

Nicole, give them a mic.

Go ahead and quote the memory verse for us.

Get you a little chart in the back with some stars.

Now I remember those stars.

Man, I felt so proud of myself.

When you're the first one to get like the eights or something.

Right, everyone else back here on the sixes and sevens.

You guys see that?

Eights.

Right, you're like flashing gang signs.

All right, we'll get to the word.

Easy now.

Romans 8.14 says, For as many who are as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Notice it doesn't say for as many that are led by outward signs.

Doesn't say as many as are led by open doors.

Doesn't say as many as are led by their intellect.

Doesn't say as many as are led by their emotions.

It says, for as many as are led by what?

The Spirit of God.

These are the sons or children of God.

Verse 16, here in Romans 18.

Or sorry, uh Romans 8, verse 16.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself, the Holy Spirit we we mentioned last week, he's not in it.

He's a Him.

He's part of the Godhead.

The Spirit Himself does what?

He bears witness where?

With our Spirit that we're the children of God.

So the Holy Spirit bears witness.

Brother Hagin said it this way: the number one way that the Holy Spirit will lead born-again believers is by what this verse tells us is called the inward witness.

It's an inward witness.

It's not an outward sign, it's an inward witness.

It's an inward witness.

Amen.

And so we know that's how he leads us.

Now let's look over at Proverbs 20, verse 27.

Proverbs 20:27

If you can put this one up, please, Chad, in the King James Version, Proverbs 20, 27.

I just like the way it reads a little bit here in Proverbs 20, 27.

Remember in the Gospels, Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit, he said, uh, when the Holy Spirit comes, he said, out of your bellies will flow rivers of living water.

Out of your bellies, right?

That what's your belly?

It's that inwardmost part.

Right?

We said sometimes people say, I got a gut feeling, right?

It's this inward feeling.

Well, if you're born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, how many know you can trust that inward feeling?

Look what it says here.

It says, The spirit of man is what?

It's the candle or the lamp of the Lord doing what?

Searching all the inward parts of the belly, right?

In my spirit.

It's in my spirit that God's going to talk to me.

Where's God going to talk to me?

In my spirit.

He's going to talk to me in my spirit.

Amen.

So now let's look over at 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 23.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

1 Thessalonians 5 23.

This is a very important part, and we talked about this last week, but I want you to see it again.

Because if you really want to understand how to be led by the Spirit of God, you have to understand these scriptures.

Right?

They're in Romans 8, here in Proverbs 20, and then especially you got to have an understanding of 1 Thessalonians 5.23.

Now look what it says.

It says, Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you, which is set you apart for a holy purpose, sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So Paul says, You are made up of three parts.

Well, we know right back in Genesis 1, God said, Let us make man in our image.

In our image shall we make man.

Well, who is he talking to?

Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

So God is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

So he is a three-part being.

He is three and one.

It always confuses people, right?

The three and one.

They're like, so is God Jesus or is He's He's all those three beings, right?

In in children's mystery, what they often use to teach it is an egg.

Why?

Because an egg is made up of three parts.

It has a shell, it has a white, and it has a yoke.

Right?

But you don't just call it one part.

Right?

Hey, go get me some shells out of the fridge.

No, he said, go get me some eggs.

Right?

Now you here's the amazing thing about an egg.

What can you do?

You can separate the three parts.

Right?

Nicole was making some of their days.

She needed to separate and just get the yoke.

So you crack the shell, one part of it.

You you get the the the white and the yoke, and then you can separate those.

So God is one.

It can be separated.

And we see the different separations in the Bible God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Well, in the same way, you are one, you are spirit, soul, and body.

Those three parts of you make up one you, right?

But they are separate parts.

So the real you is a spirit.

You possess a soul, which is your mind, world, and emotions.

You live in a body, your body is just your house.

And so we need to understand these things.

Right?

The real me is a spirit.

Right?

The real me is a spirit.

In John 4.24.

John 4.24.

We don't have to put it up, but listen to this.

John 4.24, Jesus said these words.

He said, God is a spirit.

And if you want to worship him, you must worship him in spirit and in truth.

He said, God is a spirit.

So even though, right, Jesus came, right?

How many know Jesus always was?

In fact, right?

John tells us the Word, right, has always been, and the Word came and became a man.

And that was Jesus, God incarnate.

So if Jesus always was, was He a spirit or a body up in heaven?

He was spirit, right?

God is spirit.

So to contact God, you've got to do it spiritually.

You've got to be led by him spiritually.

Amen.

No, I am a I am a spirit.

I possess a soul, my mind and motions.

I live in a body.

I do not contact God through my soul, through my body.

I contact him through my spirit, because he is a spirit.

Now look at this in Philippians 1.

Philippians 1, 23 and 24.

And if you can put this up in the King James, please, just because again, I think the wording.

And let me tell you this, as you're looking at the Bible, I usually read out of the New King James.

And as you're looking at scriptures, for the most part, most translations, most modern translations, do not change the meaning of the Bible.

But what I found is certain translations bring clarity in an easier way than another one.

So I always tell people, they say, Pastor, which translation of the Bible should I read?

I always tell them, look, whichever is easiest for you to read.

And there are certain translations, there are times I'll read a scripture.

Honestly, there are certain scriptures as I'm studying, getting ready to preach, I will read it in multiple translations, sometimes eight, 10, 12 translations.

I'm thankful for uh you know, the Bible on my iPad because I can just go look at all those.

I don't have to own all those Bibles to look at it.

And so some people are like, I, you know, I only read the King James and any other versions wrong.

No, right?

Some people struggle with the King James because some some people, my wife loves the King James.

I almost I very seldom read out of the King James, but there are times I'll look at scriptures there because I like the clarity in which that version brings.

And you'll see here in a moment why I don't read the King James all the time, because it uses words we don't use sometimes.

But listen what Paul says here in Philippians 1 23.

He says, For I, everybody say I.

He says, For I what?

I'm in a straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.

Right?

Verse 24.

Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Go back to verse 23, please.

He says, I'm in a straight betwixt two.

When's the last time you used the word betwixt?

In fact, as soon as I read it, you started thinking about boy, I haven't had a twixt in a long time.

Right?

I know that's what you were thinking, Hurley.

She's like, Man, a twix does sound pretty good.

In fact, you know what sounds good?

Maybe two of them.

That's how subliminal advertising works.

He says, I've I've got a choice to make.

I'm caught between two choices.

He goes, I have a desire to leave and go to heaven, be with God.

And honestly, that is far better than staying here on this earth.

He says, but because you all need me, I also have this on the inside of me.

I need to stay and be with you all, teach you, show you things.

But he says, I have a choice.

Who's the I?

It's his spirit.

Which part of him is gonna leave this earth, depart, and go be with Christ?

His spirit is.

Right?

The problem is people don't understand this.

In fact, when we go back and we're not gonna look at it, but you go back to that that uh 1 Thessalonians 5 23, spirit, soul, and body, the order in which God places it is the order of importance he puts on you.

Your spirit's the most important part of you.

Your soul is Nick's, your mind will emotions, your body is last.

But yet uh I'll I'll never forget there used to be this uh this spa, probably, I mean, mainly probably for women.

I never would have gone to it.

But they had advertised in Kansas C on on the radio, and they put it on sports radio because they're trying to get men to buy a package for their wife.

Because I'm like, no one's no one listening to this is going to that place.

Right.

I I could sing their little slogan and you know it.

And the spa, and then their their sign and and their their their graphic stuff said uh it's like we we will pamper your whole body, soul, and spirit.

Body, soul, and spirit.

In fact, many people, if they talk about the three parts of a person, they will put body first.

They will say body, soul, and spirit.

Well, what's that telling you?

Well, that's the importance in which many people place it.

Body is the most important.

I mean no, your body is temporary, it's a temporary house where you, the real you, lives.

No, God puts it in order: spirit, soul, and body.

We just read, right?

Uh God is a spirit.

God is a spirit, John 4 24.

He's got to be worshiping spirit and truth.

Uh, I uh was thinking about that actually as I was driving up today.

I was praying about it yesterday, and then as I was driving up, I was just kind of having a conversation with God in my car.

And uh, how many know when I do that?

Uh pastor's not hearing voices.

And I don't hear an audible voice from God.

It's it's on the inside in my spirit.

He's speaking to me, that that inward witness that we read about.

And he said, uh he said this to me.

He said, CF, many people are trying to get in contact with me through their body, through their natural senses, right?

Through through touch, through sight, through, through my these ears.

He goes, they're trying to contact me, but I'm a spirit.

You can't contact me that way.

He said, Some people are trying to contact me through their intellect, right?

If I can get uh some kind of mental ascent, I can reach God and talk to God.

Some people are trying to contact God through their emotions.

Ooh, I get goosebumps or ooh, I this, that.

Here's the thing, there are times we have these senses when when when when the presence of God comes and we can sense it in our whole spirit, soul, and body.

Your body's affected, right?

You'll lay hands on people, they'll fall out, right?

Their body's affected.

Sometimes you do.

There's there's an emotion.

I've I've been in places where the spirit of God is heavy, and some people, you know what they do?

All they can do is cry.

Why?

Because their their their body and their soul, there's their their mind will emotions hasn't matured enough where where it's overwhelming to those two parts of them, the presence of God.

But God says, no, you you contact me how?

Through through the Spirit, right?

Go back to that verse in Proverbs, the the Spirit man, the innermost part.

That's the part that's going to contact God.

That's where I contact God at.

Well, think about this.

If you're trying to contact God the wrong way, nobody's home.

You're not going to get an answer.

Why?

Because I'm trying to reach God in a way that I want to reach you.

Instead of the way the Bible says I'm supposed to reach him, which is that inward witness, though, the Holy Spirit living in my spirit, contacting God and hearing from God.

Here's the thing.

What do we know?

We need to hear from him.

Tell me, no, you need to hear from God.

You need to hear from God.

You you you need an answer.

And that's why it is good that we understand that we can be led by the Spirit of God.

We talked about last week, right?

The scripture, Jesus says, My sheep know my voice.

What's that mean?

He's talking.

What do his sheep need to be doing?

Listening.

Well, how do I listen?

That inward witness.

We're going to get deeper into this as we go on, probably in the next few weeks.

We'll we'll see how long it takes, this, but at least probably two more weeks.

But the first thing you have to do is understand, I am a spirit.

The real me is a spirit.

That's why Paul says, I'm I'm caught between two choices.

I mean, no, sometimes you get caught between two choices, and really what you're caught between is not just two choices, you're caught between your emotions and your spirit and the Holy Spirit leading you.

Sometimes you're caught between your what your flesh wants to do and what the Holy Spirit wants you to do.

And that's a tough place to be.

I I shared uh first service and I'll share with you all.

So Nicole and I, uh some of you were around, uh we we weren't going to church here before we we started pastoring here.

We were at a church in Bethany.

And uh man, we really felt like God was leading us to move out of, move from Bethany, go to a certain town, and start a church.

We really believe that's what God wanted us to do.

And and and I I will tell you all for some clarity's sake, not necessarily for Nicole and I, because we're not planning to go anywhere.

We'll go wherever God tells us, but we're not planning to go anywhere.

Uh, I believe we will have a hand in doing exactly that.

Now, what happened was we heard from God, and we didn't take enough time to get the full thing, the full truth of it.

You ever go tell someone something?

You're like, hey, I need to tell you this.

I need you to go, okay, and they just take off.

You're like, you didn't even let me tell you what I want you to do.

They come back, okay.

What do you need?

I need you to go and I need you to pick this up, okay, and they just go, and you're like, What do you think that's the way we were?

We were very zealous, we wanted to be obedient, and so here's what we did: we told uh the pastor.

That church, and then we told the people of that church, hey, we're moving, and we're gonna go start church in this city.

Man, everyone was excited.

They're like, Man, that's great.

We Nicole, we Nicole packs up all our stuff.

Literally in our living room, there's just boxes stacked.

We have the bare bones minnow.

The church throws us a going away party.

But I never got a green light to go.

So I'm like, yeah, that's a pretty big decision.

It was just she and I.

We didn't have kids yet.

But I'm like, oh, let's just keep walking it out.

They throw us a going away party.

We end up, we go with our mom, we go down to the city, we're looking at houses with a realtor.

We're like, man, we could buy a house here, we could start a church here.

But I just kept getting a check.

You understand what I'm saying when I say a check?

There's just something on the inside.

Right?

You almost can't put it into clear words for people, but when you say it, people are like, mm, I've had that before.

Right?

There was just something unsettled on the inside of me.

I I thought I had heard something, I believed it was God.

How many no?

Going and starting a church somewhere, that's not of the devil.

But going and starting a church somewhere God doesn't want you to do, that's still disobedience.

In fact, if you read the book of Acts, there were places Paul's like, these people sent us an invitation to come preach, and he would say this twice, two times in Acts, he said this.

He said, The Holy Spirit forbade us from going to that place to preach.

Now, some of those places he did go later to preach.

Isn't that interesting?

The Holy Spirit forbade them from going, told them not to go.

People are like, Why would the Holy Ghost tell you not to go preach the word and get people saved?

Maybe you're gonna die there.

Maybe they weren't ready for the word then.

Maybe then when you went later, they were better ready to receive the word.

I don't know.

But who you know who I do know knows?

The Holy Ghost.

Why?

Because he knows the future.

Well, why didn't you guys go?

I had to check, just something on the inside.

I didn't have a green light, and so we didn't go.

They threw us a second going away party.

They thought, well, maybe the first one didn't take.

We'll just have another one.

Oh man, because I'm like, man, did we smell or something?

They want us to go.

And then finally, you know what I had to do?

Nicole and I sat and talked one day.

And I said, uh, I said, Nicole, I said, uh, I think we missed it.

I think we missed it.

I don't think we're supposed to go do this.

And she's like, no, I I feel like you're right.

I've been praying that you're right.

We're not supposed to go.

So I said, Well, let's unpack these.

I mean, literally, I don't know how long we had those boxes sitting by the door.

I said, Well, let's let's, yeah, months.

I said, let's unpack these boxes.

And I went and told, told the pastor.

And then, can I tell you, you know what a lot of people would have done?

Just moved.

Yes.

Why?

Why would you just move?

Number one, it seems like a good thing.

Number two, it's like, I am embarrassed.

I would rather move than be embarrassed.

And you laugh at that, but can I tell you, you've done the same thing.

You took some steps towards something.

You're like, man, I'm on sell AM way.

I'm gonna do right, Avon, whatever it is.

Man, I'm gonna do it.

I'm gonna do it.

This is gonna be great.

And everyone's like, Man, they're doing it.

And then you're like, I'm not supposed to be doing this.

Oh my god.

Or whatever, right?

You take a new job, you you you go somewhere, and you're like, this is what I'm supposed to do.

And then you're like, I wasn't supposed to do that.

It sounded good.

Oh my god.

When I said through that presentation, sounded good.

I felt like on the inside I was supposed to do it.

We were, I don't know, I was probably in my late 20s, early 30s, probably early 30s, because we had both 33, so it was before when I was 33, before that.

So so I was a real real deal grown adult.

Went to Bible college.

I missed it.

I'm admitting before you all and before these cameras, I missed it.

Why am I doing that?

To let you know it's okay to admit you missed it.

But the problem is, too many people, their pride, their pride, that embarrassment keeps them from saying you missed it.

Can I tell you something?

If we would have moved, if we would have moved and tried to start church, it probably would not have worked.

It would have been hard work, God wouldn't have been in it at the time.

And then you know what would have happened?

Then a year or two later, we would have had to move back.

Because here's here's what I want to tell you.

If you miss it, you say, Well, what do I do if I miss it?

First thing you do, you say, God forgive me, I missed it.

I missed it.

Then what you got to do, you got to go back to the last place you knew you were supposed to be.

And you've got to deal with that.

Here's the thing, that was no fun.

My flesh, right?

I I my flesh wanted to just go.

My emotions, I was we were excited because at the time we were just kind of helping out, volunteering in the church, doing a few things.

Our our emotions are like, man, we're going finally.

This is what we went to Bible college for.

This is what we're we're called to do.

Let's go do it.

But I'm not led by my flesh.

I'm not led by my emotions.

My mind could have said, you know, it's a bigger city.

Obviously, we can probably grow a church there easier.

And and right, there's people there, and there's more money there, and there's all this, right?

My intellect, but I don't hear through my intellect.

I don't hear through my emotions.

I don't hear through my flesh.

I hear where?

The inward witness on the inside in my spirit.

The real me hears and goes.

So I always have people, people come, and when you're a pastor, this is what happens.

I'm gonna close uh here in a moment.

Uh, people will come, though, they have a big decision.

I don't know what you do for a living, but uh depending on what you do, people may not come to you with big decisions.

Right?

Someone said, Hey, I got a big decision.

You're like, Man, I'm just a garbage man.

Right?

I'm just a custodian.

Why are you asking me about your big decision?

But when you're a pastor, people got big decisions.

So they come.

I'm gonna tell you right now, if you want me to tell you what to do, I will not tell you what to do.

Number one, it is not my job.

Number two, I do not want that responsibility.

Right?

Because then you come back a couple years later, you're like, look at this woman you told me to marry.

Or you're like, look at this man you told me to marry.

Right?

He's lost his job, lost his hair.

Can't do anything.

No, I'm not gonna do that.

What I'm gonna tell you to do is I'm gonna give you some of these scriptures.

I'm gonna teach you, I'm gonna encourage you to hear from God.

But here's what I usually tell people to do I say, I say, okay, you got big decisions.

Here's what I want you to do.

Get a piece of paper.

Like, okay, Pastor, get it right there, take note.

Get a piece of paper.

I want you to draw a line right down the middle of it.

Draw a line right down the middle of it.

I want you to write on one side, pros, pros.

I want you to write on the other side, cons.

Cons.

I want you to list all the pros.

Then I want you to list all the cons.

Okay.

And then come back and see me.

Okay.

They're excited.

They come back.

They go, Pastor, I got that list.

I said, okay, come up here.

I said, take that list, crumple up, throw it in the trash.

They say, what?

I said, now what do you feel on the inside?

What do you feel on the inside?

What?

Because I'm not moved by the pros and cons.

I can consider them.

And you should.

You should look at those things.

But that that doesn't move me.

Right?

If this list has one more than this list, it doesn't mean I'm doing it or not doing it.

What's the Holy Ghost saying?

What's the inward witness saying?

What's that?

And we'll get there.

That still small voice saying, we'll look at that next week.

Why?

Because that's where God wants you to go.

That's what God wants you to do.

I tell people this always follow peace.

I'll never forget Joey and Sarah, who are our youth pastors and doing worship before Gracie.

Um they had a decision about moving.

And I shared with them the same things I'm sharing with you.

And they'd heard it sitting here.

And I said, uh, here's what I'll tell you to do, Joey.

I said, man, we love you.

And we would love for you all to be here forever.

But the best place for you and your family is where God is leading you to go.

I said, so here's what I'd encourage you to do.

If you feel something on the inside, take a step towards it.

You say, What's that mean?

Doesn't mean run all the way into it, doesn't mean dive in.

Take a step towards it.

I said, then stop, right?

Take, right?

You're you're here and I'm supposed to go there.

I'm gonna take a step.

Am I now closer to that than I was before?

I am.

Now what are you doing?

I'm gonna pause.

How's that feel?

Feels okay.

I said then take another step.

How's that feel?

And this is what I always say.

Always follow peace.

What do we just read there in first?

The God of peace.

Your whole spirit, soul, and body, the God of peace.

Always follow peace.

Doesn't mean it's always going to be perfect.

Doesn't mean there's no no no problems or or or trouble there.

But the peace of God, which passes all understanding, there's just peace.

How many know you can have peace in the midst of chaos?

I got an inward peace.

Jesus had a peace, he was sleeping in the middle of the storm.

He's the spirit of peace.

He's the spirit of peace.

He's the God of peace.

No, right?

Paul went some tough places.

Everywhere he went, though, he was led of God to go.

Places they did try to kill him, places they tried to run him out.

What keeps you going?

Knowing the Holy Ghost is leading me.

Everybody, repeat after me.

I'm gonna close it with a word of prayer, but repeat after me real quick.

Say, I am a spirit.

The real me is a spirit.

I possess a soul, my mind, my will, my emotions.

I live in a body.

I am not led by my soul, by my mind, by my emotions, by my will, by my body, I am only led by the inward witness of the Spirit of God in my spirit.

I'm telling you, a confession like that, right?

Go back and watch this on Facebook, YouTube, and just watch that part and take the time to pause it and write that down.

A confession like that, how we know that confession lines up with the word, everything we've we've been looking at.

You start confessing that over your own life.

No, I'm not led by my emotions.

Why?

Because your emotions will lead you.

My gosh, you'd have 50 jobs and 50 wives and 50 places if you're led by your emotions, right?

You ever go on vacation?

Like, man, I could live here.

Man, this is nice.

Just relax.

Yeah, it's relaxing because you're not working.

It's relaxing because you left the kids with grandparents.

It's relaxing because it's relaxing because it's all inclusive, right?

It's like, man, we're not even, I don't have to get money out of my pocket to pay for this food.

Yeah, because you already paid it all before.

That's why it's relaxing.

The beach is relaxing, the mountains are relaxing because it's a break.

Like, man, I'm just gonna live here.

Then you live there, you're like, man, this place is junk.

It's hot all the time, got sand in every orifice, right?

Just shaking sand out of my pants all the time, right?

You're just like, come on.

Now I'm gonna be led by peace, the spirit of peace in my spirit.

I do hear from God.

I am one of his children.

Jesus, my master, my savior, told me that I can know his voice, that I won't follow the voice of anyone else, any other shepherd trying to lead me.

I know his voice.

And his voice will lead me beside still waters.

His voice will lead me to green pastures.

I only obey his voice.

I will listen to no others.

He is my shepherd, he is my savior, he is my guide, my director, my teacher.

He will show me things to come.

And I will be blessed beyond measure.

Thank you for tuning in to the Lone Star Church podcast.

We hope this week's message strengthened your faith in God's word.

Remember, if you live in northwest Missouri or southern Iowa, we invite you to join us in person on a Sunday morning.

For more information about us, visit our website at Lonestarchurch.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.