Led by the Spirit: Walking into What's Next

Welcome/Senior Bible presentation

Today, we celebrate our graduating seniors. A time of their life where they find themselves standing on the edge of change. Everything that once was the normal is all fixing to change. Maybe there is anticipation, excitement, maybe even a touch of anxiety. We are creatures of habit. We do not like change. Often times in our lives, during times of change, we find ourselves with questions that we don’t necessarily think we have the answers to. What am I supposed to do? What comes next? How do I make the right decisions? Where is it that I am supposed to go?

Call to Worship

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight” - Proverbs 3:5–6

Introduction

We live in a time where the world is going to tell you that you have to have a plan for your life right now, that you have to have your entire future figured out, and if you don’t, well then you’re wrong.

The Bible does not tell us that. That is found nowhere in Scripture.

However, what is found in Scripture is God’s desire for our complete obedience.

The question is not, “What do you have planned for the rest of your life?”

The question is, “Will you follow the Lord with complete obedience and trust God, wholeheartedly, despite the hardships, trials, and temptations that come from a life of complete obedience to God?”

The American church, over the years, has led a lot of new Christians astray by creating this false persona of “accept the Lord and everything will be fine”

When in reality it is the complete opposite.

The passage of Scripture highlights the importance of walking with the Spirit, but we will see in this passage that despite walking with the Spirit, hard times come.

They are inevitable in a sin filled, broken world that we live in today.

But, strength is gained and the ability to endure is given to us by God through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture

Matthew 4:1-11

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”,

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:

He will give his angels orders concerning you,

and they will support you with their hands

so that you will not strike

your foot against a stone.”,

7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”,

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”,

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

A person of the trinity.

The promise of the Father.

A gift to every believer.

Why did the Holy Spirit come?

To enable believers to do the will of the Father.

We are UNABLE. The Spirit came to ENABLE.

1. The Spirit is Your GPS

Galatians 5:25 CSB

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Just as a GPS is used for direction and guidance when traveling, so shall the Spirit be used in our lives as Christians.

Verse 1, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness...”

Mark chapter 2 says it this way, “The Spirit drove him into the wilderness.”

Luke records it as, “Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.”

So, just because we live according to the Spirit’s guidance, full of the Holy Spirit and being led by the Spirit does not mean that every single thing in our lives is going to equate to peace and tranquility.

Disciples found themselves in a great storm because they listened to Jesus and obeyed the commands given.

As Christians we belong to Christ.

Galatians 2:20 tells us that just as Christ was crucified, so have our old desires, our old way of living.

This means that we have been broken of our self will.

Jesus in the wilderness was broken of His self will.

Just as it says “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” This is recognizing that (as Christians) it is not about us, but it is all about the Father’s will.

It’s recognizing that our way is flawed. The Father’s way is not.

It is saying that, “I’ve done away with the desires of my flesh, and submitting to the desires of God, who now lives in me by the Spirt.”

Jesus was led by the Spirit.

Therefore, if we are called to be living in a Christlike manner we should allow ourselves to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Let the Spirit be your GPS.

2. The Spirit Reminds us of Who We Are

Romans 8:16 CSB

The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,

Twice in this passage the devil attacked the very identity of Jesus.

One of the first ways through temptation that the enemy tempts us is by attacking our identity.

Leading to doubt, insecurity, and confusion.

We are told in Scripture that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy… This is serious.

I bet if I told each one of you to think of one word to describe yourself right now, there wouldn’t be very many of you that the first thought that pops in your mind would be I am a Child of God.

Our vision is blurred, what the world says often becomes what we believe to be the truth, and we start believing what the enemy wants us to believe instead of what Scripture tells us.

How often does this happen to us? How often are we deceived by the enemy?

All these things we can think of that are “wrong” with us and could change if we could. We have to remember that when the Lord looks down at us from heaven he wouldn’t change a thing.

Remember verses such as Romans 8:16, we are God’s children...

We did an exercise one Wednesday night with the youth.

When you can’t seem to find the way, when our vision is blurred by the world, when society and everyone is screaming 10,000 different directions for us to go, rely on the one voice to guide you that will never lead you astray.

It is easy to focus on the world.

Silence the world by focusing on God.

When focusing on God you can then truly see who God says you are.

“I am His beloved.”

“I am seen by God.”

“I am holy and blameless.”

“I am marked by God.”

“I am treasured.”

“I am alive in Christ.”

“I am God’s masterpiece.”

“I am handpicked.”

“I am adopted. I am a child of God.”

3. The Spirit is Where Your Strength is Found

Acts 1:8 CSB

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will enable you to accomplish His work, wherever and whatever it is.

3 Types of Temptation Here:

Turn Stones into Bread - temptation to satisfy physical needs outside of God’s will

Throw yourself down - temptation to test God’s protection and prove identity.

Worship me for the kingdoms - temptation to gain power through the world instead of power through the cross

All three of these are attacks on the strength of Jesus.

Jesus did not withstand the schemes of the enemy by his own strength.

Jesus withstood this, by the strength within him from the Spirit of God living inside of him.

We have this misconception about Jesus. Jesus was fully God and fully man.

The human side of Jesus was unmoved because of the Spirit living inside of him, the Spirit guiding him, the Spirit that was driving him. He was strengthened by the Father through the constant presence of the Holy Spirit.

When you are weak, the Spirit of God living inside of you will also give you strength.

By the strength of the Spirit we can endure hardships, withstand trials and temptations, and overcome the sin that holds us back.

Without the strength of the Spirit we will never make it.

You ever wonder why it seems that the ones living for the world seem to have it so much better. I will tell you why.

They are so far away from living for God that they cannot see the attacks of the enemy for what they are.

Living apart from God, living for the world is living for the enemy.

We have to humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our pride, and recognize our weakness without God.

The gym is not where strength is found. The Spirit living inside of you is where strength is found.

Closing

Maybe God is calling you into a deeper relationship with Him, but you’re hesitant to follow because we know the path can be hard.

Will you trust God enough to take the next step—even if it’s unfamiliar or uncomfortable?

Maybe you are at a crossroads—knowing there’s more, but unsure how to move forward.

What would it look like for you to say, “Yes, God lead me”?

Maybe you have grown weary from the tempting and testing of the enemy.

What if today, you surrendered your struggle and allowed God to minister to you like He did to Jesus?

Maybe you feel that you’re on the edge of something new—but fear is attacking your faith.

What’s holding you back from stepping fully into what God has prepared?