Being Led by Perception

Mark 2:8 “And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?”

I think everyone should know how to be led by the Spirit of God. When you are led by the Spirit of God, you can make the best decisions, stay safe, get help with relationships, and really anything else you need. The Holy Ghost knows what is to come, and He will let you in on what is going to happen in the future (John 16:13). When I speak of being led, or the Spirit of God talking to you, I am talking about God speaking, or leading you on the inside, not the outside.

So many people are looking for God to do something on the outside. Many people still put out fleeces, which is something Gideon did in the Old Testament, but we have a much higher and better way today in the New Testament. We no longer need to depend on things on the outside, where the god of this world (the devil) operates. We can turn to the inside where the Spirit of God dwells.

Did you know that the same “place” you know that you are born again is the same “place” you look to in order to hear from God? The Bible calls it a witness. 1 John 5:10 and Romans 8:16 tell us that we have a witness that we are born again. How do you know you are born again? You just know because salvation is a know-so experience.

It works the same way when being led. In the same “place,” His Spirit bears witness with your spirit. 1 John 2:20 and 27 call it an unction, or the anointing. It is in you, and it will lead, guide, and direct you in the affairs of life.

When speaking of Jesus, that inward knowing was called a perception in Mark 2:8. Jesus perceived something. It was not based on outward facts, but on an inward knowing or perception in the realm of the spirit. It happened to Paul in Acts 14:9 in dealing with a crippled man, and then again on a voyage by ship in Acts 27:10. Paul perceived the man had faith to be healed, not based on what the man said or did, but based on a knowing. Paul perceived the voyage was going to be dangerous, not based on the weather or what the sailors were saying, but based on the Holy Ghost.

How do you improve your ability to perceive or know God’s voice? It doesn’t come over time or from experience. It comes like everything else from God. It comes by faith. The last time I checked, faith still comes by hearing the Word of God. So, I will give you scriptures I use to increase my faith in this area that I rehearse every time I need to decide something.

John 10:3-5 says we are His sheep, and we know His voice. John 18:37 says I am of the truth, and I know His voice. John 16:13 tells me He will show me things to come. Romans 8:14 says that as a son of God, I am led by the Spirit of God. Revelation 3:22, when He writes to the seven churches, He says, “He who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” I am part of the church, and I have an ear to hear. 1 John 2:20 says I have an unction, and I know all things.

Confess these verses over yourself to build your faith. This will increase your faith and, therefore, your capacity and accuracy to hear from God. Praying in tongues is great, but it will not replace believing!