WHERE DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT FIT IN?

The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to spiritual growth. In fact, He is the one who produces spiritual growth. As Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” (1 Cor. 3:6). The disciplines that we have delineated here are simply habits that, down through the ages, Christians have discovered help to create a fertile soil in their lives. Remember though—spiritual growth does not happen automatically simply by following certain steps. It’s the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. IGNITE is designed simply to help you aid the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

As you work your way through this model, one of the most important things for you to do is to listen for the voice of God. This is vital for every step of the journey. Sometimes, though, I get asked, how does one listen for God’s voice? How do I begin to hear him? Let me suggest a few pointers:

1. Read the Bible. You’ll already be doing this as part of IGNITE. Listen for what God will tell you through His Word. And, remember, God will never tell you to do something that contradicts His Word.

2. Listen for the inner leading of the Holy Spirit. As you attune yourself to hearing God’s voice, you’ll begin to hear little stirrings and urgings within you, very faint at first but growing stronger over time. These stirrings may be the voice of God.

3. Pray. Prayer is not just talking to God but listening to Him as well. When you pray, make sure you take time to listen to God speak to you.

4. Be watchful. Look for the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to you through circumstances. Sometimes, God will work through the circumstances of life (e.g. conversations, sermons, open and closed doors) to guide you in the direction He wants you to go.

5. Expect the Holy Spirit to guide you through others. You will discover that God will use pastors, parents, friends, family members, strangers, and even people whom you don’t get along with to speak to you. Always be careful, though, to evaluate everything in the light of Scripture.