Walking in The Spirit Spontaneously
To act spontaneously means to respond
to the impulses or promptings of the Holy Spirit to do or say things
we did not plan to do or say at-that moment. We might call it obedience
to unexpected guidance from the Spirit. This involves the subjective,
experiential dimension of the Christian life which provides an important
balance to the rational, intellectual side of Christianity so emphasized
by many evangelicals. Spontaneity is at the heart of what it
means to be Pentecostal.
Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5:15-21 helps us understand what I
believe are the five basic principles of how to walk in the Spirit in
spontaneity. To experience the spontaneous we must be responsive to
the Spirit’s impulses and promptings. This means we must: (1) want
very much to receive the Spirit’s promptings and obey them; (2) be
able to recognize the Spirit’s promptings; (3) be able to receive the
Spirit’s promptings; (4) be able to respond to and obey the Spirit’s
promptings; and (5) be effective in carrying out the response in the
manner of the Spirit.
First, then, to want to receive the Spirit’s promptings we must value
them as the directions of our Lord who sovereignty and spontaneously
works in and through the members of His body by the Spirit (Romans
8:14, 1 Corinthians 12:3-11). We must want to be filled with the Spirit
and led by, His impulses more than the drunkard wants alcohol. We
must realize how important and blessed it is to experience the spontaneous,
inner signals of the Lord guiding us in specific application of
the principles of the Scriptures to our situations. Pastors must value
God’s gifts manifested through the members of their churches more
than they value being “in control” (1 Corinthians 1426).
Second, and perhaps the major foundational truth, being filled
with the Spirit means we have a heightened sensitivity to recognize
the Holy Spirit’s promptings in contrast to the dulling effect of alcohol.
I believe a key here is found in Colossians 3:16 where Paul
indicates that the Word dwelling in us produces the spontaneous
acts which are truly of the Spirit: “Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly as you teach and counsel one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude
in your hearts to God” (NIV).
The Scriptures give examples of the kinds of expressions the Spirit
may prompt. The use of alcohol encourages selfish, sensual indulgence.
In contrast, Ephesians 51:21 teaches that the Spirit motivates us to
express, with similar abandon, praise and thanksgiving to God-aloud,
often in song, and from a heart full of true joy in the Lord. Of course,
the gifts of the Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and 14:26 are
ways the Spirit may manifest himself spontaneously. A long with these
we must also realize the Spirit wants to prompt us to do acts of unselfishness in which we seek to minister to others by putting their
needs before our own (Ephesians 5:21).
The third principle is that while we may recognize the Spirit’s
promptings, we will be unable to receive them unless we deal with
various forms of blockage in our lives. We cannot receive the Spirit’s
promptings if we have a guilty conscience toward God or another
person. All sin blocks spiritual sensitivity and spontaneity, but dishonesty
is especially harmful. Ephesians 4:25,26 encourages us to be
honest about our anger but not to sin with it or let it continue overnight.
We must allow ourselves to feel our emotions yet not harden our hearts
like the world (4:18,19), but resolve the issues behind the feelings,
forgive others (4:20-32), and thus be free to be filled with the Spirit.
Proverbs 3:5 (KJV) says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and
lean not unto thine own understanding.” Spiritual spontaneity comes
from a walk which submits the intellect to God, listens to Him, and
trusts Him with the heart. That involves being in touch with our own
feelings in total honesty.
Fourth, to walk in the Spirit in spontaneity we must obey the Spirit’s
promptings and make the most of our opportunities (Ephesians 5:16).
But we cannot do so if we are in bondage regarding our time or our
money. We must maintain flexibility in our schedules and our budgets.
We often need to slow down before we can be spontaneous. Pastors
need to have pauses in the worship services. And budgets need flexibility
for Spirit-prompted ministry.
Obedience to the Spirit also requires overcoming inhibitions such as
fear, pride, and- intellectual doubts. We cannot worry about what
others will think or be afraid to make a mistake and still be spontaneous.
We need to encourage one another to take the risks and obey what
we believe the Spirit has said. Acts 4:29-31 suggests we pray for boldness.
Finally, as we respond to the Spirit’s spontaneous promptings we
must do so in the manner of the Spirit who is holy. Just as the principles
of the Word enable us to recognize the Spirit’s promptings, they also
show us how to express our' responses properly. Certainly in prompting
spontaneous expressions the Spirit will always move “in a fitting and
orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40, NIV).
We can walk in the Spirit in spontaneity as we really seek to be
filled with the Spirit; as we recognize His promptings according to the
Word; as we receive them by removing inner hindrances; and as we
respond to them in God’s way by staying flexible and boldly taking the
opportunities He gives us. We cannot make the Spirit work spontaneously
in our lives, but we can hinder Him. Let’s not allow our faith
to be reduced to rationalistic formulas or programs. Rather, let us
keep the Pentecostal balance of the experiential dimension by seeking
to walk in spiritual spontaneity.
Let us truly be filled with the Spirit