The Holy Spirit deserves all the credit for the expansion of the early church as we see here in the book of Acts. He was directing, moving, and empowering the apostles as they responded to His leading. If we want to see God working today in a similar fashion, we need to seek daily the Holy Spirit’s guidance and be ready to submit to His leading. In our passage, we learn three ways that the Spirit works:

• 1. The Spirit Leads (v.1-3)
• 2. The Spirit Enables (v.4-5)
• 3. The Spirit Opens Doors (v.6-10)

Our passage this morning highlights an important concept of divine guidance: God can only guide a moving ship. A rudder doesn’t work if the ship isn’t moving,

Think of how small that rudder is on a ship. Without this small rudder a ship would be useless. The ship would crash every time. If we want to be steered in the right direction, we need the Spirit of God to lead us and guides from crashing into all the ice bergs that this life has to offer.

God uses those who live by faith and dependence on the Spirit of God.

Are you seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness in your own life? Are you living by faith and dependence on the Spirit of God.

By faith, we must believe what God tells us about Himself, even when we don’t see it and especially when we don’t feel it. Our faith in the sovereign Spirit of God must be what directs us and leads us when life is going smoothly, without any winds and storms, but especially when there are! 

Discussion Questions

1. How can a Christian know if he is walking in true dependence on the Holy Spirit?
2. How can we know the Spirit’s leading on issues where the Bible does not give specific help?
3. How can we know exactly where God wants us to be serving Him? What factors should we consider?
4. Does God still guide through dreams or visions? If we have such, how can we know if it’s from the Lord?