Hearing His Voice #312

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Galatians 5:25

In some branches of Christianity, the traditional process of decision making involves praying as a group for guidance and waiting for general consensus on the matter. Hearing the Holy Spirit is a collective listening experience in which unity is a high priority. If the Spirit speaks, after all, it only seems reasonable that He would speak to more than one person. Our God loves unity; it’s only right to expect Him to inspire it.

We see this approach in the Jerusalem meeting of church leaders in Acts 15. They wrote that “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28) in communicating their decision to Gentile churches. In keeping with Paul’s words in Galatians 5, this pattern of listening should not be unusual. If we are living by the Spirit, we can follow the Spirit’s leading—individually or collectively. And if we’re following Him in every part of our lives, as Paul says, that will include those parts that depend on and affect other believers. It’s important to approach decisions with as many people listening as possible.

God moves not only through the hearts of individual Christians, but also through the collective body of Christ. His Spirit can fill a congregation even more powerfully than He can fill an individual. And the unity that comes from the group experience of God’s presence is often visibly supernatural. When He empowers a congregation, permeates a meeting, or sparks a revival, the results can be life changing and even nation changing. He loves the fellowship of many ears listening to Him simultaneously on the same issue and responding with unified hearts.

Spirit of God, forgive me for asking so often that You would speak to me individually without also asking that You would speak to us collectively. Move through us, fill us, empower us, grace us with Your transforming presence. Enable us to move forward in unity.