Page 35 Following the leadership of the indwelling Spirit is a vast topic. We can write an entire book on the subject. But I would like to say a few basic things about it that I trust will be useful to you. God’s moral law has been written in your heart and mind. The Holy Spirit dwells in your innermost being. Therefore, there are spiritual impulses, promptings, and instincts that function inside of you. The more you get to know the Lord, the more you will intuitively know if a decision is inside or outside of His moral will. Because God is love and love fulfills His will, those inward registrations, promptings, and instincts will always lead you in the way of love. Paul told the Thessalonian Christians, ,You don’t need anyone to teach you how to love. For you have been taught by God to love (1 Thess. 4:9). In like manner, John says the anointing (the indwelling Spirit) teaches us how to walk in love and righteousness. Thus we don’t need anyone to teach us how to walk this way (1 John. 2:27ff.). What I’m about to say is a common experience for all Christians. You get into an argument with someone very close to you. Perhaps some cutting word comes out of your mouth. Instantly, within your inward parts you feel uncomfortable and convicted. That is the indwelling Spirit–the anointing–revealing to you that you have just stepped outside of the parking lot. You may be going about your business, and a person comes
One of the most difficult things to admit or to understand is that there is probably nothing that a man wants more from his wife than her admiration. There is probably nothing that a woman wants more from her husband than his attention, taking her seriously and treating her with the greatest dignity. Here what we are getting at is the question of respect. If I exercise my headship over my wife in a tyrannical way, I am not respecting my wife. If my wife gives slavish obedience to me without any love, she is not respecting me. The whole basis of the relationship is built upon love, cherishing and respecting one another.
R.C. Sproul