22/09/2026
HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT TO RECOGNIZE GOD'S LEADING?
The Lord enlightens and guides His children through their spirits, so the believer must become increasingly conscious of the fact that he is a spirit being. The human spirit can be trained and developed just as the mind can be educated and the body can be trained. Yet many Christians have become more conscious of their bodies and minds than of their spirits. The result is that the spirit, which God intends to use in guiding us, is often neglected. Your spirit can be educated, strengthened, and trained, and as you develop it through the Word of God, it can become a safer guide in the affairs of life.
There are four practical ways to train and develop the human spirit: meditation in the Word, practicing the Word, giving the Word first place, and instantly obeying the voice of your spirit. Meditation in the Word is foundational because spiritual wisdom does not develop without giving time to God's Word. Joshua was instructed to meditate in the Word day and night so that he would observe to do what was written in it and deal wisely in the affairs of life. Meditation involves thinking on the Word, speaking it to yourself, and allowing it to become established within you. As the Word fills your heart, your spirit becomes more developed and your ability to respond to God's leading becomes clearer.
Training your spirit also requires practicing the Word rather than merely hearing, talking about, or rejoicing over it. James tells believers to be doers of the Word. Under the New Covenant, the commandment of love becomes central, and walking in love affects the way we treat others and conduct our lives. Philippians 4:6 gives a practical example: instead of fretting and being anxious, we are instructed to bring our requests to God with prayer and thanksgiving. When we deliberately practice that instruction, refusing to give ourselves to worry and returning to the Word when anxiety tries to return, we learn to live according to what God has said. The peace described in the following verse is connected to actually doing what the Word instructs.
Giving the Word first place means allowing Scripture to have greater authority in our thoughts, decisions, and daily conduct than circumstances, feelings, or human opinions. Philippians 4:8 teaches us what to think about—things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. What continually occupies the mind eventually influences what comes out of the heart and mouth, so believers must refuse to meditate on things that contradict the character and instruction of God's Word. The Holy Spirit speaks to the Church through the Word, particularly through the Epistles, and as we meditate on it, practice it, and give it first place, our spirits are trained and developed. A well-trained spirit becomes increasingly sensitive to the inward leading God has placed within us.
Credit: How You Can Be Led by the Spirit of God by Kenneth E. Hagin.
