Podcast Summary: “Being Led By The Spirit Made Easy” Part 18

Speaker: Pastor Craig Field
Date: July 19, 2024
Podcast: Promise of Life Church

Main Theme

This episode dives into practical, advanced teaching on being led by the Holy Spirit, with a particular focus on developing sensitivity to the inner witness. Pastor Craig shares personal insights, stories (many borrowed from Pastor Nancy and Kenneth E. Hagin), and offers actionable wisdom for believers at any stage who want to discern God's voice clearly and consistently.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Necessity of the Inner Witness in Everyday Life

• Always Be Checking Your Spirit:
  Pastor Craig emphasizes that discernment through the inner witness isn’t limited to major life decisions—it's a continual practice for all aspects of daily living, from relationships to routine choices.

  "You've got to learn to check your spirit regularly and constantly. When you're driving, at work—get into the lifestyle habit of looking to your spirit and not your mind and emotions, because that's what robs you." (02:31)

• Not Every Thought Needs Spiritual Vetting:
  There are extremes ("ditches") to avoid—while we don’t need supernatural guidance about what shoes to wear, all “life things” warrant spiritual attention.

2. The Devil’s Mimicry of God’s Leading

• Distinguishing Between Urgency and a Push:
  Drawing from Pastor Nancy’s wisdom, Craig explains how the enemy can mimic the Holy Spirit's voice, even trying to produce pseudo-inner witness “feelings” that seem internal but produce unease.
  • Urgency from God comes from within and is peaceful, while the enemy’s “push” is external and pressured.

  "An urgency is different to a push... There was an external ‘You better do this, you better hurry up!’ and that is never the Holy Ghost." (06:25)

• The Subtlety of the Enemy Increases:
  The devil becomes more subtle after being discovered. Skill is required to tell the difference. When in doubt, quiet your mind, pray in the Holy Ghost, and look to your spirit—not your emotions.

3. Proximity to Spiritual Authority Increases Tests and Attacks

• Spiritual Atmospheres and Adversaries:
  The closer you get to revelation and anointing flowing from mature leaders, the greater the potential for spiritual testing.

  "To whom much is given, much is required... much is attacked." (19:19)

4. The Maturity of Relying on the Inner Witness Alone

• Higher Level, Simpler Leadings:
  Contrary to popular belief, as spiritual maturity increases, God often relies less on dramatic leadings (visions, audible voices) and more on the integrity of the inner witness.

  "The height of a spiritual person is all you have is the inner witness... God is trying to get us sufficiently developed so that the inner witness is all we need." (21:45)

• Example from Dad Hagin and Pastor Nancy:
  The most spiritual leaders made every decision by the inner witness, not spectacular manifestations.

5. Waiting on the Inner Witness—The Art of “Letting It Settle”

• Big Decisions Require Time (If Possible):
  If there’s no urgent deadline, wait. The inner witness will become increasingly “settled” and clear over time; if it fades, so should your action. If needed, God may eventually add details or speak directly, but this is secondary.

  "The longer you wait, the more the inner witness becomes clear... it just gets more settled." (29:33)

• The Principle of Settling:
  Don’t act on strong desires immediately, especially in emotionally-charged areas like relationships; desire can camouflage as inner witness.

6. Deadlines, Checks, and Moving Forward

• When You Can't Wait:
  If faced with a hard deadline, act on the inner witness but check your spirit continually before finalizing. If you sense a check (a red light), halt—no matter how far along you are.

  "We are led more by red than by green. The inner witness is the green, but the check overrides the inner witness." (42:12)

• Distinguishing a Check from Fear:
  Fear operates in the mind/emotions; a spiritual “check” is inside your spirit and not accompanied by anxiety.

  "Fear is up here; fear comes from the outside. The check is inside." (45:00)

• Better to Go Slow:
  If you can’t tell the difference, err on the side of caution—slow down, back away, and make sure before proceeding.

7. Real-Life Examples of the Process

• Pastor Nancy’s Ministry Decisions:
  After Dr. Dufresne’s passing, every financial and operational decision (even multi-million-dollar ones) was made “by inner witness only”—often under deadline pressure and without further confirming signs, but with deep attention to peace and checks.
  • Even under stress, resting ("going fishing") expresses more faith than frantic prayer.

    "It takes more faith to go fishing or to do whatever makes you happy than it does to sit there anxiously praying." (52:23)

• Using the Inner Witness Practically:
  In simple things like hiring babysitters or meeting new people—ask, “Do I have a witness?” The Holy Spirit knows what the person will or won’t do before anything happens.

8. Avoiding Blaming God: Spiritual Responsibility and Destiny

• God Is Never at Fault:
  With stories of early deaths and missed leadings, Pastor Craig is adamant—tragedy isn’t God’s doing. People’s choices, words, spiritual doors, and obedience are always factors, and mature believers are held to a higher standard.

9. Biblical Foundation—Isaiah 28:16

• No Haste for the Believer:
  "He that believeth shall not make haste." True faith is marked by inner peace, not frantic movement. The devil pushes; God develops patient, sure-footed believers.

  "If you're in faith, there's not a rush... the devil wants to make you hurry and push you out of the faith arena." (1:13:40)

10. Illustrative Stories from Kenneth E. Hagin

• The ‘Fleece’ Pitfall:
  Never make decisions through natural signs or fleeces; these are easily manipulated by the devil (and sometimes by God to get you back on track if you already know His will but are stubborn).
• When You Don’t Want What God Wants:
  Sometimes the clearest leadings are when God keeps bringing something up that you absolutely don’t want. Conversely, the greatest risk of error is when you want something strongly—then the soul can easily drown out the spirit.
• Importance of Commitment and Peace:
  The perfect will of God isn’t always the most attractive or well-paid, but peace and purpose outweigh natural benefits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Mimic Power of the Devil:

  "The spirit of God—there may be an urgency, but there’ll never be a push. An urgency comes up out of your spirit, but a push is always external. And that is never the Holy Ghost." (06:25)

• On Spiritual Maturity:

  "The height of a spiritual person is all you have is the inner witness… God is trying to get us to where the inner witness is all we need." (21:45)

• On Letting Things Settle:

  "The longer you wait, the more the inner witness becomes clear… it just gets more settled." (29:33)

• On Red vs. Green Leadings:

  "We are led more by red than by green. The inner witness is the green, but the check overrides the inner witness." (42:12)

• On Spiritual Responsibility:

  "You’re not maybe a risk taker and now you’re about to sign on the dotted line… if you’re not sure… put the pen down and back away. It’s better to go slow than to go fast." (46:20)

• On Blaming God:

  "You have to settle in your mind… God is perfect. He is just and fair and everything He does is right… Tragedy is never on God’s side—it’s always on the person’s." (56:00)

• On Resting in Faith:

  "It actually takes more faith to go fishing or do whatever makes you happy than to sit there at the office praying anxiously… Just go and rest." (52:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro to Pastor Nancy’s Insights – 00:00–04:45
• The Devil’s Mimicry and How to Discern – 04:45–14:45
• Spiritual Proximity & Increased Testing – 14:45–20:00
• The Maturity Curve (Inner Witness Alone) – 20:00–26:00
• Letting the Inner Witness Settle & Big Decisions – 26:00–36:00
• Deadlines, Checks, and Cautions – 36:00–46:00
• Practical Stories (Ministry, Babysitters, Resting in God) – 46:00–56:00
• On Blaming God, Destiny, and Responsibility – 56:00–1:07:30
• Isaiah 28:16 & The Dangers of Hastiness – 1:07:30–1:18:05
• Kenneth Hagin Stories: Fleeces & Returning to God’s Plan – 1:18:05–End

Summary Takeaway

Pastor Craig’s message is an advanced but accessible guide to living life guided by the Holy Spirit’s inner witness. Mature believers eventually rely less on external leadings and more on the settled knowing within. We are cautioned not to confuse desire, fear, or external pressure with the Spirit's guidance and encouraged to rest, wait, and slow down to let clarity emerge. If in doubt, wait for peace—or at least, don’t move forward if there’s a check.

“My day never has to look boring or the same because I’ve got a leading… I never have to make another hard decision because I’ve got the genius on the inside of me.” (End Prayer, 1:51:30)