Podcast Summary

Podcast: Promise of Life Church Podcasts
Episode: "Being Led By The Spirit Made Easy" Part 19
Speaker: Pastor Craig Field
Date: June 12, 2024
Length: ~90 minutes (Approximate based on transcript)

Overview

In the penultimate installment of this extended teaching series, Pastor Craig Field continues to equip the congregation with both biblical and practical tools for recognizing and following the Holy Spirit’s leading—making it accessible and demystified for everyday believers. By weaving together scriptural truths, lessons from Kenneth Hagin’s life, and his own ministry anecdotes, Pastor Craig emphasizes the importance of patience, the pitfalls of "putting out fleeces," and the subtlety of the inner witness. The message is delivered with warmth, humor, and a down-to-earth candor, aiming for revelation that sticks in everyday living.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Dangers of "Putting Out Fleeces"

• Kenneth Hagin’s Testimony: Pastor Craig revisits how Hagin left his church based on a "fleece," ended up out of God’s will, and suffered a lack of anointing for 14 months, learning “never do a fleece again… there’s a price to pay for being out of the will of God” (00:45).
  • Quote: “God wouldn’t let him out of his commitment. So he had to keep that even without the anointing. That’s a hard lesson to learn, but that’s why he’ll never do a fleece again, because he learned the value of not testing God.” (02:00)
• Burden as Leading: Hagin later senses a prolonged intercessory burden and seeks God’s meaning, learning that ongoing spiritual burdens or thoughts can sometimes indicate the Spirit’s leading, but always require inquiry (03:00).
  • Quote: “When unusual things are happening, ask God about it. Don’t assume, just ask Him.” (05:15)

2. Discerning the Soul from the Spirit

• Desire vs. Divine Leading: Pastor Craig unpacks the challenge of distinguishing one's own desires (the "soul green light") from the Spirit’s promptings (“spirit green light”), especially when we want something (08:30).
  • Example: Marriage decisions require a soul’s desire and the Spirit’s approval.
  • Quote: “Your soul green light has to be separated from your spirit green light. But the soul and spirit are like bone and marrow and you can make a mistake… when you don’t want to do something, it’s actually a lot easier.” (09:00)
  • Pastor Craig’s Own Call: He confesses preferring not to return to West Africa, but God’s leading prevailed, reinforcing that willingness to go against personal preference often accompanies true leading (10:20).

3. Scriptural Principle: Don’t Rush!

• Isaiah 28:16 — “He that believeth shall not make haste.”
  • Emphasis: Spirit-led decisions are characterized by rest and an absence of rush, even under urgency or temporal pressure.
  • Quote: “The devil is pushy. He will make you feel pressure. The Holy Spirit won’t… Rushing usually gets you in trouble.” (15:25)
• Faith Is Rest: Faith isn’t nervous busyness, but “diligent effort to rest in God” (17:45).
  • Quote: “If you’re nervous and worried and constantly figuring out and calculating, you’re not really in rest, which means you’re not really in faith.” (19:05)

4. The Inward Witness—Language and Experience

• Nature of the Inward Witness:
  • It’s described as a "good, velvety-like feeling" (as Jesus told Hagin), or sometimes a check/hesitancy (“stop sign”), or green light (go ahead) (23:30).
    • Quote: “Sometimes it’s just an inward intuition. Sometimes it’s just a check that you sense in your spirit, a stop sign, so to speak. Or sometimes it’s just a green light, so to speak… It’s very hard to put in English what that feels like.” (23:50)
  • Even unbelievers sometimes act on what they call "gut feelings," which can be their human spirit picking up on danger, though disconnected from God (26:10).
  • Velvety Like Peace: The dominant sense is “peace,” sometimes joined by an inner “joy or lift.” Referenced in Isaiah 55:12 (“go out with joy, be led forth with peace”) and Romans 14:17 (righteousness, peace, and joy).
    • Quote: “You are led with peace and you are led with joy because that is the kingdom of God. So sometimes, you may just be aware… if there is joyfulness in your spirit, probably the leading. If there’s peace, probably the leading.” (37:10)

5. The Role of Drama, Manifestations, and Prophetic Offices

• Jesus’ Instruction to Hagin: Even as a prophet, God expects believers to be led primarily by the inward witness, not spectacular outward manifestations or the prophet’s office (30:52).
  • Quote: “‘You’re going to have to do like all the rest of my children—learn to follow the inward witness…when you’re praying about things and you’ve got that good velvety-like feeling in your spirit.’ Jesus said that to him in an open vision.” (31:25)
• Caveat from Revivals and Manifestations: Craig discusses the need for discernment in congregational moves of the Spirit, using examples (Toronto Blessing, Texas and Florida revivals), showing excesses and the error when the Word or proper leading is set aside for manifestations (45:11).
  • Quote (on false manifestations): “God never demeans His creation to an animal…if you ever see somebody act like an animal, it’s never the Holy Ghost, ever.” (56:55)

6. Perception vs. Inward Witness

• Acts 27:9—“I perceive”: Pastor Craig unpacks the difference between a perception (sometimes just your spirit sensing) and a true inward witness (the Holy Spirit communicating to your spirit).
  • Quote: “There’s different kinds of perception… there is a very light perception… but then there are strong perceptions… your spirit is perceiving but the Holy Ghost is bearing witness with strength in your spirit…” (72:23)

7. Living It Out: Practical Stories

• Making Expensive Decisions: He shares a story of avoiding a $1,500 repair by heeding a subtle "check" inside, finally getting a $2 solution after releasing the ministry of angels (84:45).
• Small Leads, Big Difference: Canceling a trip due to a persistent “dead feeling,” only later realizing this was God redirecting events for family responsibilities (81:00).
• Growing in Sensitivity: Mistakes happen—trial and error, praying in tongues, and daily confession (“Lord, I thank you I am led by the Spirit, clearly”) help develop spiritual sensitivity (77:35).

8. For the Congregation

• Application Encouragement:
  • Make a habit of confessing: “I am led by the Spirit, clearly.”
  • Prioritize the inward witness above desire for external signs or dramatic manifestations.
  • Pray in tongues to increase sensitivity to your own spirit.
  • Understand that everyone—including pastors and prophets—must develop in the same way.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “There’s a price to pay for being out of the will of God.” — Pastor Craig (02:00)
• “When unusual things are happening, ask God about it. Don’t assume.” — Craig (05:15)
• “Your soul green light has to be separated from your spirit green light…when you don’t want to do something, it’s actually a lot easier.” — Craig (09:00)
• “The devil is pushy…The Holy Spirit won’t.” — Craig (15:25)
• “Faith is the diligent effort to rest in God.” — Craig (17:45)
• “Faith don’t get in a hurry.” — Kenneth Hagin, as quoted by Craig (21:10)
• “I have a sense in my spirit. What you’re saying is, I feel it in my gut. Well, your spirit is down in here… just say, I have a sense in my spirit.” — Craig (26:50)
• “You’re going to have to do like all the rest of my children—learn to follow the inward witness.” — Jesus to Hagin (31:25)
• “The more prayer that is made, the more sensitive that person [pastor] is.” — Craig (35:52)
• “When you are out of faith, you are rush, rush, rush, and what does it do? Gets you out of faith.” — Craig (21:45)
• “If you’re not in light, easy, joy and peace, you’re missing it.” — Craig (19:55)
• “Why do we go to God at the end?” — Craig (78:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Hagin’s Fleece Story: 00:00–10:30
• Soul vs Spirit – Marriage & Ministry Decisions: 08:00–12:15
• Rest, Rushing, and Faith: 15:25–21:45
• Defining the Inward Witness: 23:30–29:00
• Jesus Teaches Hagin on Leading: 30:52–38:00
• Congregational Manifestations & Discernment: 45:10–58:12
• Praying for Leaders’ Sensitivity: 35:30–38:00
• Perceptions vs. Witness (Teaching from Acts 27:9): 72:23–74:45
• Personal Stories on Being Led: 81:00–86:10
• Application & Encouragements: 77:35–90:00

Takeaways

• The leading of the Holy Spirit is subtle, often simply a peaceful “witness” or sometimes a “check.”
• Don’t seek external or dramatic confirmations; inward rest and clarity are sufficient.
• Patience and waiting on God—even when you sense the right thing—will save from pitfalls.
• Spiritual development requires practice, prayer, and a conscious turning from soulish feelings to spiritual intuition.

Final Encouragement:
“Lord, I thank You that I am led by the Spirit—clearly, accurately, easily, fully. I make this my confession and habit in Jesus’ name.” (88:40)