Am I led by the Spirit?

All who follow the leading of God's Spirit are God's own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear—you have been adopted into the very family circle of God, and you can say with a full heart, "Father, my Father." The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God. Think what that means. If we are his children, we share his treasures and all that Christ claims, as he will belong to all of us as well! Yes, if we share in his suffering, we shall certainly share in his glory. - Romans 8:14-17 (Phillips)

Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. - Psalm 143:10 (Amplified Bible)

At the point of salvation (justification), the Holy Spirit enters the life of the newly transformed follower of Christ and remains there permanently. His work in our lives is manifested in two primary ways.

1. Illumination - the Holy Spirit provides divine clarification of the Word of God to allow our finite minds to begin to understand the words and mind of an infinite God. He guards and guides the true believer into the truth.

For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God's grace], it is [the manifestation of] the power of God. For since the world, through all its [earthly] wisdom, failed to recognize God, God in His wisdom was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached [regarding salvation] to save those who believe [in Christ and welcome Him as Savior]. [This is] because the foolishness of God [is not foolishness at all and] is wiser than men [far beyond human comprehension], and the weakness of God is stronger than men [far beyond the limits of human effort]. - 1 Corinthians 1:18,21,25 (Amplified Bible)

2. Sanctification - the progressive work of God to make a believer more like Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit divinely enables us to obey God's Word as we obediently submit to His promptings and are thereby led by the Spirit.

To God's elect...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood. - 1 Peter 1:1,2 (NIV)

Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you. - Leviticus 20:7-8 (ESV)

How will I know that I am being led by the Spirit?

I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. For we naturally love to do evil things that are just the opposite of the things that the Holy Spirit tells us to do; and the good things we want to do when the Spirit has his way with us are just the opposite of our natural desires. These two forces within us are constantly fighting each other to win control over us, and our wishes are never free from their pressures.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. - Galatians 5:16-17,22-23 (Living Bible)

Is my life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit?

Tell me not of your justification unless you also have some marks of sanctification. Boast not of Christ's work for you unless you can show us the Spirit's work in you. - J. C. Ryle

Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me,
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.
Spirit of the Living God,
Fall afresh on me. - Daniel Iverson

Be Encouraged to sensitize your heart to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

-Jeffrey Thornton