One of the great distinctives of Calvary Chapel is our conviction that the Holy Spirit still leads His people. We talk about being “led by the Spirit,” but what does that actually look like? And how can we grow in following His guidance more faithfully?
When we open the book of Acts, we find that the Spirit’s leading is not a single signal to detect, but a multifaceted work to discern. That makes perfect sense because the Spirit is not an impersonal force to decode, but a divine Person to know. Following Him is not about mastering a method. It is about cultivating a relationship where we learn to recognize His voice and respond to His direction.
Acts gives us five distinct ways the Holy Spirit led the early church. These are not a formula, but together they give us a fuller picture of how He works so we can better recognize His leading in our lives today.
Through Prophecy (Acts 11:28; 13:1)
One of the ways believers can experience the leading of the Holy Spirit is through prophecy. A church that understands this will be a listening church. It will believe that the Spirit’s gifts, such as prophecy and words of knowledge, are for today, and it will leave room for those gifts to be exercised.
In Acts 11:28, the prophet Agabus warned of an approaching famine, prompting the church to respond with generosity. In Acts 13:1, the Spirit spoke through prophets and teachers to set apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary work. In both cases, the Spirit gave timely direction through prophetic speech.
Prophetic words should always be tested (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21; 1 Corinthians 14:29), but the goal is to be discerning without despising prophecy. If the Spirit wants to speak, we want to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Through Internal Promptings (Acts 8:29; 10:19)
Another way we see Holy Spirit guidance in Acts is through personal promptings. Whereas prophecy often functions publicly, this is the Spirit at work in our hearts privately, the still small voice that guides and prompts (1 Kings 19:12) and confirms we are on the right path (Isaiah 30:21). Philip was told by the Spirit to approach the Ethiopian’s chariot (Acts 8:29), leading to a pivotal gospel encounter. Peter, while wrestling with the meaning of a vision, heard the Spirit tell him to go with the men who had come for him (Acts 10:19).
It may make some uncomfortable to hear someone say, “The Spirit told me,” yet we cannot ignore the biblical example. We must be wise in discernment, but we must not throw out what is good in order to avoid what could be abused. We must always aspire to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
Through Consensus (Acts 15:28)
The Holy Spirit’s leading is also revealed through unified discernment in the church. The Body of Christ is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16–17; Ephesians 2:21–22). In Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council faced a major question: Must Gentile believers follow the Law of Moses? The apostles and elders prayed, searched the Scriptures, listened to testimony, and reasoned together. Their conclusion was recorded with this phrase: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (Acts 15:28).
Throughout Scripture, the Spirit is regularly tied to the unity of the church (Ephesians 4:3–4; Philippians 2:1–2). We should expect Him to unite the church with one vision. This is not a denial of leadership but a vital facet of Spirit-led leadership, where the Spirit works in and through the whole body to confirm God’s direction.
Through Providence (Acts 16:6–7)
Sometimes the Holy Spirit guides through providence, the opening and closing of doors. We need to be a planning people, but we must always hold our plans loosely, knowing that the Spirit is in charge. When we encounter obstacles or open doors, we should be asking, “Spirit, what are You up to?”
Even for the apostle Paul, providence required a process to understand. He and his companions took multiple wrong turns, being “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia” and prevented from entering Bithynia. Only after that did the vision of the man from Macedonia come, calling them to Philippi. And even that vision was discerned together with others before they acted (Acts 16:10).
Providence reminds us that God guides not only by what He opens but also by what He closes. The Spirit is at work in our circumstances, shaping our steps according to the will of God.
Through Resolve (Acts 19:21, 22)
Finally, we see the Holy Spirit leading through Spirit-shaped resolve. Jesus was often driven by a divine imperative. He told His disciples, “I must pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). He told Zacchaeus, “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). Even at an early age, when His parents found Him in the temple after days of searching, He said, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
By the Spirit, we too may sometimes develop that same deep conviction that we need to act. In Acts 19:21, Paul “resolved in the Spirit” to travel to Jerusalem and then to Rome. This was more than personal ambition. It was Spirit-shaped determination, a settled intention to pursue God’s will despite the cost. Sometimes the Spirit leads by planting within us an unshakable sense that we must move forward in obedience.
A Full Picture of the Spirit’s Leading
When we read Acts closely, we see that the Spirit leads in many ways: prophetic words, personal promptings, united discernment, providential circumstances, and Spirit-shaped resolve. Focusing on just one of these can give us an incomplete view. But when we keep the whole picture in mind, we are better equipped to discern His leading today.
Following the Spirit is never about mastering a set of techniques. It is about deepening our relationship with Him, both personally and together as the body of Christ, listening for His voice, trusting His wisdom, and obeying His direction. The Spirit who led the first-century church is the same Spirit leading us now. May we be ready to listen, eager to follow, and faithful to obey in our individual walk with Him and in our shared life as His church.
