What does it mean to yield to the Spirit?

Answer

Although there is no specific verse in the Bible about “yielding to the Spirit,” the concept is present. Romans 6:13 talks about being yielded to God, and Romans 6:19 about yielding our bodies as “servants to righteousness unto holiness” (KJV). This is in contrast to yielding to sin and the flesh.

To yield is to give something up or to give way to a demand of some sort. A person yielded to the Spirit will comply with the Spirit’s will and submit to His authority. Scripture mentions walking in the Spirit—following His lead and living in cooperation with His plan. Scripture also mentions being filled with the Spirit—being fully surrendered to Him and operating in His power and freedom. Both walking in and being filled with the Spirit require yielding to His control.

Yielding to the Spirit has its opposite in grieving Him «And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. », (Ephesians 4:30), quenching Him «Quench not the Spirit. », (1 Thessalonians 5:19), or resisting Him «Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. », (Acts 7:51). Those who are yielded to the Holy Spirit will not engage in actions that offend Him, they will not diminish His influence in their hearts, and they will not oppose His will.

Some notable examples of believers yielding to the Holy Spirit are found in the book of Acts. The believers gathered in a house in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost were there in obedience to the risen Lord’s command to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” «And, behold,

Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49). This power came through the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:4, when “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” These disciples, surrendered to the Spirit, proclaimed the gospel to the crowds, and the church began.

The initial venture into foreign missions commenced when the church in Syrian Antioch was “worshiping the Lord and fasting, [and] the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'” “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”, (Acts 13:2). Yielding to the Spirit, the church “fasted and prayed, . . . placed their hands on them and sent them off” “And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”, (Acts 13:3).

During the second missionary journey, Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, were traveling through Asia Minor preaching the gospel. However, the Spirit began to guide them in a different direction: “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they attempted to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas” (Acts 16:6-8). That night in Troas, Paul had a vision that directed the missionaries to Macedonia. The gospel reached Europe because Paul and his companions were obedient to the Spirit.

Dedicated to the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit encourages us to “express gratitude in all situations” “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”, (1 Thessalonians 5:18), perform good deeds “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: “, (1 Peter 2:15), and “be set apart,” avoiding immoral behavior “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: “, (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The Spirit wants us to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ to God “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. “, (Romans 6:11). He desires us to comprehend the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19) and to be transformed into the likeness of Christ “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. “, (Romans 8:29). He desires those who have faith in Christ to be confident that they are God’s children “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: “, (Romans 8:16). By submitting to the Spirit, allowing Him complete control of our lives, we will witness the manifestation of the Spirit’s fruit within us (Galatians 5:22-23), and we can loOk forward to “a harvest of righteousness and peace” «Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. », (Hebrews 12:11).