Holy Spirit searches and reveals the deep things of God
John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
If we truly want to know God’s will and desire to perform it, then the Holy Spirit will ensure that we understand it. The Holy Spirit searches and reveals the deep things of God and we thereby have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:10-16).
Conversely, if we seek our own will in any way then we will not understand God’s will. God’s truth is a mystery, hidden wisdom to those who are prideful or fleshly (1 Cor 2:7), yet will be understood by those who are humble and childlike (Mk 10:15, Lk 18:17). The kingdom will only be revealed through the Holy Spirit and never through man’s wisdom (1 Cor 2:13). The Holy Spirit gives truth of understanding, He is the Spirit of truth (Jn 15:26, 16:13)!
Seeking of your will is seeking the flesh. Dying to your desires and will to seek God is seeking the Spirit.
These things are as foolishness to the fleshly (1 Cor 2:14). When the flesh is active it will always seek its own and exalt itself above all else.
We need a Comforter
Jesus said, John 16:7-8, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
The Holy Spirit’s manifestation was so necessary that Jesus said it was better for Him to leave such that this could be accomplished. The Spirit will convict us of sin and wrongfulness, lead us to righteousness, and will convince the world of its fault, make manifest before God. For any of this to be meaningful, we must freely choose to obey. Jesus when he was in the flesh, could not physically give everyone such personal attention.
John 15:26, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
Jesus sends the Spirit to us so that we can have the ability to follow in His steps and be conformed to His image. Christ’s image in the flesh represented the image of God that man was created to be. We must be reconciled through Jesus to the image of God under His authority.
John 16:13-15, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The Spirit will guide us to the truth, meaning the correct knowledge, attitude and application of God’s Word. Without the Spirit the Word is as a sealed book , we do not rightly understand it, for there is blindness. We must pray that the Lord will open our understanding of the scriptures (Lk 24:45). As we travel "the way" of Christ (Jn 14:6), the Spirit unfolds God’s Word in knowledge and application in our lives. The Spirit will write the epistle of Christ in our heart (2 Cor 3:3). God’s Word is truth and it is eternal (Ps 12:6, 119:160, 1 Pt 1:25). The Spirit’s direction will always agree with God’s Word because He testifies of Jesus who is the Word (Jn 17:17, Js 1:18, 1 Pt 1:25). God has given the Spirit to us through our faith (Gal 3:2).
The Spirit cannot be earned or merited through our good works or keeping of the law. We must have love and devotion.
Man does not control the Spirit in anyway
Religious error quickly manifests itself when the Spirit is absent. Man cannot know God or serve Him apart from the Spirit.
We must be cleansed from all sin
You see, we often are blinded to sinful aspects of our lives and these things must be dealt with as the blindness is lifted. We must be cleansed from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). When we realize a present or past sin, we must grieve, repent and forsake. The fruit of our repentance will be manifested in our actions (Lk 3:8-9). Obedience requires a sacrifice and a self denial on our part. Obedience itself is superior to sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22), but is often implemented through sacrifice. We submit, yield and place our trust in God and obey. Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." We must be willing to obey even when it requires personal surrender or great inconvenience (Job 13:15). Is this not following in the steps of our Lord and Savior who constantly sacrificed for us?
Your eyes are opened
Put all your cares upon God and have faith. 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you."
When we apply God’s truth to our life and live it, our eyes are opened to ever increasing knowledge and truth.
By David Neal
It's really important not to confuse the concepts of: Humility and self pity. Self pity leads to self-condemnation and legalism
ReplyDelete