But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9-13
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches.
God speaks by the Holy Spirit. The God who created the universe has prepared deep and wonderful truths for the men and women who love and follow Him. The Holy Spirit searches these deep truths of God and teaches them to us.
Today, it’s pretty common to get a text from someone you don’t know.
“Your Bank of Wealth account is overdrawn but not to worry, just call us at this number, and we can straighten everything out.”
Do I even have a Bank of Wealth account? NO! WHO IS THIS BANK OF WEALTH? DELETE!
But I get a text from a friend who I have in my contacts list. She wants me to call her; she needs urgent prayer. What do I do? I drop everything and call her.
When we know who is speaking and trust that speaker, we listen and take action.
Do you know the Holy Spirit?
Who the Holy Spirit Is
He is the third person of the Godhead. He was present with God the Father, and Jesus, God the Son, at the creation of the world.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1-2
The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit empowered people and spoke through the prophets like Isaiah.
We see the Holy Spirit come upon Mary and the power of the Most High overshadow her to bear the Son of God.
As Jesus came up out of the water after John the Baptist baptized Him, we see the Holy Spirit descend from heaven like a dove and settle on Jesus.
In Acts, we see the Holy Spirit fill the believers, and they proclaim the gospel to those who have come to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. The Holy Spirit empowered them to speak in the languages of the visitors.
The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, God’s Word.
The Holy Spirit is God. And the Holy Spirit seals those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. He is our promise of life forever with God.
In Him [Jesus] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in Whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
God gave Jesus to the world so that all who believe in Jesus would not be separated from God but have eternal life with Him. God’s gift to believers is salvation.
God also gave the Holy Spirit to believers. The Holy Spirit seals us in God’s gift of salvation. He dwells in us as the guarantee of that salvation, to sanctify us—make us more like Jesus and much more.
The Holy Spirit is God’s gift. God’s gift to those who have put their trust in Jesus and call Him Lord and Savior.
What the Holy Spirit Does
In John 14:16 Jesus is speaking to His disciples after the Last Supper … after He washed their feet … before the Garden of Gethsemane … before the cross.
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
John 14:16-26
“the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
…
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My [Jesus] name, He [Holy Spirit] will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:25-26
The Father, Son, and Spirit are unified in their work in and through the believer. The Father sent Jesus into the world to pay the price you and I owe as a result of our sins. and now, Jesus is telling His disciples that He is going away to the Father, but He’s going to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in the disciples.
The Holy Spirit will teach them all things and bring to their remembrance all that Jesus said.
God is always near His sons and daughters.
God, the Father, walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
God led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery and through the wilderness to the Promised Land.
God spoke through the prophets.
God sent Jesus into the world.
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, came to live in those who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
God Reveals His Truth When We Are Ready
“I [Jesus] still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”
John 16:12
What a loving Teacher we have in Jesus! He spent 3 ½ years living with the disciples, walking the dusty roads with them, eating with them, teaching them, face-to-face with them … 3 ½ years of miracles. And there was still more that Jesus wanted to tell the disciples. But they weren’t ready to hear it.
Jesus knew their hearts and minds. What a patient Savior we have! He slowly revealed Himself to the disciples, giving them spiritual milk …. like a loving mother nurses her baby and puts her baby in a crib next to her bed.
As the child grows, the mother feeds her baby solid food. She puts the baby on a blanket and sits down to play with her.
Next thing you know, the baby is crawling and exploring the house, and the mother is taking the toddler by the hand and walking her around the house. You know the rest … climbing … running … and more.
From a safe spot in our bedroom to unimaginable adventures with God, that’s how we see God revealing Himself to us – patiently and progressively.
It’s like Bible study. We begin to understand that God is working around us and that He is pursuing a love relationship with us.
We hear God invite us to join Him in His work.
God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit. And as we are ready, He reveals more about Himself, His love, and His work.
God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit. And as we are ready, He reveals more about Himself, His love, and His work.
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What is the Holy Spirit telling you? Is God inviting you to join Him in His work? Are you acting on His invitation?
The Holy Spirit Guides Us Into Truth
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
John 16:13
Jesus declared that He is the way, the truth, and the life, in John 14:6, and when Jesus ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth came to guide the disciples into all truth, not “in” truth but “into” the heart of Truth.
Immersion into the Truth.
The Spirit’s leading into all truth takes us not into the entryway of truth. Not into the kitchen of preparation. Not into the bedroom of sleep. But into the LIVING ROOM that opens into the heart of Truth, into the heart of God! No TVs here.
Deep down and then soaring … worship, service, fellowship, and glorifying God.
Submersion into God Almighty!
Are you submersed into the King of Kings? Into the Lord of Lords?
The Holy Spirit Declares What He Hears
We’re still in verse 13, “for He [Holy Spirit] will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak;”
Whatever the Holy Spirit hears, He speaks. Hmmmm. Sound familiar?
While Jesus was on earth, He spoke what He heard from the Father (John 14:10). While the Holy Spirit dwells in you, He speaks what He hears. Are you listening?
The last phrase of verse 13: “and He [Holy Spirit] will tell you things to come.”
Things to come.
- Things like the formation of the church.
- Things like Gentiles becoming believers and worshiping God with Jews.
- Things like the end-times.
These things to come are found in the Bible. The Bible is the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God—God’s love story given to us through the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Glorifies Jesus
“He [Holy Spirit] will glorify Me [Jesus], for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
John 16:14
The Holy Spirit is glorifying Jesus by doing the work He was sent to do. He is dwelling in each believer and declaring what He receives from Jesus. He is revealing the heart of Jesus by pointing us to Jesus. This glorifies Jesus.
God Speaks By The Holy Spirit, Our Helper
After He rose from the dead, Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God. He’s speaking on our behalf.
Jesus did not leave us alone to navigate this tough journey. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper.
Friends, God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church. Are you listening?
May you hear what God is speaking to you through the Holy Spirit.
Related Links:
The women of Calvary Chapel Beaumont are studying Experiencing God: Knowing & Doing the Will of God. Today, we were in Unit 5, “God Speaks, Part 1.” This is an adaptation of that message.
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