Getting School’ed

Feb. 3

Read: John 14:25,26

Getting School’ed

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” - Jesus

The Holy Spirit teaches us. What exactly does he teach us? According to the words of Jesus: “all things”. I think most of us think that the bible teaches us all things. The word of God - the bible - is crucial in the life of the believer, but what if the real power of even the bible is actually rooted in the Spirit bringing it to life in us?! When Paul is speaking to the church in Corinth he says this:

“…my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God…these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God…Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” (1 Cor. 2:4,5,10,12)

Look at the role of the Spirit “teaching us all things”. When we read the word of God, we read along with the Spirit and listen to what the Spirit tells us. The is the key “that we might understand the things freely given to us by God.” The word of God has been freely given to us… made available… but we must seek the Spirit as we read to bring the understanding. This is why we should ASK THE SPIRIT what a passage is saying before we ask another human… via reading some commentary or book. (I am not down on Christian writing by any means.)

This “teaching all things” goes beyond bible reading though. The Spirit is with us each and every day and “all things” includes what we do at work, with our families, as a hobby… ALL THINGS. The Lord speaks to us through the Spirit and leads us into what we need to know. In fact, the Spirit leads us into all truth because he is the very “Spirit of Truth”. (John 14:16) It is the Spirit who lets us out of our “false self” and our “false lives” and into our TRUE SELVES and TRUE LIFE. We know Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” - so we see how the Spirit leads us into deeper and deeper into relationship with Christ. (John 14:6) ( All the while, we must hold the mystery of the Trinity tightly - God is one in three persons.)

Jesus says that the Spirit will also “bring to our remembrance” what Jesus has said. Sometimes we need reminding of what Jesus has said. We need reminding of the word’s of God. The Spirit reminds us of these words. He “brings them to our remembrance”. When we need them most… the Spirit within us will drive those words to the forefront of our mind. Once again, this is not only for bible verses… the Spirit reminds us of ALL the words that Jesus has spoken to us as his brothers and sisters. The Spirit reminds us of who we are in Christ… and those moments when Jesus has held us close and comforted us, told us “it will be ok”, and reminded us that “you have been forgiven and are deeply loved.” This is the role of the Spirit.

We forget that the Holy Spirit of God is a person and not some weird “power”. When we think of the Spirit as a “force” or “power” then RELATIONSHIP is hindered. We do not talk to or interact with a “power”. Think of the energy in a battery for example… you do not expect to talk to it or have it talk to you. An impersonal “power” doesn’t really “teach you all things” and cause you to remember the words of Jesus! What do you need to “know the truth about” today? Ask the Spirit of Truth. What do you feel like you don’t understand… what is it you want to learn more about? Ask the one who “teaches you all things”. What are you having trouble remembering? Seek the Spirit who brings to remembrance the teaching and words of Christ. Is your bible reading “dry” or “lifeless”? Start by first speaking to the one who brings the words of God to LIFE. Think of the words that God had Paul write: “my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power…” God wants to POWERFULLY demonstrate his truth and love through His Spirit within his people. Start by simply asking the Spirit to speak to you. Try seeking him out today with a question. Speak honestly with the Lord… tell him how you are actually feeling… no fake stuff. Then start listening and write down what he says to you. Listen for the voice of the Spirit today and jot down what he says… through others… in prayer… through the scriptures… through is voice within you… wherever he speaks to you. Jesus is NOT a liar. He meant what he said! Love you guys. - JDP