The Spirit Speaks to Us and Guides Us.
In the previous lesson, we talked about how the Holy Spirit is our comforter and helper. Here we will discuss things that the Spirit does in and for us.
We know that if someone is a Christian, then the Holy Spirit is already inside that person. This is what happens when we receive Christ: The Spirit enters our lives, and that is why we are changed. Because He is inside us, He does things in and for us.
Let’s look at a verse in 1 John 2:27, which says, “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit, just as it has taught you, remain in him.” (NIV) When it says his anointing in us,
it is talking about the Spirit within. How wonderful that the Spirit within teaches us and speaks to us.
God speaks to us and guides us through the Holy Spirit within. This is indeed a great blessing from God to His people. We are connected to God by the Spirit, and God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. Obviously, God speaks to us and guides us through different methods. He always speaks to us through the Word. The Bible is God speaking to us. The Holy Spirit always speaks to through the Bible. But God can also speak directly to our spirits and souls through the Holy Spirit who already lives in us.
There is something very interesting about this in 1 Corinthians 2:10-12: “But God has revealed this to us through his Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (NIV) In other words, we hear from God through the Holy Spirit who comes from God and is already in us.
God always wants to speak to us and guide us, and He does so through the Spirit and through the Bible. Another good verse is found in Isaiah 30:21: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (NIV) And it is this voice of the Holy Spirit guiding us. In John 10:3, 16, 27, the Lord said that we are his sheep, and we know his voice, and this voice is through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Many times, in my life as a missionary, God has spoken to me, guiding and helping and protecting me.
If you need direction from God, you must approach him through prayer and the Bible. He will help you and speak to you. Maybe someone’s question is, what is the voice of the Spirit like? Well, the Spirit speaks to us softly. He speaks to us through our spirit. As I mentioned, what the Spirit tells us is always in agreement with the Bible. If you hear something that is not in agreement with the Bible, it is not the Spirit speaking. Sometimes we don’t hear well because we are not praying as we should, and then it is up to us to draw closer to God. If you need to hear from Him urgently, one key is too fast while you are praying. This is a very good way to open our spiritual ears. Another thing, the voice of the Spirit always comes with peace. If you feel anxious or fearful when you hear something, this is not the Spirit. He speaks and comes with peace. Don’t forget that there are things that can prevent us from hearing God’s voice, such as sin and disobedience. If you are not hearing this voice well, you must find out if you have these problems in your life, and thank God you can ask for forgiveness today, and God will forgive you and lift you up, and you can hear this voice again.
Once again, what a blessing that our great God speaks to us and guides us. It is because He loves us, and we are His own children.
If you need to make an important decision or maybe feel called by God to ministry, as we have already discussed, it is time to seek Him through prayer and the Bible, and perhaps also through fasting. Something very beautiful and good is that the Spirit is also in our Christian brothers and sisters and our pastors and leaders, and that is why they can give us good advice through the Spirit that is within them. In any case, in one way or another, God wants to speak to us and guide us. How wonderful that God loves us and speaks to us.