The Forgotten Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
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Whats the First thing you think of...
Whats the First thing you think of...
Elvis Presley - was actually a natural blond
Theodore Roserfelt read at least 1 book a day.
Steve Jobs - became vegan so he didn't have to bath or shower.
Winston Churchhill -narcolepsy - lost 2 days.
Holy Spirit - Gifts, or Fruit of the Spirit. and why not:
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
And we think - Signs, wonders, tongues, prophecy there is a long list.
But today i want to remind you of one of the most neglected ministries of the Holy Spirit. Yet easily one of thye most powerful and life changing, and unlike the gifts who are given to some as the Spirit sees fit:
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Unlike the gifts this ministry to given to each and every believer in the exact same measure. A ministry that can and will change your entire life drastically.
The Holy Spirit: The Greatest Teacher in Existence
The Holy Spirit: The Greatest Teacher in Existence
In scripture one thing is very clear: The Holy Spirit is given to the church, to each member of the Church to teach each christian, through the Word of God, all things relating to Jesus and how to live for Jesus. Yet many christians totally neglect this wonderful ministry by not co-operating with the Sprit.
Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
What does the Prophet promise: That God will instruct his people by his spirit and teach them everything that they will ever need and will find satisfaction, hope and comfort in the teachings they receive.
Lets begin by looking at the words of Jesus himself:
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 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.
Read that verse: What things will the Holy Spirit teach you? Is there anything that you cannot lean from the Holy Spirit? Is there anything that the holy Spirit will be unable or insufficient to teach you?
No, He will teach you all things! Remember that.
And what else will he do? He will be able to bring to remembrance all the the teaching of Jesus, that is anything within God’s word.
But please note: The Holy Spirit cannot help you recall something you never learned. You cannot make a withdrawal until you make a deposit. This is very important and we will se why later.
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: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 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.
note v 13: What truth will the holy Spirit be able to guide you into? All truth. Is there any truth that the Holy Spirit cannot give you? No.
Note: the rest of v 13: “He will not speak of himself” - This does not mean that the Holy Spirit will not speak about himself - how else is he supposed to teach us about himself them? rather it means that he will not speak independently of Jesus.
He will only speak and teach what is found in Jesus - what does that mean?
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the Word of God, this bible is God’s Word. So the Holy Spirit, will never teach you anything that is not found or contradicts the Word of God - EVER!!!
So can the Holy Spirit teach you about: Justification?; Atonement?; regeneration?; how about Victory, liberty and the resurrection?
Yes, and yes to many more things.
However can the Holy Spirit teach you about: Purgatory? Infant Baptism? The Saturday Sabbath? TULIP? No, why? Because none of these thing is taught in plain scripture.
There is not a topic or passage that The Holy Spirit cannot teach or explain to you.
Now I know What you are saying:
“There are passages I don’t Understand!”
“There are passages I don’t Understand!”
Have any of you ever read a passage, or few verses, maybe a psalm or a proverb and not had a clue what is was all about? No, just me then....
No but you think, “Well if the Holy Spirit is my teacher, then why are there passages that i read and dont understand? Why is he not teaching me what they mean? am i broken? Maybe the holy Spirit does not work that with me?”
No, you are not broken and that does not mean that the Holy Spirit is not teaching you, you just forget the words of Jesus:
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
There are passages that the Holy Spirit will not yet explain or reveal simple because you are not mature enough to bear them.
Even Peter said that Pauls revelation were hard to understand.
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
There are passages i do not understand, i have some ideas, its taken 20 years but i cannot say i fully understand every verse and word of scripture.
But listen here: If you read 1 chapter, say Ephesians 1 today. I will guarantee you that the holy spirit WILL teach you at least 1 thing from that chapter, some of you may learn 2, others 3, maybe 4 or 5, but lets just say you learn 1 thing, and you read 1 chapter a day for 1 year. At the end of 1 year the Holy Spirit would have taught you 365 new things, and will be able to bring all 365 to instant remembrance whenever the need arises. More on that later.
Lets see what the Apostles said of the Holy Spirit teaching ministry:
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
look at v 10: Once again “ALL things”. Can you see a pattern here, is there anything that the Holy spirit cannot teach and you need a man or school, or seminary to teach you? No.
But what about complicated things, like the trinity, or the end times or the rapture of the church, those are complicated deep things? can the holy spirit teach about them ?
Yes Note: “DEEP THINGS” - the complicated things.
Do you need to spend thousands of rands in seminary and university to learn all these truths about God?
No, they are freely given, as freely given as the Holy Spirit to teaches them.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
How does He teach us?
How does He teach us?
Well lets look at the last part of the previus passages
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Comparing spiritual with Spiritual simply means that the Holy Spirit explains scripture with scripture.
Every time you are taught by the holy spirit, you are building up a collection of basic truths and principles that will become a “key” to unlocking deeper truth and mistries, and the holy spirit will bring these key passages to your remembrance as you read and study the bible.
The Neglected Responsibility
The Neglected Responsibility
So neglected is this ministry that the modern day church neglects the most noble practice of a church. The testing of the Word.
More on this later, but I love to teach and preach. Its my gifting and I love it, and I love helping you understand scripture.
And these is nothing wrong with coming to your pastor or help understanding a doctrine or anything, thats part of Gods purpose, more in just moment.
But the modern church has gotten to the point where they are unable to be taught by the Holy Spirit and rely solely on the pastor to teach them.
If you just rely on the pastor and not the holy spirit, what if the pastor teaching you false doctrine? How will you know?
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Do you, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, search the scriptures daily to test my words? Am I your final Authority of whatever i preach about? I should be, no man should EVER be your final authority, the bible should, the hHoly Spirit should be your primary teacher.
But what do we pay you for?
But what do we pay you for?
Good question, its my job and calling to preach and tech you is it not? Yes, but look at scripture:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
So we can see that God has ordained teachers and preachers as part of the 5 fold ministry but look at the purpose:
To prefect. Not to make from scratch, but to perfect. My teaching on a Sunday should perfect you, not make you.
If i say: “Im gonna put the perfecting touches on a wedding cake” Does that not imply that the cake is baked and set and iced, and I’m just putting the final finishing touches on?
Listen: If you are primarily taught by me on a Sunday morning and not taught daily by the Holy Spirit, then you are neglecting a wonderful ministry.
You often hear: “Im gonna leave that church, I’m just not growing or getting anything” Fine, that may be true, but before you leave: Are you not expecting the poor pastor to bake the find the ingredients, mix the batter, bake the cake, let it cool, make the icing, stack it together, ice the cake, put on the decorations and pop on a cherry?
Listen NO pastor is that good. We have 40 min a week. Do you know how little that is?
10 080 minutes in 1 week, we have 40. That mean that if you go to church every Sunday morning I only see you for 0.004% of your week. An if you are only getting taught for 0.004% in a week then how can you blame to church for your slow growth?
Final Thoughts?
Final Thoughts?
Read your bible and Study your bible. What is the difference between bible reading and bible study? One is done with a pen and paper. Get a book, write down what you learn, write down what you understand, forget about hat you don’t understand, you are not ready, keep going, read a chapter a day every day, take your time, there no rush, just keep at it, daily, without fail, be dedicated, be faithful, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and you will be amazed!
Open thou mine eyes,
That I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.