HOLY
Guidelines for the most personal life-changing impact as possible
Ask yourself the Questions.
Remember, real learning and growth is a “Journey of your Heart” (Prov.4:20-23 below). It’s in His presence, alone with Him, that we “put off the old man”, renew our minds and “put on the new self” (Eph 4:20-24 below)
Knowing the TRUTH brings freedom! (John 8:31,32 below) It’s not about memorizing information in your head, Believing it in your heart will change your life!
Truth may challenge your traditional understanding. Be willing to check and study it out in His Word. (Ask yourself whether it brings, or violates, Peace in your heart.)
If anything violates what you know in Scripture to be true, do not just accept it. Write down your revelations or questions or concerns and please be sure to bring it to the church.
Others will learn from you as you will from others!
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Matt 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 8:31-32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Prov 4:20-23 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Eph 4:20-24 ESV
But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Use this as a devotional opportunity - for you. This is not homework for a class. There is no rush, demand or expectation. Please feel liberty always to grow at your own pace.
- Find a regular, quiet time and place where you won’t be disturbed. (If you can, first thing in your day is better before the pressures and demands on your mind begin distracting you.)
- Have your Bible, and a notebook ready to write down questions, thoughts, or even something you suddenly think of that don’t want to forget to do later.
- Ask yourself if you’re really willing to “learn of Him” - then open your heart to His Word and direction.
- Connect with your Father, remember you’re His child, you’re loved, and already qualified in Jesus!
- Ask Father to teach & lead you.
- Take the time to read any and all the Scripture references in your own Bible and version. (I love the free YouVersion Bible App and the “Compare” button which allows you to read that verse in different versions).
- Take time to meditate / ponder on any part. Give yourself the liberty to follow any threads.
- Read the Prayer & Confession to see if you agree with it before you declare it with your own mouth.
Ask yourself the Questions.
Remember, real learning and growth is a “Journey of your Heart” (Prov.4:20-23 below). It’s in His presence, alone with Him, that we “put off the old man”, renew our minds and “put on the new self” (Eph 4:20-24 below)
Knowing the TRUTH brings freedom! (John 8:31,32 below) It’s not about memorizing information in your head, Believing it in your heart will change your life!
Truth may challenge your traditional understanding. Be willing to check and study it out in His Word. (Ask yourself whether it brings, or violates, Peace in your heart.)
If anything violates what you know in Scripture to be true, do not just accept it. Write down your revelations or questions or concerns and please be sure to bring it to the church.
Others will learn from you as you will from others!
-------------------------------------------
Matt 11:28-30 ESV
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 8:31-32 ESV
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Prov 4:20-23 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Eph 4:20-24 ESV
But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
#8 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you for
ever; even the Spirit of truth…. — John 14:16,17
As you’re learning more about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in these devotionals, you may have thought at some point, Following the direction of the Holy Spirit at this deeper level is a little unsettling for me. Honestly, it sounds a little scary to stop trying to manage the situations of life and entrust myself completely to His leadership. I can’t even see Him! What is my guarantee that I can understand how to hear or to follow Him when the Holy Spirit attempts to lead me?
These are reasonable questions to ask if you’re not used to the idea of partnering with the Holy Spirit. In fact, when Jesus first told His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, similar doubts were probably swirling around in their minds. That’s why Jesus made sure to take the time during His last night on earth to assuage their fears and give them a divine guarantee regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 and 17, He said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth.…”
Notice that Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth” in this verse. This is the first of three instances where Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth” over the course of His teaching in John chapters 14-16 (see John 15:26 and John 16:13). Three different times in three chapters! By repeating this phrase over and over again, Jesus was driving a truth into His disciples’ hearts — that the Holy Spirit is utterly trustworthy and would never mislead them or misguide them.
In each instance where Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth,” the word “truth” is a translation of the Greek word alethes, which describes something that can be depended upon or something that is trustworthy, reliable, and true. In the Old Testament Septuagint, this term often denotes something that is faithful, sure, stable, and firm, as opposed to something that is unreliable and uncertain. In addition, the word alethes is used in the gospels to depict the uncovering of truth as opposed to the deliberate hiding of truth. Taken together, these meanings emphatically show that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would always be trustworthy, reliable, and true. The disciples could rest assured that the Holy Spirit would never deliberately conceal information from them that was vital for them to know.
When Jesus used the word truth to describe the Holy Spirit, it was the equivalent of saying, “You don’t need to worry that He will lead you astray or that He will lead you wrongly. You can depend upon Him and you can trust Him.” Jesus wanted the disciples to relax and understand that they could depend on the Holy Spirit to lead them correctly.
Many believers have a hard time following the leading of the Holy Spirit because they can’t see Him or physically hear His voice. They say, “Oh, how I wish Jesus was here” or, “I wish Jesus would step through the door and tell me what to do in this situation.”
But this way of thinking isn’t in line with the Bible. Is it time for you to rejoice that you have the Holy Spirit in your life because He will never mislead you! You may need to develop your ability to listen, but the Holy Spirit will always guide you to where you need to be. He is the Spirit of Truth!
This means you can be sure that when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart to do something, it is the right thing to do. When He puts a thought into your mind, it is a right idea. When He guides your spirit, He knows something you don’t and is trying to lead you on the best possible path through the obstacles in your life. He is always the Spirit of Truth, and as the Spirit of Truth, you can rely on the fact He will never mislead you.
The bottom line is this: If we’re going to experience real, supernatural Christian living, we must come to a place of surrender to the Holy Spirit. He is always trying to coach and direct us, even when we’re not listening. He is always as close as our next breath, dwelling in our spirits — speaking, directing, encouraging, and trying to help us make the correct decisions in life. Whether or not we listen to Him, He is still there on the inside of us because that’s the job assignment He received from the Father. So to the extent we decide to listen to our Heavenly Coach and follow His advice, that is the extent we benefit from the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.
We must learn to trust the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do what He instructs us to do. He is a divine Coach sent by God to help us. For Him to help us, it requires our ears, our hearts, our trust, and our obedience. Anything short of this will produce inferior results, results far short of the supernatural life you really desire. Since He is the Spirit of truth, it means He is completely trustworthy — so put aside your fears and objections and begin to let Him do His job of coaching you. This is Jesus’ guarantee!
My Prayer For Today
Father, I confess that I have been fearful about following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Today I admit it; I confess it; and I turn from it. I want to experience the coaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Therefore, I know He will never mislead me. Starting today, I choose to put aside my apprehensions and surrender to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. With Him helping me, I will begin to follow His leading and let Him guide me through life.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession For Today
I confess that when the Holy Spirit inspires a thought in my mind to do something, it is right. When He nudges my spirit to do something, I can rest assured that He sees and knows something I don’t know and is trying to guide and direct me according to truth. He is always the Spirit of truth and will never mislead me. I long for real, supernatural Christian living, so I confess by faith that I will surrender to the Holy Spirit. In this act of surrender, I give Him permission to be my Heavenly Coach and Counselor.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions For You To Consider
ever; even the Spirit of truth…. — John 14:16,17
As you’re learning more about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in these devotionals, you may have thought at some point, Following the direction of the Holy Spirit at this deeper level is a little unsettling for me. Honestly, it sounds a little scary to stop trying to manage the situations of life and entrust myself completely to His leadership. I can’t even see Him! What is my guarantee that I can understand how to hear or to follow Him when the Holy Spirit attempts to lead me?
These are reasonable questions to ask if you’re not used to the idea of partnering with the Holy Spirit. In fact, when Jesus first told His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, similar doubts were probably swirling around in their minds. That’s why Jesus made sure to take the time during His last night on earth to assuage their fears and give them a divine guarantee regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 and 17, He said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth.…”
Notice that Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth” in this verse. This is the first of three instances where Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth” over the course of His teaching in John chapters 14-16 (see John 15:26 and John 16:13). Three different times in three chapters! By repeating this phrase over and over again, Jesus was driving a truth into His disciples’ hearts — that the Holy Spirit is utterly trustworthy and would never mislead them or misguide them.
In each instance where Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth,” the word “truth” is a translation of the Greek word alethes, which describes something that can be depended upon or something that is trustworthy, reliable, and true. In the Old Testament Septuagint, this term often denotes something that is faithful, sure, stable, and firm, as opposed to something that is unreliable and uncertain. In addition, the word alethes is used in the gospels to depict the uncovering of truth as opposed to the deliberate hiding of truth. Taken together, these meanings emphatically show that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would always be trustworthy, reliable, and true. The disciples could rest assured that the Holy Spirit would never deliberately conceal information from them that was vital for them to know.
When Jesus used the word truth to describe the Holy Spirit, it was the equivalent of saying, “You don’t need to worry that He will lead you astray or that He will lead you wrongly. You can depend upon Him and you can trust Him.” Jesus wanted the disciples to relax and understand that they could depend on the Holy Spirit to lead them correctly.
Many believers have a hard time following the leading of the Holy Spirit because they can’t see Him or physically hear His voice. They say, “Oh, how I wish Jesus was here” or, “I wish Jesus would step through the door and tell me what to do in this situation.”
But this way of thinking isn’t in line with the Bible. Is it time for you to rejoice that you have the Holy Spirit in your life because He will never mislead you! You may need to develop your ability to listen, but the Holy Spirit will always guide you to where you need to be. He is the Spirit of Truth!
This means you can be sure that when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart to do something, it is the right thing to do. When He puts a thought into your mind, it is a right idea. When He guides your spirit, He knows something you don’t and is trying to lead you on the best possible path through the obstacles in your life. He is always the Spirit of Truth, and as the Spirit of Truth, you can rely on the fact He will never mislead you.
The bottom line is this: If we’re going to experience real, supernatural Christian living, we must come to a place of surrender to the Holy Spirit. He is always trying to coach and direct us, even when we’re not listening. He is always as close as our next breath, dwelling in our spirits — speaking, directing, encouraging, and trying to help us make the correct decisions in life. Whether or not we listen to Him, He is still there on the inside of us because that’s the job assignment He received from the Father. So to the extent we decide to listen to our Heavenly Coach and follow His advice, that is the extent we benefit from the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.
We must learn to trust the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do what He instructs us to do. He is a divine Coach sent by God to help us. For Him to help us, it requires our ears, our hearts, our trust, and our obedience. Anything short of this will produce inferior results, results far short of the supernatural life you really desire. Since He is the Spirit of truth, it means He is completely trustworthy — so put aside your fears and objections and begin to let Him do His job of coaching you. This is Jesus’ guarantee!
My Prayer For Today
Father, I confess that I have been fearful about following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Today I admit it; I confess it; and I turn from it. I want to experience the coaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Therefore, I know He will never mislead me. Starting today, I choose to put aside my apprehensions and surrender to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. With Him helping me, I will begin to follow His leading and let Him guide me through life.
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession For Today
I confess that when the Holy Spirit inspires a thought in my mind to do something, it is right. When He nudges my spirit to do something, I can rest assured that He sees and knows something I don’t know and is trying to guide and direct me according to truth. He is always the Spirit of truth and will never mislead me. I long for real, supernatural Christian living, so I confess by faith that I will surrender to the Holy Spirit. In this act of surrender, I give Him permission to be my Heavenly Coach and Counselor.
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions For You To Consider
- Have you ever really trusted the Holy Spirit’s leadership in your life, or do you typically question whether or not you should do the things He has nudged you to do?
- If you have been afraid to follow His leadership in the past, what belief about the Person of the Holy Spirit caused you to be fearful?
- Can you think of a time when you ignored the Holy Spirit’s nudge in your heart, only to discover later that it really was the leading of the Holy Spirit?
- What was that experience, and what was the result of your not doing what He was prompting you to do?