Listening to the Spirit

As Jesus continued to speak to his disciples that night of his arrest, he told them to expect the work of the Holy Spirit in order for them to do what they were called to do.

John 16:1-15 (NIV)
¹ "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.
² They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
³ They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.
⁴ I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.
⁵ "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
⁶ Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.
⁷ But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
⁸ When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
⁹ in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
¹⁰ in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
¹¹ and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
¹² "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
¹⁴ He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Most Christians are well aware of the person of the Holy Spirit.  HE is not an IT.  The Spirit of God is the third member of the Trinity of persons that make up the Godhead.  His role according to Jesus is to come to us.  He convicts of guilt, sin, the need for righteousness, and even the place of judgment...all which don't sit well in our modern world.

People don't want to be judged.
They don't want guilt.
They don't want to deal with sin, and the need for righteousness.

Which is why we need the Holy Spirit!

But what intrigues me the most is Jesus' words that "when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come".  
In a very clear way Jesus says "he will speak to you".

SO, how's the listening going?  The quiet voice of the Spirit is what we need in life, wouldn't you agree?
Let's learn to take up God's word, lay our hearts open to God, and ask for the Spirit to speak, teaching us truth and preparing us for our life to live...he will if we ask.

Luke 11:11-13 (NIV)
¹¹ "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"


Peace