Led by the Spirit - 22 May 2024
By Ben Fourie
Bible text(s)
John 16
For the early church, it was very important to do what was right, as the road Jesus set out for them was a completely new one. They must have been overwhelmed by so many dramatic things that happened in a very short time. Jesus was crucified, resurrected and ascended into heaven. The Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, Stephen was killed and many believers had to flee for their lives. One wonders how many of them remembered these words of Jesus, for in this verse are very clear directions for the road: let the Spirit guide you. This is true for us as well, however, this is easier said than done.
“Let the Spirit guide you” – what exactly is meant by this? The next three guidelines might help us.
First, the Spirit will lead us into all the truth. That means he will help us understand the full revelation about Jesus Christ. When venturing on a new road for the first time, it is necessary to know as much about the road as possible. You must know how to reach it, what the surface of the road will be, know if you have access to food and water, and many other information. We are very fortunate that everything we need to know about the road that God wants us to travel, we can find in the Bible. The directions are very clear. The Spirit does not want to give a lot of new information, he wants to focus our attention on what is already written in the Bible.
In the second place, the Spirit will help us to glorify Jesus in everything we do. When we do this, it is God himself who is glorified and in the end, that is what life is all about.
In the third place, the Spirit will help us along this road by a few very practical things that we can use to measure our progress. Look at the following: is what I do to the glory of God and the benefit of the people who share the road with me? Is it also to my own edification and that of the church? Does it help me to grow in the Spirit? The Spirit wants to lead us. How willing am I to follow him?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for guiding me every day. Amen
