John 14:25-26 New International Version (NIV)
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
If you are going to take instruction from someone, you want to be certain that person is well qualified, right? It’s interesting, then, that so many believers neglect the greatest Bible teacher available. We read religious books, survey friends, and ask a Sunday school class before we decide to get on our knees and consult the true Authority. While those sources can point us in the right direction, only the Holy Spirit illuminates God’s Word to our hearts and minds.
Asking someone to explain Scripture seems easier than seeking to understand it through the Spirit’s power. But consider what a person misses in bypassing Him. Who better to instruct believers about the Word’s depth and breadth than the One who wrote it? (See 2 Peter 1:20-21.) The Spirit laid His message on each human author’s heart, and the writers dutifully recorded it in their own unique voices.
Furthermore, as a member of the holy Trinity, the Spirit knows the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:10). He is often called the Spirit of truth, because He understands everything. The Holy Spirit recognizes our emotional and mental state and can identify exactly where we are in our Christian walk. Therefore, He can reveal to our mind the passages that will encourage, challenge, or convict us as needed.
We have a teacher of divine quality. He will help us to learn and grow, guide us through difficult passages, and shed light on why the Lord allows certain challenges in our life. When it comes to aiding God’s people to know His Word, no one is more qualified than His Spirit.
John 16:12-15 New International Version (NIV)
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 the 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 glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
The ways of God are a mystery to man. Only when we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and received the Holy Spirit can we begin to understand. The Spirit of God uses three methods to open our mind and fill our heart with godly wisdom.
1. Revelation. This term refers to truth that is given by the Lord and cannot be obtained in any other way. The Scriptures are the most obvious example. Anyone, believer or not, can read God’s Word and understand some portions, but only a Spirit-filled believer can begin to grasp the layers of meaning within the Bible.
2. Illumination. We use this word to describe the amazing moment when the Holy Spirit enlightens our mind so that we understand God’s Word. We can read other books a few times and have a thorough understanding of them. But the Lord reveals ever-deeper truths about Himself as we mature in our faith (Eph. 1:17-18).
3. Remembrance. The Holy Spirit reminds us of godly principles or biblical passages when we need them. He helped the gospel writers recall events and Jesus’ words many years after the fact. And He does the same for us when we could use encouragement, inspiration, or comfort.
The Holy Spirit illuminates believers’ minds so that they can recognize and comprehend divine revelation. If we have memorized scriptures and stored up biblical insights, the Spirit of God can dip into the “reservoir” for needed wisdom in our present moment.