But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].
John 16:13 AMPC
I am simply thrilled to be writing this to you right now. I have been quite busy with so many other things this summer, but I have been searching out time to sit down and share with you what I am about to write. I want to shed some light on how the Holy Spirit speaks to us, how He longs to speak to us daily, and I want to challenge you by asking you, “How are you listening to God right now?”
In John 16:13, Jesus teaches us that the Holy Spirit, who is inside every born-again believer, will guide you into all truth. “He will guide” is the Greek word ὁδηγέω (hodegeo, pronounced “hod-uh-GAY-oh”), which means to be a guide; be someone who shows another the way or right path, or to be one’s teacher. This means that guiding us is not just a small part of the Holy Spirit’s job description; but it is part of His personality!
I recently went on an absolutely stunning tour of Hearst Castle, not too far from my home in the Central Coast of California. I was amazed at the complexity, the beauty, and the indescribable opulence of that literal castle built on the top of a hill with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding rolling hills. The architecture was like nothing I had ever seen before; the vibrant colors of the stones, the sheer size of the grounds, the gardens, the pools (yes, there are several pools), and the caliber and quality of art and historical artifacts present were simply mind-boggling. It truly is difficult to describe such a place to someone who has never been there before, unless that someone is accustomed to living inside what is, in essence, a literal museum of opulence, top-tier art, and incredible wealth.
While I would have enjoyed sneaking around the grounds on my own for a few hours (which is totally prohibited), I learned so much more about the castle from my tour guide. Mary clearly knew her stuff and had been giving tours for some time, for she answered nearly every question–even some pretty obscure historical questions– without batting an eye. I was very glad Mary was our tour guide, for she pointed out things along the way that were simply astounding. Without her narrating about each art piece and the story behind how it came to be in the castle, I would have had a completely different experience. Not only that, but I certainly would have gotten lost–to say the castle is huge is an understatement. I think my whole house could have fit in the cocktail room… twice!
If you have received salvation through Jesus, you have the world’s very best guide living on the inside of you! It isn’t just a job to Him; no, it is part of His personality! The Holy Spirit, ever y day, seeks to be your own personal guide–leading you and pointing things out to you that you would never notice or appreciate on your own. He will point out errors in your computer code (true story); He will show you where you left your car keys when you are trying to race out the door (true story); He will lead you in how to deal with that difficult relationship; He will teach you how to navigate your challenges at work; He will teach you what you need to learn in this current season so you are fully equipped and prepared for the next one… the list goes on. The Holy Spirit is yearning to be your personal tour guide–He wants to lead you in the best path possible through life! Hey, He even knows all the hard-to-see shortcuts… and all the pitfalls… along the way!
In light of all this, I want to ask you a simple (but profound) question:
HOW are you listening to God right now?
I asked a friend recently, “What is God showing you right now?” I always like to ask that question, because it causes people (myself included) to focus back on their relationship with God, and how they are cultivating a listening ear and a praying heart toward Him on a daily basis. Even as I asked my friend that question, I was applying it to my own heart.
I had begun a verse-by-verse study of the book of Hebrews, but had gotten distracted (in a good way, this time) by a word that God personally spoke to me one morning not long ago as I sat quietly before Him on my couch during my morning quiet time with Him. I don’t get these spectacular word-for-word messages from Him often, but when I do, I carefully write them down as He speaks to me in my journal. Next, I dissect the word carefully and find what Scriptures line up with what I feel I heard Him say. Once I have compiled a list of these Scriptures, I place my energy into reading and re-reading them, thinking about them, meditating on them, and studying each of them out carefully.
These have now become MY words. Every Scripture is God-breathed and is powerful for me anyway (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17), but when God breathes on specific Scriptures, I take these words into my life in a very, very personal way. The Word of God is more powerful this way; when you really grab hold of what He is saying and begin to make it your very own. And so, right now, I am hearing His direction, guidance, love, affirmation, instruction, encouragement, and prophecy over my life through these Scriptures that He breathed on recently. This is the most exciting way to hear from God, in my opinion.
Other days, it’s not as flashy. But I am still hearing from God, it just looks different. Most times, I just pick a book of the Bible and start reading and studying it out. I pay careful attention to what “stands out” to me that day; I write it down, and think about it until I learn something new from it. I’ll spend time praying in other tongues; that is when I hear much from Him. I will also just sit and praise Him, thinking about how faithful our Heavenly Father is toward me and my family, and how He has never let us down. I’ll minister to Him (Acts 13:2) and give Him my love.
How are you listening to God RIGHT NOW?
What does it look like for you in this season? Do you have a plan? It is vital that you are intentional about spending time with God and ensuring you are clearly hearing the voice of your tour guide, the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. If you allow yourself to become dull of hearing toward His guidance, you may end up somewhere you shouldn’t be.
So what is your plan? How are you going to take what you’ve learned today… about how the Holy Spirit isn’t just our guide on the side–but that it is a primary part of His personality and identity to be your tour guide through life–and act on it? Will you make an appointment on your calendar to spend time with God every day? Will you change something about your existing time with Him? Will you eliminate distractions and time-wasting activities and instead focus your energy and attention on your tour guide? Because He knows His stuff, and He will always lead you into all–not some– truth.
Thank God, He is our faithful Guide and Friend!
Be encouraged! I’m praying for you. Please reach out if you need specific prayer about anything!
With all my love,