Expect God to speak to you

In John 16:12-13 Jesus told his disciples, "I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth." He also said that the Holy Spirit would continue to teach us all things and bring our remembrance all that God has said through His Word.

At the point of speaking these words, Jesus was talking to men who he had spent the past three years with continually day and night. One might assume that if you had spent such an intense period of time with someone that you would know them inside out. But Jesus told his disciples to expect more because he will always have something to say to us about new situations we are facing.

Jesus always knew what was the right thing to do because he only did what he saw his Father do, who always led by example. As our Lord and Saviour, we can trust Jesus to lead us to the right path, the narrow path, every single day. He is the only begotten Son of God and we are adopted sons and daughters of God and we are to imitate Him in all that we do.

He became flesh and experienced all of the things that we experience, so he understands our needs. He was baptised in the Holy Spirit, just as we are. And he was led by the Spirit, just as we are led by the Spirit, because he ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

In John 16:13 Jesus continued to speak about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, "For he will not speak His own message; but He will tell you whatever He hears, and He will announce and declare to you the things that are now to come."

The reason that the Holy Spirit dwells on the inside of every Christian is that God knew that we would need help in understanding his plan for us. He is our Guide, our Teacher of Truth, our Counsellor and our Helper. The Holy Spirit promises to never leave us or forsake us. We can live the abundant life if we learn to listen to him. Jesus said that it was better for us that he went away, because if he didn't go, the Holy Spirit would not come to us (John 16:17). Part of Jesus' reasoning was that he was confined to a human body and therefore could only be at one place at a time. Whereas the Holy Spirit can be in every single one of us at all times, leading and guiding each of us individually.