The Holy Spirit - The Ultimate Teacher

The Holy Spirit – The Ultimate Teacher

Main Scripture:  John 14:15-27

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
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. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

            This message came about as a result of a Facebook conversation.  A friend of mine asked his friends to share what they learned in church last Sunday.  Another guy, who was a Mason, chimed in that people that go to church aren’t taught anything, but they’re programmed by the church.  I was tempted to chime in, but the Holy Spirit told me not to.  Instead, I was given the inspiration for this message, which is that the Holy Spirit is the Ultimate Teacher for believers.  Rather than get into a discussion about whether or not someone is programmed, the Holy Spirit inspired me to delve into this topic.  We can take a look at what it means to be programmed, whether or not programming is good, and how to transition from being programmed to being taught, and ultimately, how the Holy Spirit is the one that teaches us all.

            You see, when some people look at believers, they look at us as being “robots”, or programmed.  They feel, like this Masonic person may have felt, that they’ve reached a level of enlightenment and knowledge that rises above Christian “programming.”  Some people even feel that if you’re a Christian, you’re ignorant, and you object to things like science, math, and history.  They feel that since you’ve accepted Christ and believe in, and trust, the infallibility of the Bible, that you’ve traded in your common sense for religious dogma.  But I want to encourage all of us to continue to trust in the Holy Spirit, and continue to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, guide us, teach us, and intercede for us.

            Let’s take a look at programming, and what that means.  One of the dictionary definitions of “programming” is “to cause to absorb or incorporate automatic responses, attitudes, or the like; condition.”  And when some people think of programming, they think of cults and things like that.  But if you look at it from another perspective, you will see that in and of itself, even being “programmed” is not necessarily a bad thing.

            For example, think about when we were kids.  We were programmed by our parents for our own good.  We learned not to touch a hot stove, or to play with a knife, or to talk to strangers, because our parents programmed those lessons within us.  Those basic instructions helped us to navigate a world that would become more complex as we got older.  But because we had the right type of programming at an early age, we came out alright.  No matter our backgrounds, we all programmed in some way, shape, or form.  Some of our programming goes all the way down to our DNA, the building blocks of life.  Some of the ways that we respond are based on our “wiring”, and what we inherited from previous generations.  Some of the ways that we’re programmed are based on where and how we live.  Some of the programming is based on who we are influenced by, and who our role models were. 

            The examples that I gave are examples of good, or positive programming.  Are there examples of negative programming?  Of course!  We see it all around us, in our communities, in television, and in music.  Negative programming instills a mindset that it’s OK to call ladies out of their name, or for men to walk around with their pants sagging down to their ankles.  Negative programming instills a mindset that says that it’s OK for kids to engage in promiscuous behavior, to be thugs, and to look at education as a “bad thing.”  Negative programming can last through generations, as parents instill their poor upbringing into their children, and the children continue a legacy and a cycle of poverty and self-destruction.

            But what about us as Christians?  Are we programmed?  If you look at one of the definitions of “programming”, it says that “programming” means “to condition.”  And by “condition”, the dictionary states that it means to “make oneself familiar with, as by practice, habit, or experience.”  When we apply that definition to the early growth and development of a Christian, we see that in this instance, “programming” is not a bad thing.  The new believer is re-wiring himself, as it were.  He is eliminating the old programming, and re-writing his life with the code based on the very Word of God.  This is the early stages of the TRANSFORMATION that the Apostle Paul teaches about in Romans 12:2, which reads “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”  When we renew the mind, we begin by practicing, creating habits, and creating experiences based on our conversion.  We begin to eliminate the programming set forth by our natural mind, and by our worldly past.  We begin to personify the statement that “lifestyle proves intent” by living our lives according to the Word of God.  So, we can say that when we are learning how to live a Christian life, and learning what it means to be heirs to the Kingdom of God, and learning how to build our faith, and walk in our faith, we undergo a kind of spiritual reprogramming!

            The way we talk changes!  The way we act changes!  We begin to put away childish things, as the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:11.  And by rewriting our spiritual programs, we begin to create a foundation where we can put the childish things away.

            But as we grow in our walk with Christ, and as we continue to be transformed, we move into in-depth study of the Word.  What this means is that now that the “programming” foundation has been laid, we are now ready to be TAUGHT.  We are moving beyond doing things because of memorization and what have you, to having the very word of God written in our minds, our hearts, and our spirits.  Let’s go back to the dictionary for the definition of “teach.”  To teach means “to impart knowledge of or skill in, give instruction in.”  As believers, we rely on our Pastor and ministers to teach us the Word, and to teach us about our Christian walk.  But they don’t get their knowledge and instruction out of thin air!  They don’t give us instruction, guidance, and counseling from their own opinions or their level of education.  Those factors shouldn’t be discounted, but when we are looking at knowledge in our Christian walk, we are looking at one source and one source only, the power of the Holy Spirit!

            Jesus spoke about the coming of the Holy Spirit in the main scripture, and Jesus was teaching his Apostles (as well as us) that the Holy Spirit will teach us.  The Holy Spirit will guide us.  Let’s focus on John 14:25-26.  This scripture says “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.”

            This scripture says it all.  The Holy Spirit will teach us ALL things and remind us of EVERYTHING that Jesus said.  And when the Holy Spirit teaches us, and ministers to us, we’re not being filled with pre-programmed responses to a situation.  The Holy Spirit teaches us by putting the words in our hearts to minister, and to comfort, and even to admonish.  When we operate under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are under the guidance of the ultimate teacher, a teacher sent by God to sustain us in our walk with Christ.

            But the true test of a teacher’s merit is not only on his or her ability to teach, but some of the other attributes that make a teacher great.  A great teacher not only imparts knowledge, but offers guidance and conviction and leadership.  Of course, all of these attributes describe the Holy Spirit!  John 16:12-13 says “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  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.”

            ALL truth means that even if there is something that is not right within us, the Holy Spirit will guide is through, to remove what his not of God’s will.  When we examine ourselves under the power of the Holy Spirit, we take a real look out ourselves.  We begin to see ourselves as God Himself sees us, and we begin to define ourselves in accordance to the very word of God.  When the Holy Spirit guides us, we are no longer viewed by our past.  We are no longer viewed by our shortcomings.  We are no longer viewed according to our acts.  When the Holy Spirit guides us, we become more than conquerors!  We become part of a peculiar people!  We become set apart to do a work for God!  We become co-heirs with Christ!

            Hebrews 10:14-16 says “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

The Holy Spirit teaches us by writing the laws of God in our hearts and on our minds.  This way, we will be able to meditate on His words day and night.  And when we meditate on His word, we are given the power of discernment, and the ability to apply the very word of God in every aspect of our lives.  This discernment allows the Holy Spirit to minister to us, to make sure that we are receiving sound doctrine.  The Word speaks about testing the spirits, in 1 John 4:1-3.  This scripture reads

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

When we move into being taught by the power of the Holy Spirit, God gives us the ability to hear the Word in our hearts, and to raise questions in our minds and in our hearts if something is not aligned with the Word.  I believe that a huge reason people stay under “questionable” ministries and doctrines is because they’re so enamored with the PERSON or the PERSONALITY that they are not allowing the Holy Spirit to TEACH them that maybe… just maybe, the person in their pulpit’s messages are not aligned with the Word.  Conversely, if the minister is giving sound doctrine, but the believer is not being taught by the Holy Spirit, that believer will get so caught up in distractions (“I don’t like the way that person talks, why isn’t so-and-so here, if Rev. Dooflappy ain’t preaching, then I’ma get some water when that other person goes on, why they always gotta talk about this or that, etc and so forth) that they MISS what the Holy Spirit is trying to impart into their heart and their lives.

            The Holy Spirit being able to teach us also includes prayer!  And even if we don’t know how to express ourselves, we have an advocate and an intercessor in the Holy Spirit!  In Romans 8:26, the Apostle Paul writes that “the (Holy) Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”  What better advocate or teacher can we have than one who will intercede for us, when we are so burdened that we don’t know what to say?

            As the Ultimate Teacher, the one who guides and leads us, the Holy Spirit helps us to evolve from being “programmed” with rote memorization, routines, and traditions, to being taught about all things involving the Word of God.  And being taught by the Holy Spirit allows us to be open to all of the gifts of the Spirit, and it allows us to be receptive to our calling!  God has a special plan for each of every one of us, but it’s up to us to be open to the direction of the Holy Spirit, and the guidance given through His ordained leaders, which include our Pastor.

            When we operate in this fashion, we are no longer being “programmed”, because we have moved from spiritual milk to spiritual meat.  We continue to mature spiritually, and continue to grow in our walk with Christ.  We continue to achieve higher heights and deeper depths of prayer, praise, and worship.  We move beyond “Sunday School answers” and speak from the heart, love from the heart, and worship the Lord in the manner that the Bible describes, which is in spirit, and in truth.

The Year Of Transformation

2012.  Twenty-Twelve.  MMXII.  A new year has begun.

Whenever we transition from one year to the next, one thing that a lot of us do is declare resolutions.  I know that I used to.  At one point, I spent inordinate, unnecessary amounts of time writing my resolutions out, picking the most serious, most determined font that stated "I'M SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING CHANGES THIS YEAR."

...doesn't this insane asylum font just SCREAM "I'M SERIOUS"?  Doesn't it?!  THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU!!!

But as I continue to grow in my relationship with Christ, I came to the understanding that the best way to implement any change in my life was to renew the mind.  In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul writes:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will."

It took a little while for this message to really sink in.  I kept documenting my resolutions, but I never really did anything different to make the change that I was seeking.  Eventually, the year would go on, and the resolutions that I spent so much time documenting and writing would fade into oblivion.  Every now and then, I would stumble upon a printout and get mad at myself for not following through.  It made me feel like a failure, because I resolved to do "X" and by December 31, "X" didn't happen.  Whether it was financial improvements, transportation improvements, or getting into a relationship, I used to get myself bent out of shape when the end of the year came and nothing happened.

But once I became active in my church, I started to absorb the lessons being taught.  One of the lessons was about resolutions.  Wouldn't you know it, resolutions have a way of falling by the wayside.  Even statistically speaking, only 46% of resolutions are kept throughout the end of the year.  This is not to say that New Years' resolutions are a BAD thing.  But for me, resolutions were not working.  But there are some things that I needed to change.  And how was I going to facilitate that change?

Eventually, the answer hit me.

Renew the mind.  Renew The Mind.  RENEW THE MIND.

I've been through some dark patches, and I got to a point where I hit rock bottom spiritually and mentally.  And this began to affect other areas of my life.  After praying, meditating, counseling, etc., I began to see that I was previously paying lip-service to the changes that I wanted.  I didn't allow myself to CONTINUE the transformative process that began when I turned my life over to Christ.

But when I DID begin to renew my mind, I saw that the changes that I needed to make (and still need to make) aren't determined by a calendar date.  The Scripture does not say "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind -- on New Years' Day."  The change had to begin now.  In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul wrote:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

The bolded phrase stood out the most for me.  We are being renewed day by day.  God doesn't want us to wait until the beginning of the new year to transform.  As humans, we are all subject to screwing up in one form or another, either by commission or omission.  Lord knows that I've done my share of both.  And the Lord also knows that the only way that I could be truly delivered was to change my perspective about myself on a daily basis.  Instead of condemning myself for my sins, mistakes, shortcomings, etc etc ad nauseum ad infinitum, I needed to see myself as God sees me.  God doesn't see me as someone who's mired in self-pity, crying "woe is me."  People who are part of a royal priesthood don't do that.

I called this post "The Year of Transformation" not because I have resolved to transform myself in 2012...

...no, not this kind of transformation... but this wouldn't be too bad...

...but because I am dedicating this year to the continued development and transformation that has begun a little while ago.  I saw that once I began to meditate and study the Word, I became more focused on making major changes.  There are still some more things that I continue to work on... but rather than RESOLVE to make the change, I decided to live a lifestyle dedicated to transformation.  It has been an ongoing process, and it continues to be.  I may stumble, but victory can be obtained, even in what appears to be a defeat or a setback.  This is the Year of Transformation... The Year of the Lord's favor.  And it's mine.