John 16:12-15 — The Spirit of Truth — Aneel Aranha

Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel. Today, we will reflect on John 16:12-15. Listen.

[Jesus said:] “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. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 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."

In this passage Jesus says, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth." This is a powerful promise. Jesus is assuring his disciples that they will not be left alone to figure out the truth. The Holy Spirit will be their guide.

But how will the Holy Spirit guide us into truth? One of the primary ways is through the Word of God. The Spirit inspired the writing of Scripture and he illuminates its meaning to us as we read it. As we study the Bible with a heart open to the Spirit's leading, he will reveal the truth to us.

The Holy Spirit also guides us through the inner witness in our hearts. As we pray and seek God's will, the Spirit speaks to us, giving us a sense of peace or conviction about the path we should take. This inner witness always aligns with Scripture and never contradicts it.

Additionally, the Holy Spirit can guide us through the wise counsel of other believers. As we live in community with other Christians who are also seeking to follow the Spirit's leading, their insights and advice can often be a channel for the Spirit to speak truth into our lives.

We must remember that the Spirit is not a separate source of truth but is the one who reveals the truth of God to us. He always points us back to Jesus. Jesus also says that the Spirit will tell us what is yet to come. This doesn't necessarily mean that the Spirit will give us detailed predictions of the future. Rather, it means that the Spirit will guide us as we navigate the unknown future, always pointing us toward God's ultimate plan of redemption.

Finally, Jesus emphasizes that the Spirit's role is to glorify him. Everything the Spirit does is to point us to Jesus and to help us understand and appreciate who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

As followers of Jesus, we have the incredible privilege of having the Spirit of truth as our guide. Are we attentive to his leading through Scripture, prayer, and the counsel of believers? Let's invite the Holy Spirit to fill us afresh and to guide us into all truth.

God bless you.