Remember, the Bible contains the mysteries of God, and the Holy Spirit is the One who reveals those mysteries to us. If you read a passage of Scripture without the influence of the Spirit, you can only see what that text is saying in the language of men. But through the Spirit, you can understand the spiritual meaning of the text, which transcends human understanding, because in the Spirit we have the mind of Christ:

We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord

so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

(1 Corinthians 2:7-16 NIV)

Question: My church is dry. What can I do as an individual member to bring more of the Spirit into it?

John: Unless you are a leader in your church, the only thing you can do is pray. First, invite the Spirit into your life, so that you bring His manifest presence into the church with you. Second, ask that God would move on the hearts of your leaders to be more open to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Chapter 6 - Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

If you are using this book as part of the Messenger Series on the Holy Spirit, please refer to video session 6.

1 | All believers have the ability to operate in spiritual gifts. What might it look like to operate in these gifts outside of formal “ministry” settings?

2 | When you believe God is giving you peace about a decision, what gives you confidence that you are hearing from Him?