John 14:26 says “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” This verse contains an incredible promise – that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things and remind us of everything Jesus said.
First, let’s look at the context. Jesus spoke these words to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. He knew He was going away soon and wanted to comfort them. Part of that comfort was the promise that although He was leaving, the Holy Spirit would come to be their Helper and Teacher.
The Holy Spirit is called our “Helper” because He comes alongside us to aid, assist, encourage, and guide us. He is also called the “Spirit of Truth” (John 14:17) who reveals God’s truth to us. Jesus told the disciples that it was actually to their advantage that He was going away, because then the Holy Spirit would come to dwell inside them and teach them in an intimate way (John 16:7).
So what does it mean specifically that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things?
First, it means He will teach us all we need to know about God’s truth and Jesus’ teachings. Jesus told the disciples the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance everything He had taught them (John 14:26). As we read God’s Word, the Holy Spirit illuminates Scripture and impresses divine truths upon our hearts and minds. He gives us insight into the meaning of God’s Word.
Secondly, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to apply Biblical truth to our lives. He shows us how to live out our faith in practical ways. He convicts us when we sin and helps us understand how to obey and honor God. The Holy Spirit is our divine teacher who reveals areas in our lives that need to change and gives us wisdom in applying God’s Word.
Third, the Holy Spirit teaches us all things we need to know for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He teaches and guides us in the way we should go (Psalm 143:10). There are many things we face in life where we need wisdom and discernment to make good decisions. The Holy Spirit gives us personalized teaching and counsel to guide our daily lives.
Fourth, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray. Romans 8:26 tells us the Spirit helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us when we don’t know how to pray. He instructs us how to pray according to God’s will and empowers us in prayer.
Fifth, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to use our spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each believer for the common good. As we yield to the Spirit, He will teach us how and when to use our spiritual gifts.
Sixth, the Holy Spirit teaches our hearts to understand spiritual truths that the world cannot grasp. 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 says the Spirit teaches us to appraise spiritual truths spiritually. His teaching ministry goes beyond just academic knowledge to changing our hearts to understand and receive spiritual truth.
Seventh, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to evangelize and make disciples. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told the disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). The Book of Acts shows how the Spirit equipped believers with boldness and wisdom to share the gospel.
Eighth, the Holy Spirit teaches us to discern truth from error. As the Spirit of Truth, He guides us into all truth and guards us from deception (1 John 4:6, John 16:13). He teaches us to discern between Biblical truth and false teaching.
In summary, the Holy Spirit is an amazing Teacher. Jesus knew that after He left, the disciples would need the Spirit’s divine instruction and guidance. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things about God, Christ, the Scriptures, prayer, spiritual truth, godly living, using our gifts, and knowing God’s will. We should depend on the Spirit fully to instruct us in the ways of God.
As we yield to the Holy Spirit each day, we can trust Him to teach us everything we need to know. We should pray consistently for the Holy Spirit to instruct, guide, convict, teach, and remind us of Biblical truth. When we pray, study Scripture, worship God, and listen to Biblical teaching, we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit’s tutelage. We can be confident that just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit will teach us all things we need to live godly, fruitful lives for His glory.
The Holy Spirit Teaches Us God’s Truth
One primary role of the Holy Spirit is to teach us the truths of God’s Word. The Bible says when we received Christ, we were given the Spirit to understand what God has freely given us (1 Corinthians 2:12). The truths of Scripture are God-breathed and illuminated to us by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16).
Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:13). As we study the Bible, the Holy Spirit impresses God’s eternal truths upon our hearts and reminds us of Christ’s teachings. He instructs our minds to grasp and apply the meaning of Scripture. The spiritual truths that seemed confusing before become clear as the Holy Spirit enlightens God’s Word to us.
For example, we may read a passage like “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), and it may not make sense to us at first. But as we meditate on it, the Holy Spirit will teach us how and why God wants us to love our enemies through His power. Numerous commands and teachings in the Bible that seem difficult or impossible become possible as the Spirit enables us to understand and obey God’s Word.
The Holy Spirit also protects us from false teaching and deception. First John 4:1 tells us not to believe every spirit but to test them to see if they are from God. The Holy Spirit teaches us to discern truth from error and recognize false doctrine that contradicts the Bible.
As the Spirit of Truth, He guides us into all truth just as Jesus promised (John 16:13). We can have confidence that if we submit to His teaching ministry, we will grow in understanding what God’s Word says and means. The Holy Spirit illuminates the truths of Scripture to transform our minds and lives.
The Holy Spirit Teaches Us All Things
In addition to teaching us God’s written Word, the Holy Spirit also instructs us in all things pertaining to life and godliness. While the Bible contains everything we need for salvation and Christian teaching (2 Timothy 3:16), the Holy Spirit takes the principles and precepts of Scripture and applies them to our daily situations.
For example, the Bible may not directly address every specific ethical question or dilemma we face in modern times. But the Holy Spirit takes biblical principles about morality and applies them to guide us in making wise, godly decisions.
The Holy Spirit teaches us not just head knowledge, but heart understanding that leads to genuine wisdom. As Job 32:8 says, “But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.” When we follow the Spirit’s promptings, He imparts true discernment to us.
First Corinthians 2:13 tells us the Holy Spirit teaches us to interpret spiritual truths spiritually. His instruction guides our hearts, not just our minds. Jesus said the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will teach us all things (John 14:26). This includes every situation, relationship, struggle, victory, decision, and challenge we face.
As we walk in fellowship with God, we can trust the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and discernment for daily life. He will instruct us in the way we should go and counsel us with divine advice as we seek Him (Psalm 32:8). As we spend time in God’s presence, the Spirit teaches us directly as Jesus promised.
Examples of the Holy Spirit’s Teaching
Here are some examples of how the Holy Spirit teaches us all things:
- He teaches us when and how to witness – Acts 1:8 says we’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us to be Christ’s witnesses. The Book of Acts shows how the Spirit emboldened believers to share the gospel.
- He teaches us to pray – Romans 8:26 tells us the Spirit intercedes for us and guides our prayers according to God’s will.
- He teaches us how to exercise spiritual gifts – The Holy Spirit distributes gifts to each believer for serving others and edifies the church through diverse gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). As we walk in step with the Spirit, He will teach us how and when to use our gifts.
- He teaches our conscience – The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and righteousness, prompting our conscience to follow God’s moral law (John 16:8).
- He teaches us comfort – The Holy Spirit is called our Comforter who encourages and reassures us of God’s love (John 14:16).
- He teaches us hope – Romans 15:13 tells us the God of hope fills us with joy and peace as we trust in Him by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- He teaches us self-control – Galatians 5:22-23 lists self-control as a fruit or result of walking in step with the Spirit.
- He teaches us spiritual warfare – Ephesians 6:10-18 depicts the armor of God empowering us to stand against the enemy’s schemes as we follow the Spirit’s leading.
- He teaches us spiritual truth – 1 Corinthians 2:10 says the Spirit teaches us to appraise spiritual truths spiritually. He illuminates God’s truth to our hearts.
- He teaches us how to follow God’s will – Romans 12:2 exhorts us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we follow the Spirit’s promptings and not conform to the world.
In all aspects of the Christian life, from understanding Scripture to sharing our faith to making daily decisions, we can fully rely on the Holy Spirit’s divine instruction and guidance if we submit to His lordship. As we yield to the Spirit, He will teach us all things we need to know.
How to Receive the Holy Spirit’s Teaching
How can we receive and apply the Holy Spirit’s teaching in our lives? Here are some important steps:
- Study the Bible – We should devote ourselves to reading, meditating on, and memorizing Scripture so we understand the spiritual truths the Holy Spirit wants to illuminate to us (2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 119:15).
- Pray for illumination – We should pray for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and clarity as we study God’s Word. Ask Him to teach and impress spiritual truths on your heart. (Psalm 119:18)
- Apply God’s Word – Knowledge alone won’t change us; we must obey and put into practice the Bible’s commands. As we live out God’s Word, we’ll understand it better. (James 1:22, John 14:21)
- Listen to biblical teaching – We should expose ourselves to sound Bible preaching and teaching under the Spirit’s guidance (2 Timothy 4:2-3).
- Walk in the Spirit – Staying in communication with the Holy Spirit through prayer and obeying His convicted promptings is key. (Galatians 5:16, 25)
- Renew your mind – We must reprogram our thought patterns by immersing ourselves in God’s truth. (Romans 12:2)
- Fellowship with other believers – Godly counsel and insights from other Christians who also follow the Spirit’s guidance can help us discern His voice better. (Proverbs 11:14)
Above all, we must surrender control of our lives to the Spirit and depend on Him fully, just as Jesus did. The more we yield every area of our lives to the Holy Spirit’s control, the more He can teach us and transform us to Christlikeness.
Marks of the Holy Spirit’s Teaching
How can we discern the Holy Spirit’s teaching and confirm it is truly from God? Here are some key indicators:
- It will agree with Scripture – The Holy Spirit always confirms the truths of the Bible. He never contradicts God’s Word.
- It bears spiritual fruit – The Spirit’s teaching produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and other godly fruit in our lives. We become more like Jesus. (Galatians 5:22-23)
- It provokes conviction – The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and righteousness, drawing our conscience to obedience. (John 16:8)
- It results in spiritual growth – We will grow in understanding, wisdom, character, obedience, and bearing good fruit. (Colossians 1:9-10)
- It glorifies Christ – The Holy Spirit always points people to Jesus, not Himself. He reminds us of Christ’s teachings. (John 16:14)
- It aligns with godly counsel – Wise, biblically-grounded believers will confirm the Spirit’s guidance in our lives. (Proverbs 1:5)
- It produces liberty, not legalism – Following the Spirit results in freedom from sin, not rigid rules. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
- It brings joy and peace – The joy and peace from obeying the Spirit surpass human understanding. (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
- It results in blessing – God blesses and rewards those who obey the Spirit’s voice. (Acts 5:32)
In summary, the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit transforms us to live godly, fruitful lives that please and honor Christ. As we submit to Him fully, we can trust Him to guide us into all truth and teach us all things we need to know and do.