Trusting in the Holy Spirit's Guidance Fully
Trusting in the Holy Spirit's guidance involves recognizing the Spirit's active role in the life of a believer, particularly in sanctification and understanding divine truth. The Holy Spirit is understood as the "Spirit of truth" who guides believers into all truth [6, 7]. This guidance is not merely intellectual but encompasses the entire being, leading to a transformed life.
The work of the Holy Spirit is central to the process of sanctification, which is the ongoing work of God making a believer holy [3]. This process is described as the Spirit bringing the whole person "more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration" [3]. It is a continuous work that extends to the entire individual [3]. The Apostle Peter notes that believers are chosen "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ" [2]. This sanctifying work is not a mere moral reformation but a profound spiritual transformation [3].
Guidance from the Holy Spirit is also evident in prayer. Believers are encouraged to pray "at all times in the Spirit" [1], indicating that prayer is to be influenced and directed by the Holy Spirit. This concept suggests that prayer not offered under the Spirit's influence may not reach heaven [11]. The Spirit's role in prayer is further highlighted by the understanding that the Spirit helps believers in their weaknesses and intercedes for them [11].
The Holy Spirit is also the source of spiritual fruit, which includes "goodness, righteousness, and truth" [8, 10]. These fruits are the result of the Spirit's work in a believer's life, contrasting with the "unfruitful works of darkness" [10]. John Calvin, a prominent Reformer, emphasized that believers are like "wild and useless olive trees" until they are grafted into Christ, who, through the Spirit, enables them to bear fruit [9]. This fruit is considered a harmonious whole, representing the works of righteousness [9].
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is intrinsically linked to divine revelation. The Scriptures themselves are described as "given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit" [5]. This means that the very words of God, which serve as a guide for doctrine and practice, are a product of the Spirit's work [5, 12]. Therefore, trusting in the Holy Spirit's guidance is inseparable from heeding the inspired Word of God [5, 6]. The Spirit also grants wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, as seen in the Old Testament example of Bezalel, whom God filled "with the Spirit of God, in wisedome, and in vnderstanding and in knowledge and in all workmanship" [4].
Sources
- Ephesians “with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints: -- Ephesians 6:18”
- 1 Peter “1 Peter 1:2 (NASB) — according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:1”
- Exodus “Exodus 31:3 (Geneva1599) — Whom I haue filled with the Spirit of God, in wisedome, and in vnderstanding and in knowledge and in all workmanship:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Truth — God is a God of -- De 32:4; Ps 31:15. Christ is -- Joh 14:6; 7:18. Christ was full of -- Joh 1:14. Christ spoke -- Joh 8:45. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of -- Joh 14:17. The Holy Spirit guides into all -- Joh 16:13. The word of God is -- Da 10:21; Joh 17:17. God regards, with favour -- Jer 5:3. The judgments of God are according to -- Ps 96:13; Ro 2:2. Saints should Worship God in. -- Joh 4:24; Ps 145:18. Serve God in. -- Jos 24:14; 1Sa 12:24. Walk before God in. -- 1Ki 2:4; 2Ki 20:3. Keep religious feasts with. -- 1Co 5:8. Esteem, as inestimable. -- Pr 23:”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 15:26: 15:26 But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth: Like a legal advocate, the Holy Spirit counsels and protects Jesus’ followers.”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 5:8: For the fruit of the Spirit,.... Either of the spirit of man, as renewed, or rather of the Spirit of God; the allusion is to fruits of trees: the believer is a tree of righteousness; Christ is his root; the Spirit is the sap, which supports and nourishes; and good works, under the influence of his grace, are the fruit: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read "the fruit of light"; which agrees with the preceding words: and the genuine fruit of internal grace, or light, is in all goodness, and righteousness, ”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 1:11: The oldest manuscripts read the singular, "fruit." So Gal 5:22 (see on Gal 5:22); regarding the works of righteousness, however manifold, as one harmonious whole, "the fruit of the Spirit" (Eph 5:9) Jam 3:18, "the fruit of righteousness" (Heb 12:11); Rom 6:22, "fruit unto holiness." which are--"which is by (Greek, 'through') Jesus Christ." Through His sending to us the Spirit from the Father. "We are wild and useless olive trees till we are grafted into Christ, who, by His living root, makes us fruit-bearing branches" [CALVIN].”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:9: fruit of the Spirit--taken by transcribers from Gal 5:22. The true reading is that of the oldest manuscripts, "The fruit of THE LIGHT"; in contrast with "the unfruitful works of darkness" (Eph 5:11). This verse is parenthetic. Walk as children of light, that is, in all good works and words, "FOR the fruit of the light is [borne] in [ALFORD; but BENGEL, 'consists in'] all goodness [opposed to 'malice,' Eph 4:31], righteousness [opposed to 'covetousness,' Eph 5:3] and truth [opposed to 'lying,' Eph 4:25]."”
- Jude (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jude 1:20: Building up yourselves - Having the most holy faith - the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, and the writings of his apostles, for your foundation; founding all your expectations on these, and seeking from the Christ who is their sum and substance; all the grace and glory ye need. Praying in the Holy Ghost - Holding fast the Divine influence which ye have received, and under that influence making prayer and supplication to God. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy Ghost is never likely to reach heaven.”
- 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:16: Scripture is the true source of all authority in questions of doctrine and practice. Be ye . . . for I am--It is I with whom ye have to do. Ye are mine. Therefore abstain from Gentile pollutions. We are too prone to have respect unto men [CALVIN]. As I am the fountain of holiness, being holy in My essence, be ye therefore zealous to be partakers of holiness, that ye may be as I also am [DIDYMUS]. God is essentially holy: the creature is holy in so far as it is sanctified by God. God, in giving the command, is willing to give also the power to obey i”