Hearing His Voice #9

When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.

John 16:13, NIV

We wish we could sit down with Jesus face to face and start firing questions at Him. Audible words, no ambiguity, just straightforward answers. But when Jesus spoke with His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, He assured them it would be better for Him to leave and for His Spirit to come dwell in them (John 16:7). Somehow the mystical relationship between His followers and His Spirit would be better than the manifest relationship they already had with Him. They would be better equipped to hear and handle truth.

It’s hard for us to imagine that an inaudible voice would be a better guide for us than audible words straight from the Savior’s mouth, but that’s what Jesus said. The Spirit is a teacher, a counselor, a communicator. He doesn’t just share information with us; He guides us into truth—the reality on which we can base our entire lives. When we know His truth—whether we understand it or not—making the right decisions becomes a lot less complicated. And when we don’t know His truth for a specific situation, we can trust that He will lead us into it.

Our primary experience with the Godhead in this age is with the Holy Spirit. That’s the relationship we need to cultivate. Any direct experience of God, whether of sensing His presence or hearing His voice, comes through the Spirit. The more we build that relationship, being sensitive to the ways He moves and the thoughts He fills us with, the more we will be able to hear God’s words in any given situation. It’s a long-term process, not a short-term transaction. When being continually filled with the Spirit becomes our highest pursuit, hearing God’s voice becomes a regular experience.

Holy Spirit, fill me with Your thoughts, acquaint me with Your ways, saturate me in Your presence. Help me to hear Your voice as You breathe into me moment by moment.