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The Holy Spirit Brings God’s Truth to Mind
By Rick Warren

“The Holy Spirit … will be your teacher and will bring to your minds all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 Phillips)

God speaks through ideas from the Holy Spirit. He gives you thoughts. He gives you suggestions. He puts impressions or notions in your mind. When the devil talks to you, that is temptation. But when God talks to you in your mind, we call that inspiration.

Jesus says in John 14:26, “The Holy Spirit … will be your teacher and will bring to your minds all that I have said to you” (Phillips).

The Holy Spirit is our teacher and counselor. He’s like a personal coach! I know people who spend tens of thousands of dollars on a life coach.

I’ve had a life coach for 30 years as we grew Saddleback Church. His name is the Holy Spirit. I’m constantly asking God, “What’s next, God? Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do?”

Notice it says, “bring to your minds.” The Holy Spirit speaks directly to your mind. He doesn’t speak in an audible voice. I have never in my life heard God speak in an audible voice. Why would he need to? He doesn’t need to go through my ears. He goes directly to my mind. “His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children” (Romans 8:16 NLT).

If the Holy Spirit brings God’s truth to mind, that means there’s got to be something in there to bring out. That’s why you need to get into the Bible. When you read, study, and fill your mind with God’s Work, you are storing the truth in your mind, and then the Holy Spirit can bring it to mind at just the right time.

Sometimes you may read the Bible and say, “I didn’t get anything out of it today.” You don’t have to get something out of the Bible every time you read it. What you’re doing is storing the truth in your mind. Your mind’s filled with everything else you’ve seen — every billboard, every commercial, every bad joke, every movie. It’s all in there. You need to balance it with the truth. Then the Holy Spirit can bring God’s truth to mind and show you the way you should go.

Talk It Over

What are some of the ways God speaks to you through the Holy Spirit? Have you ever sensed his direction through a dream or vision?

How does your current quiet time habit help you bank God’s truth in your mind or keep you from it?

Why do you think people are afraid of the Holy Spirit? Do you want to hear from God in this way? Why or why not?