One of my friends began walking with the Lord about a year ago, and was sharing with me all that He had done in her life over the summer and what she was looking to do in the future.  As she shared, she admitted to feeling a little overwhelmed at the weight of the choices that lie ahead, and at her amazement that the Lord had used her as such a young Christian.  She felt as if she were entrusted with much, but may not be as qualified as others who have walked with the Lord longer.  As she shared with me her fears, I smiled softly and very gently told her that, as long as she is walking continually with the Lord, she is just as qualified as any pastor, or seminary PhD, or foreign missionary.  It does not take special training to do what the Lord has called you to do, even to teach, should He so call you, as long as you are walking with the Spirit.  And while this news may grate on the ears of the pridefully religious, it is in fact very true, for nothing that we do or say, if done in the Spirit, comes from us at all, and if it does come from within ourselves, of what value is it?

on understanding

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.

John 14:26

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:13-14

In many ways the seeker-friendly movement has transformed the church, and few changes, I would argue, have been truly beneficial.  Specifically in teaching, there is a failure to recognize that it is the Holy Spirit that gives understanding.  Because of this, many churches have ceased teaching through scripture (for that is much too deep for a young Christian!) and instead entertain the congregation weekly with milky truths.  This type of teaching, while well intentioned, is a faithless process based on the false belief that young Christians cannot grasp deep truth and that those seeking God would be turned away by a deeper teaching through scripture (and I might question, does anyone truly seek God?  Or is God drawing them to Himself?  And if He is, will your teaching help or deter God?)  You may listen to the most eloquent, challenging, and deep teachings and come away with nothing.  Or you may listen to a very basic teaching and come away challenged and convicted.  It is the Holy Spirit alone who opens eyes, and gives understanding to the believer.  And in this we rejoice, for each one of us has access to the Holy Spirit and so each of us can glean truth from the word, can have our eyes open to His truth, and can be transformed, not because of our great knowledge, but because of God’s work within each of us.  And in this He is made great.

on speaking

for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Luke 12:12

Acts 4:1-22 is one of several trials depicted in the New Testament (please read Acts 4:1-22).  Here we see Peter and John, fishermen by trade, boldly come before the same court where only a short time before, Christ had been sentenced to death.  They do not cower.  Instead, Peter, filled with the Spirit (v.8), lays out one of many eloquent defenses, stripping their accusers of all power to condemn.  And God is greatly glorified–”Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished.  And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (v.13).  Unlike Paul, these men had no religious training, they simply had been with Jesus, and now were filled with the Spirit.  And it is not to say that training is of no benefit, the Lord used Paul greatly to reach the specific people he was called to reach, and his religious background was of great value in his ministry.  It was also nothing which he relied on or boasted in whatsoever (Phil. 3:4-11).  I find that more often than not, the Lord will put each of us in situations where we feel unqualified, intimidated or overwhelmed by the weight of the task before us.  He does that on purpose.  That we might know, experience, and rely on the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit who gives understanding, who speaks through us.  It is God who is glorified.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

And there are many other functions of the Holy Spirit–to cause growth (1 Corinthians 3:6), to give you power to accomplish God’s will (Acts 1:8), to call and to make known God’s will (Acts 8:29,13:2), to convict (John 16:8), to intercede (Romans 8:26), to sanctify (2 Thessalonians 2:13).  The gift of the Holy Spirit allows us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have (Ephesians 4:1-6).

going deeper

Being filled with the Spirit can simply be defined as being directed and empowered by the Spirit (see Acts passages above).