11. When Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples and apostles, what was to be one of His works among them? John 14:26; 1 John 2:27-28.
NOTE: ‘From the beginning, God has been working by His Holy Spirit through human instrumentalities for the accomplishment of His purpose on behalf of the fallen race. This was manifest in the lives of the patriarchs. To the church in the wilderness also, in the time of Moses, God gave His “good Spirit to instruct them.” Nehemiah 9:20. And in the days of the apostles, He wrought mightily for His church through the agency of the Holy Spirit. The same power that sustained the patriarchs, that gave Caleb and Joshua faith and courage, and that made the work of the apostolic church effective, has upheld God’s faithful children in every succeeding age. It was through the power of the Holy Spirit that, during the Dark Ages, the Waldensian Christians helped to prepare the way for the Reformation. It was the same power that made successful the efforts of the noble men and women who pioneered the way for the establishment of modern missions and for the translation of the Bible into the languages and dialects of all nations and peoples. And today God is still using His church to make known His purpose in the earth. Today the heralds of the cross are going from city to city, and from land to land, preparing the way for the second advent of Christ. The standard of God’s law is being exalted. The Spirit of the Almighty is moving upon men’s hearts, and those who respond to its influence become witnesses for God and His truth.’ Acts of the Apostles, page 53.
12. To where will Holy Spirit lead us? Psalm 143:10. Consider the importance of this leading? Isaiah 61:3, last part.
NOTE: ‘The Lord is not pleased to have His people a band of mourners. He wants them to repent of their sins, that they may enjoy the liberty of the sons of God. Then they will be filled with the praises of God, and will be a blessing to others. The Lord Jesus was anointed also “to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” “That He,” Christ Jesus, “might be glorified”. O, that this might be the purpose of our lives! Then we should have regard even to the expression of our countenance, to our words, and even to the tone of our voice when we speak.’ SDA Bible Commentary, volume 4, page 1154.
13. Why did Christ say the Holy Spirit needed to come to teach all things? John 16:12-13.
NOTE: ‘After they [the apostles] were illuminated by the Holy Spirit, how they longed to see Him again, and to place themselves at His feet! How they wished that they might come to Him, and have Him explain the scriptures which they could not comprehend! How attentively would they listen to His words! What had Christ meant when He said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now”? John 16:12. How eager they were to know it all! They grieved that their faith had been so feeble, that their ideas had been so wide of the mark, that they had so failed of comprehending the reality.’ Desire of Ages, page 507.
LESSON INSIGHT: We know that we are living at the end of prophetic time and each day for us is ‘borrowed time till the end of all things.’ It is important that the lessons presented from God, become part of the fabric of our own lives, that we do all that the Lord commands us. It is important that we do His will, but that we do it in His strength and with His guidance. Our tendency is to ask a friend or to look to an expert in matters of Bible understanding. Isaiah 11:2 speaks to us of wisdom and understanding, and the knowledge and fear of the Lord. God so much wishes to teach us, but maybe, like the Apostles, we cannot bear the full truth now. May we continue to grow to the point where God can safely entrust us with all He wishes to reveal to us of His will.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT: An energy or a force cannot know what is in an intelligent mind. Yet the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit knows what is in the mind of God. In turn He can take what is in our mind give those things to the Father as a prayer. The Holy Spirit is a divine Being with a mind and understanding of His own, and who can work with other minds. This is why He can teach with all knowledge and wisdom to carry out His purposes in the earth.