But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have  knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. – (1 John 2:20-21)

Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit, whom he called the Comforter (Counselor or Advocate depending on the translation), would come and lead us into all truth (John 16:13). The Spirit, who inspired the writing of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 2:16-17), is alive in us and helps us discern, know, and understand God’s truth (1 Cor. 2:10-16).

The Spirit of the Living God lives in us and is at work in us — in me!

So each of us needs to ask ourselves if we are inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives to help us discern, know, and understand God’s truth? Am I yielding to the Spirit and am I in the Word of God seeking to be informed and transformed by the Holy Spirit? Am I asking the Holy Spirit to filter, correct, challenge, and redeem what I think, read, hear, and see? Rather than succumbing to the lie that all truth is subjective, let’s subject what we think, read, hear, and see to the Spirit of truth!

Prayer : O Father, I join my heart with the words of your servant David, who said: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Please transform my thinking and my living by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. – (1 John 4:1)

Occasionally, we hear someone say something, preach something, or teach something that doesn’t sit well in our hearts. We have a nagging feeling that something just isn’t quite right with what they are saying. The Holy Spirit within us gives us what I call “the greasies” — that sick feeling in the pit of our stomach that something isn’t quite right.

The things said could be very pleasing to us, they could be difficult for us to hear, or they could be the culturally acceptable point of view. No matter on what trajectory the comments reach us, we need to pray and seek the Spirit’s leading and then open the Scriptures to check and see if what we heard is really from God.

Spiritual discernment is an important work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Prayer : O Father, I confess that I get busy and distracted. In such times, I know that I don’t practice good spiritual discernment. In the rush of my life, I neglect opening your word as often as I and I don’t come into your presence seeking to have my heart tuned by your Holy Spirit. Father, please forgive me and also guide me through the leading of your Spirit so I may better know and obey your will.