But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13 (NIV)
Jesus Christ, when he ascended to the Father, gave us a magnificent parting gift — the Holy Spirit. We celebrate this gift on Pentecost. After Pentecost, we turn our attention to Ordinary Time and to joining Christ’s mission in the world. In our missional practices and rhythms, the best companion to have, trust, and listen to is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit should be our best friend, helping us navigate our missional lives.
The missional field is dynamic, and we need to be guided by the Spirit. The Spirit is God and knows the mind of Christ; the Spirit also knows the minds of those we are being sent to! It is the Spirit’s ministry to convict the individual.
The Spirit of our Father speaks only what he hears and is the one directing us as we speak about God’s kingdom (Matthew 10:20). The Spirit will guide us into all truth. We can ask the Spirit: who should I talk to, and how and when should I say it?
May we have a listening ear and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings as we let the world know about Jesus and his kingdom.
Prayer:
We pray, oh Lord, that we will trust you enough to let you lead as we share your word with others. May we be like the sheep who know your voice and follow where you lead. May we never go astray. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
By Brenda Asare-Akoto
National Youth Leader, Ghana
Adapted from her September 2022 devotional.
Brenda,
Thanks for reminding us that it is the Holy Spirit who does the converting and we have been given the privilige to partner in his work.
Thank you for your devotional and for that beautiful prayer!