July 2
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REVELATION ONLY THROUGH THE SPIRIT
10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So, also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. – 2 Corinthians 1:10-13
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In this letter, Paul emphasizes the divine nature of the Spirit. It is through the Spirit that we can understand things and get what God’s word really mean. It is through the Spirit of God that we learn to examine and understand things about us and the truth that only comes from God’s word. It is interesting to know that many of us, do not even recognize the importance of the role of the Holy Spirit in the triune God. In this letter, Paul explicitly gives us an illustration of how powerless and defeated we would be without God’s Spirit.
In verse 11, Paul tells us that no one knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of the person residing inside him. He likewise says that it is the same with God’s Spirit, only the Holy Spirit knows God’s thoughts. Paul reminds all the believers in verse 12 that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit who gives them freely the revelations and understanding given by God. In verse 13, Paul says that the revelations we get from the Holy Spirit is unlike our human wisdom, but they are a combination of thoughts coming from God’s Spirit and spoken in the power of the Spirit of God.
Some people think that when they read something, they have the ability to understand it thoroughly. This is a very dangerous things to do. Philippians 4:8 says that we only think of whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, and whatever is worthy of praise. These are the only allowed thoughts by the Spirit of the Lord. Why? Because these are the thoughts that bring glory to God alone and protects every believer from the corruption that comes from the impurities of the world. The more we think of these things, the more we will hear what the Spirit of God reveals to us. The more we think of worldly things, the more we will make our flesh come to life which opposes God’s Spirit.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think many of us rely so much on our own understanding?