Notes of Faith June 12, 2026
Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Series: The Holy Spirit in Today’s World
October 26, 2003
THE TEACHING MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
We would know nothing of God or of the Word of God if it were not for the Holy Spirit’s teaching. Human teachers mean a lot to us. However, human teachers are but instruments used by God, the Holy Spirit. Anything we learn about spiritual truth ultimately comes from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches only those whom He indwells. He indwells only those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savior.
Lets define teaching. Teaching is the ability to bring truth into perspective in order that the individual can see and understand the meaning.
1. The Need for His Teaching Ministry (Isaiah 55:8, 9)
Isaiah says that God’s ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts. The extent of that difference is higher than the heavens are above the earth. Therefore, for finite beings to know infinite truth, it requires infinite knowledge and the ability to communicate that truth.
2. The Essence and Nature of His Teaching Ministry
a. Jesus Christ carried on an extensive teaching ministry.
b. The Holy Spirit would replace Him in the lives of His people (John 14:26; 16:12-15).
c. These verses also teach the pre-authentication of the writing of the New Testament.
d. In I John 2:20, 27 we learn three very important truths:
>we have an indwelling teacher
>we have a teacher who teaches the truth of God
>He teaches us how to apply the truth to our life.
e. While reading what has been written we are taught the same things the writers were taught – (Ephesians 3:3,4).
In I Corinthians 2:9-13 we have a summary of our need for the teacher and the nature of His teaching. Verse 9 tells us it is not within the boundaries of the human makeup to perceive nor understand the truths of God. However, in verse 10 Paul tells us that God, through the Holy Spirit, has revealed these things to us – even the depths of God. In verse 11 he tells us the obvious: Only the spirit of a man can know the thoughts of himself. Even so, only the Spirit of God knows and understands the thoughts of God. In order for us to know and perceive the truths of God which has been freely given to us, we have received the Spirit of God in order that we might know the things freely given to us from God. So beloved, anything you truly learn from God’s Word is from the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
So, stay in the book and allow the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the truth of God. God bless.
Love to you all,
Pastor Charles Covington
John 14:25-26
25 "These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 "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 said to you.
Believers in Jesus are brought into the community of the eternal triune God-head. God is living in and through you as you submit to His authority, learn and grow through His grace, and become more like Jesus day by day! God living in me is beyond my mental grasp. It seems much easier to believe that evil lives within me as I do battle in my heart and mind concerning earthly and fleshly desires. But God…some of the most precious words in the Bible…knows us, has plans for us, has prepared eternity for us, and by living in us allows us to experience truth and peace and joy, that only those who have this intimate relationship can experience.
Lord, please let the priority of our lives be to seek and know You intimately, to not only possess the mind of Christ but to live accordingly in obedience as He did and still does.
1 Cor 2:14-16
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but He Himself is not subject to any man's judgment:
16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct Him?"
But we have the mind of Christ.
Through the Holy Spirit we are given the mind of Christ! If we say that we love God, let us live in obedience to Him and His Word giving Him glory in all things!
Pastor Dale