The Spirit of Truth (YouVersion Daily Refresh 5-17-25)

One of the major promises in the Old Testament is that one day the Spirit of God would dwell within the people of God. Previously, the people of God interacted with the presence of God within the temple.

In fulfillment of Scripture, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort God’s people. This has big implications. It means that Christians have access to the presence of God by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. God’s Spirit is with us wherever we go.

Jesus mentions in John 16:13 that the Spirit of God will guide us into all truth. God desires to be part of our daily journey through life, helping us and guiding us towards what is right. 

When we have questions about what direction in life to take, the Holy Spirit is there to help us. When we’re not sure what is right or wrong, the Holy Spirit is with us to bring light to our decision.

Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will speak to us in accordance with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit will also reinforce and help us understand what we read in Scripture.

Throughout this week, make an effort to be mindful of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life. Remind yourself that God is with you every day. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and illuminate your path in life, and spend time praying to be comforted and strengthened by God.

My Thoughts

I don’t know about you, but I have come a long way in my faith walk. I started by going to Sunday school with a neighbor to a local Presbyterian church. When I went to college, I sometimes went to my roommate’s Catholic Church, just to see what it was like. I couldn’t really understand much of the service since at the time, most of it was in Latin. Then, I graduated from college, moved into my own apartment, and a neighbor introduced me to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Shortly thereafter, a pastor introduced me to the Holy Spirit and the fact that He lives within me. That…that was the life change I needed to continue my faith walk and to get closer to God.

When I have difficulty making a choice and have to make one in a split second, I depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me. When I am lonely, frustrated, getting angry or depressed about life’s circumstances, if I can just get still for a few minutes and still my raging thoughts, the Holy Spirit will calm me.

One of the things I have purposed to do this year is memorize more Scripture. I confess that I am not very good at it, but I keep plugging along. One of the verses I memorized is John 14:26 which says: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Teaching and reminding are important parts of my life, especially as I grow older and forget things more often. Leaning into the Holy Spirit for help remembering God’s faithfulness when my faith is failing helps me to get through hard times. We all need to be reminded of where we started and where we are now, if only for the sake of learning to be appreciative. I am so glad that God promised the Holy Spirit, fulfilled His promise and now His Spirit lives within me, not in a hokey, woo-woo kind of way, but in a way that is as real and as close as my next breath. I try to be ever mindful of the Holy Spirit in my life and I desire to make choices that would be pleasing to God by following His leading. I hope each of you who reads this post today take time to reflect on the difference the Holy Spirit’s presence has made in your life and take time to thank God for this awesome promise. We have indeed all come a long way!