Revelation Comes Forth

.... In the course of this module we’ve discussed the mystery of prophecy and how it comes forth. As a recap, to explain the basic concept, we showed similar modes of communication from the song of creation, the spiritual testimony of music, and man’s original ability to gain understanding from impressions. In each of those examples information was conveyed, received, and understood with a little meditation and discernment, though actual words may not have been used. So with that as a background, let’s look at the substance of how the Holy Spirit communicates with us today:

.... "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

(Romans 8:26-27)

.... Here is the ‘language’ in which the Holy Spirit speaks, something that is expressed without ‘words of human wisdom’ (1 Corinthians 2:13); for in fact, this whole form of communication ‘cannot be uttered’ in words at all. It consists, instead, of moods and impressions that are invoked through deep, inward groanings, and the fullness of knowledge that this silent turmoil contains. But let's explore the actual substance further:

.... The Holy Spirit has based His prayer on a deeply perceptive glimpse of God's character. Through this He has matched the will of God to each of our lives and provided us with an application, that we may learn His character in a practical way (1 Corinthians 2:10) This, in turn, will help us in becoming Christ like (1 Corinthians 3:18). As such, the whole form of communcation is full of dynamic, life-changing information; and this deep groaning is something that our own spirits understand as well:

.... "Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves . . ."

(Romans 8:23)

.... When these two passages are compared, they demonstrate how our spirit and the Holy Spirit speak the same language. They are fully able to communicate on this deeper level – even if the cognitive part of our mind can not yet fathom the meaning. (This is similar in concept to 1 Corinthians 14:2; 14:14). And this leads us to two important, pivotal points:

.... First: when we do not know how to pray, though we are at a loss, the Holy Spirit comes along side and shows us how to pray according to God's will (Romans 8:26-27). This means that in response to our lack of understanding, revelation knowledge will come forth into our hearts.

.... (We conclude that the Holy Spirit brings this revelation to our hearts because "He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is." In other words Jesus, who understands the mind of the Spirit, perceives His mind by searching our hearts. That’s where the Holy Spirit begins His yearning from and that is also where we, ourselves, are connecting with Him -- Romans 8:26).

.... Through this whole process, extremely pertinent revelation knowledge is moving through our hearts, even though we cannot understand it with our minds. And this leads to our second pivotal point. In the same passage it is said that Jesus Himself – the mind of Christ – can fully understand this spiritual language of deep groanings, and that He does so by searching it out. So can it be that we too, with prayerful searching and meditation, might eventually find the meaning, and even put it into words?

.... "For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ."

(1 Corinthians 2:13-16)

.... As a new creation in Christ, our mind is constantly being renewed to become more like His. So with prayerful searching and diligent inquiry we can eventually interpret this spiritual language just as He does (1 Peter 1:11). We can do this by comparing those deep, groaning impressions with other impressions we are already familiar with, which have usually been gained from the Scriptures:

.... "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

(1 Corinthians 2:13)

.... Remember that in showing us God's will, the Holy Spirit is actually showing us the deep things of His character in application (1 Corinthians 2:10). Also remember that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). So in every way, this deep groaning a reflection of His personality. In this same living way, if we compare those deep groanings with the character of Christ as shown to us in the Bible, the mystery will gain that much more definition. This process continues until each facet of the message has been discerned and the whole communication takes a cohesive form of it's own, like the pieces of a puzzle fitting together.

.... As we become experienced in receiving this, it will begin to flow together quickly. In fact, some Christians have become so fluent that they believe God is actually dictating words to them. While that is certainly possible, if we press them for details they will usually realize that the communication did, indeed, begin with impressions, and it was simply that they understood it so thoroughly that they, themselves, translated it into proper words almost spontaneously.

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Daily Bible Reading: Acts 9