Listen and Learn

“For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Mt 10:20 AV)

Note in this particular verse, that it is the Spirit that speaks in us and not through us.  In other passages, the Spirit speaks through us.  Here, there is a distinction.   In this particular passage, anyway, our LORD is making the point that as we learn, grow, and seek to help others, it is the Spirit that speaks in us.  That is, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit as opposed to our own ideas and thoughts that should be the influence towards Christlikeness and service.  In particular, I am thinking of the distinction between our own minds and consciences and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Not much is taught regarding this distinction anymore.  Most of what we think we know or believe are generally attained by our own reasoning.  We learn from studying and life experience that forms our worldview.  We then verify it and come to the conclusion that what we think or believe is true because we have arrived at that truth.  The problem is, that we are limited.  We cannot be self-taught.  The Holy Spirit must speak in us to verify the truth of the word of God as we learn and apply it.  To know the difference between our own voice and the voice of the Holy Spirit is to be brought unto all truth and spiritual maturity.

When a toddler discovers they have a voice, it is a precious thing.  They learn there are noises coming from their mouths and people respond.  It doesn’t matter if any discernable word comes from their lips.  They learn that any sound makes a connection.  At first, it is very cute.  The adult is making all sorts of sounds simply to get the baby to coo.  Faces and all sorts of things are offered.  Baby laughs are a plus.  They are so adorable.  After a time, the baby discovers these noises serve a purpose.  They can elicit desired responses.  They can make the adult do all sorts of things.  They will fetch them their toy, feed them extra food, or pick them up and hold them.  There is a myriad of things that can be accomplished once the baby learns to make noises.  Then come specific words.  These words are designed for more specific responses.  There is a give and take with the adult to better understand exactly what the baby demands.  After a while, it is hard to get the child to be quiet long enough to have meaningful discourse.  He is left to himself and all the words or cooing he can produce.  As he ages, he is learning the voice of his parent is a valuable thing.  As he reaches his teenage years, if he is humble and wise, he has learned the voice of his parents is a wise thing to heed.  As he is put into compromising positions with friends or acquaintances, he hears his mother’s voice warning him of the choice he is about to make.  As he is enticed to fall into sin, he hears the voice of his father reminding him of how wrong it would be.  He learns to listen to the voices inside his heart and head that are contrary to his own.  It is those voices that keep him from a world of hurt.

Walking in the Spirit first and foremost requires a heart that will listen.  The saint who has the Spirit speaking in him has learned not to quench the Spirit.  He allows the Spirit to bring to mind the truth of God’s word.  He studies and listens to the Spirit as He brings him unto all truth.  He learns to quiet his own heart and mind in favor of the voice who knows all things.  He has learned to yield his spirit to the Spirit that both might agree.  He has learned to quiet the voice in his head and heart to the point it is brought into subjection to the authority of the Voice who knows all things.  Jesus is promising the ministry of the Holy Spirit and all we need to do is to quiet ourselves so that the voice of the Holy Spirit might speak in us as well and through us.