It’s All in Your Mind

I Although not directly, verse nine is a quotation of Isaiah 64:4, "&µ_ ludh n1'f J.ttn, HM- ttU- lua,d, ntiilu.,. ha.tu mhnd utbJ. llu luad o/, man llu fhin..tµ wlti.Jt .{ j.od hath p,n/U.llllJ. /Dll- tJum thol buu him." Notice, he says you cannot see it, you cannot hear it; you cannot -fuel it It is not necessary to see the promises of God. For the moment it is not necessary to hear the promises ofGod and, certainly, it is not necessary to feel the promises of God. How then am I going to get to know them? Most seem to agree that the verse is talking about heaven. I am not so sure that this is necessarily true. We understand that the word prepare ties this verse to John 14:2, ";}. IJ,0-- h,.. fl.llll.Dll- a p/ .o.tt /D,- ,p,u." Verse ten says, "(]Jul .l).od ludh UlUllhd tJum wtf.o. ta [believers] ht,1 ha ,6/Uli.L••" How is the Spirit going to work? Paul writes to Timothy, ".(J,,,d lwJJ,_ nDi. g.ioat UL fiu. Apim nJ. /nu [or cowardliness}; 1ml o/. ,u,wu. and o/. l.otu., a.n.d o/. a AOiLtUl mhtd" (2 Timothy 1:7). This verse will be studied in depth in a later chapter. Proverbs 16:3 says, "t2anunil IJu;. wmiu wtf.o. llu .i!..Ofll!l), mu/. lluj, fiwtuJ.l,h, JuJ.l h u1aMhJud." Romans 12:1,2 is again our key. As I give my body to the Holy Spirit, He begins to change and renew my mind to spiritual things. I don't have to see it, nor hear it, nor feel it; but I do have it revealed by the Holy Spirit A quick review from the Gospel of John will help at this point. John 14:26 states, "(]Jul iJu ~ uJtiJt i,_ IJu X>ok;, ~ mlwn,, 11,_,_ (laJJu,. will und ut IIU,J 1UUffL, ht JuJl lnuh ,µ>a all flwuµ..." The work of the Holy Spirit is to teach. Then l Corinthians 2:10 says, ".{J,,t,d ludh no.ttJ.hd tlwn un1o- UL by, lt.i.,_ ~ » One of the Holy Spirit's major works is to teach the believer in Christ. John 15:26, "(]Jul whvt flu ~ IL eonu, u,hon,, ;J. wllL und unlo- (l.bll f,,q,-m flu ~ mot. flu 3piJtll. o/, m.dh ..." The Holy Spirit is to teach and the Holy Spirit is concerned with truth. John 16:13 says, " ... ~mill Jwu,_ (JJJIL lhi.niµ, h,.. eomL" Very easily you see that the work of the Holy Spirit is connected with teaching, with truth, and with things to come. Return to 1 Corinthians 2:10. Paul writes, "{1,,.,- Utt J,u,i1 umrJuJh all dtiw,µ., ~ flu dttp, lhi.niµ, o/ .{)od. " No one is criticizing education and all should take advantage of knowledge that is available. This passage, however, goes beyond the realm of knowledge and reminds us that the Holy Spirit reveals truth to the believer. James writes, u.d/. tuU,J o/. fJiUL laek umdom,, l.d him tuk o/. .{jd.." 0ames 1:5). God is seeking believers who are willing to have their minds controlled by the Holy Spirit. You don't see wisdom, hear it, or feel it. Wisdom is revealed through God's Word as we search diligently the deep counsels and the hidden purposes of God. Verse eleven tells us, ""(lo.,c mho1. nta1t lawu,d.h du lhi.niµ, o/- a man, HUJ.L flu . rphr.ll o/ mm,, m.hkh IL tut hlm?" You, as a human being, know exactly who and what you are. You know whether you are real or a fake. You know whether you are honest or dishonest; and so, "flu lhi.niµ, o/, num. k.nou,.dlt no- nuut 1ml flu Jpi.,it tJ/. .(j_o.d." This is a point blank statement. Then how does God get the deeper hidden counsels which are in His plan and in His purposes and in His Word out to finite man? He does it by the Holy Spirit through His Word. 50 r r