This study was first taught on March 19, 2013

Topic: Now That the Holy Spirit is in You (4): The Teacher Lives In You

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Background
Last week, we saw the essence of sanctification in our lives as believers in Christ; that is, as it concerns our walk with God and, our work for God. We described sanctification as the moral and spiritual purity intended by God for everyone He brings into His kingdom. It is the totality of, the purging of our past sins and the sinful nature from our lives; our continuous purification; and, our preparation for divine service. Sanctification is thus, instantaneous (at the new birth), which is entirely a work of grace; and, continuous or progressive (following the new birth), which is a work of grace, on one hand, and on the other hand, of works, requiring our involvement and cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

We saw from Scripture that an unclean person defiles anything he comes in contact with; which means that unless we stay sanctified, we will corrupt or defile everything we touch and do, including, the work of God! Therefore, our sanctification must be continuous—ensuring that we are pure at all times, always pleasing to God, and in readiness to serve God in any capacity and at any time—which is why the Holy Spirit has taken up residence within us.

Using Esther’s purification and preparation before her presentation to king Ahasuerus, and the attitude of the five wise virgins in the parable of the ten virgins, as case studies, we noted the following about our sanctification thus:
(a) As Esther was prepared for 12 months to meet with a natural king for an earthly position in the king’s court; so must we be prepared, but for years, if we are to be useful in the kingdom of the King of kings;
(b) All the girls who were being prepared to meet with king Ahasuerus were virgins, yet they had to be purified; in like manner, we also must be progressively sanctified, even though we were made ‘virgins’ when we were instantaneously sanctified at the time of our new birth;
(c) Just as Esther yielded to those set over her for her purification, so must we yield totally to the Holy Spirit Who has been set over us for our sanctification;
(d) Just as the oil of myrrh and the perfumes were for Esther’s purification and preparation, so is the word of God the Holy Spirit’s input for our sanctification;
(e) As Esther took only what those set over her told her to take with her when she went before king Ahasuerus, and was pleasing to the king; and as the five wise virgins in the parable of the ten virgins took extra oil with them and entered into the wedding feast, while the foolish ones were locked out; even so must we yield totally to the instructions of the Holy Spirit through the word of God, if we are to be acceptable and fit for our Master’s use, and if we are to partake in the Wedding Feast in heaven;
(f) As the five wise virgins in the parable of the ten virgins took extra oil, so must we have this extra and exceptional work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, otherwise, we will not be able to enter into the kingdom of God on the Last Day; and,
(g) Without the thorough process of sanctification we cannot be acceptable to God.

Scripture Text(s)
John 14:26
From our scripture text tonight, we see that the Holy Spirit is involved in our lives in more ways than one, as He indwells us. And as we look at the other ways in which the Holy Spirit is involved in our lives, we pray that His involvement will be profitable to us as we completely yield to Him, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
To be useful in society, a person would have yielded himself to be taught in the various schools of learning—both formal and informal; be they economic, social, political, and cultural. Likewise, if a Christian is to amount to anything of worth in the kingdom of God, he must be well taught in the things of God; and this is the purview of the Holy Spirit! What’s more? The Holy Spirit is living within us—no travelling to school, no waiting for the teacher to come, no teacher’s strike, etc!
1 John 2:20, 27; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; Galatians 1:11-12; John 16:12-13; 8:31-32; Isaiah 30:21; 48:17-19; Jeremiah 6:16; Psalm 23:1-4; 32:8-9; 25:12-14; John 2:13-22; 12:12-16; Acts 11:15-18; Matthew 10:18-20; Ephesians 4:17-21; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3-5; Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:13; James 1:22-25; Matthew 13:19-23; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3.

Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is indeed the Teacher who lives within us. We have no need to travel to a school in order to be educated, rather, our Teacher lives in us. This means that there really should not be any ignorant Christian (for the Holy Spirit teaches us all things and guides us into all truth)! And in the course of our studies, we can rest assured that when we face the examiner, the devil, our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, will be there to remind us of all He has taught us.

As the One Who teaches us all things, our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, instructs us in God’s way, interprets Scriptures and events to us, and illustrates what God is seeking to communicate to us so that we are able to receive understanding. As our Guide into all truth, He progressively leads us in the paths of righteousness, gently but firmly prods us to walk in the paths of truth, and, He enables and encourages us to practically live out the word of God in our daily lives. As One Who reminds us of all things, He helps us to recall, at the time when they are needed, the things that we would not otherwise have remembered; and, He recounts and rehearses things to us, so that they are constantly before us, and do not forget such significant things. And like good students, we must be teachable (gladly assimilating what we have been taught); we must apply what we have been taught in every area of our lives, otherwise, the teachings will do us no good; and we must be prepared to face the examiner at any time, and thus prove that we have been truly taught of God!

As we face life’s challenges and the temptations of the devil, we must remember that we have been taught by the best Teacher there ever will be, and that He is within us, and will give us the wherewithal to pass the examination of the tempter.

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