But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit….
— 1 Corinthians 2:9,10
From time to time, we all struggle to discern the best course of action for our lives. Which decision is right? Which is wrong? What job should we take? What university should we attend? Whom should we marry? Should we pursue a secular career or go into full-time ministry? These questions are common to us all and they go on and on and on.
In the Old Testament, knowing the will of God was truly difficult because the Holy Spirit didn’t reside in people’s hearts; therefore, they struggled tremendously to discover God’s plan for their lives. In their efforts to uncover His will, people would seek special signs and divine signals. They’d even go visit prophets who lived in their region in an attempt to find answers and gain knowledge. God had prepared so many benefits for His people! But because the Holy Spirit didn’t live in their hearts at that time, they struggled with knowing what He wanted them to do and were unable to see much of what He had provided for them or what His plan was for their lives.
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The Holy Spirit has come to dwell within us, and He wants to tell you and me everything we need to know!
However, the situation couldn’t be more different today. As believers, we now have the Holy Spirit living inside our hearts — and He has come to reveal to us all the answers we need! Yet all too often, many Christians still live like people under the Old Covenant, depending on special signs, divine signals, or advice from others. Perhaps it is because they never developed their spiritual sensitivity or learned to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. Regardless, this should not be the case!
In First Corinthians 2:9 and 10, the apostle Paul wrote to us about the Holy Spirit’s ministry to reveal God’s plan to us. He said, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit….” Notice he declared that God has “revealed” His plan to us by His Spirit. The word “revealed” is a translation of the Greek word apokalupsis, which is a compound of the words apo and kalupsis. The word apo means away, and the word kalupsis is the Greek word for a veil, a curtain, or some type of covering. When compounded, they form the word apokalupsis, which is normally translated in Scripture as the word revelation. This new word literally means to remove the veil or to remove the curtain so you can see what is on the other side.
This word apokalupsis plainly refers to something that has been veiled or hidden for a long time and has suddenly become clear and visible to the mind or eye. It is the image of pulling the curtains out of the way so you can see what has always been just outside your window. The scene was always there for you to enjoy, but the curtains have blocked your ability to see the real picture. As soon as the curtains are drawn apart, you can suddenly see what has been hidden from your view. In that moment when you see beyond the curtain for the first time and observe what has been there all along but not evident to you — that is the picture of what the Bible calls a “revelation.”
So Paul was proclaiming in this verse that when the Spirit of God came to dwell within us, one of His major missions was to remove the veil that once obstructed our view. The Holy Spirit is continually at work in us to help our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our hearts to fully comprehend the specific, special plans that God has meticulously prepared for each one of us!
Keep this thought uppermost in your mind and heart in the days to come: The Holy Spirit — the Great Revealer — lives inside you, and He wants to reveal to you God’s blessings, promises, provisions, and plans for your life! Thank God, you’re not living like people did under the Old Testament. You don’t have to look for special signs, divine signals, or a prophet to discern God’s plan for your life.
Right inside your heart is the greatest Source of revelation on planet earth — the Holy Spirit! If you will develop a spiritual sensitivity and learn to listen to His voice, He will reveal everything God has prepared for you so you can get on with your life and do exactly what He intricately planned for you to do!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I thank You that the Holy Spirit is a Revealer of truth. He will lead and guide me into all truth and show me things to come. I thank You that I never need to worry or even wonder about what You want me to do in any area of my life. If I ask You for wisdom and open my heart to hear, the Holy Spirit will make Your will clear to me. I praise You for Your wonderful plan and for helping me fulfill my part in it for Your glory!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that the Lord guides me continually by His Spirit within me. I trust in the Lord with all my heart and don’t lean to my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge His wisdom and His presence, and He meticulously directs my steps to follow the good path He has prepared for me!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
- Can you think of a specific moment when the Holy Spirit “revealed” an answer that you desperately needed to know? How did He reveal that answer to you?
- Have you ever had a “revelation” — a moment when the Spirit of God super- naturally removed an invisible veil that obstructed your view of things — and when that view was removed, you could see everything you needed to see and know exactly what you needed to know?
- What are you doing in your life right now that is a direct result of a special revelation from the Holy Spirit? Maybe it’s more than one thing, so why not write down your thoughts and demonstrate to yourself just how much the Holy Spirit has revealed the will of God to you?
