The church, the organization, should support and reinforce what you believe. But don’t rely on the church to find your beliefs. We read in John 14 and 16 that the Holy Spirit is your teacher, your guide, your friend, your comforter, your counselor, and your advocate. He is all you need, the word of God and the Holy Spirit. It didn’t used to be this way, but this is the way it is today because we have the teacher living in us. The word of God is in us. Jesus is the word. He is the truth. He is the way. He is the life.
Many people don’t take upon themselves any responsibility to hear from the great teacher, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is part of God, and He is our teacher. He lives within us. He is constantly teaching us and guiding us if we will listen. The pastor isn’t always here on your behalf. No, because the Holy Spirit speaks to you.
Your church should be reiterating what the Holy Spirit is already teaching you. Honestly, when your pastor preaches shouldn’t be the only time you hear it. Sometimes it is in the beginning because you are a baby, a mere infant, and you are on milk. You need that supply and that food to feed you.
We need to be in the word of God, listening and receiving and hearing from Him, so that the word speaks to us and we learn to discern the difference between worldly thoughts and godly thoughts. The Holy Spirit will speak to you through your thoughts. It’s kind of creepy sometimes how you do something and then you realize, “Oh, wow! That was really the Holy Spirit telling me to do that, but I didn’t know it. I didn’t know, but now I do know. In hindsight, I see that it clearly wasn’t me. That was God.”
Don’t rely on your pastor for everything. Let him come in and support what the Holy Spirit is teaching you. There is nothing cooler than hearing from God, then hearing your pastor speak a message that confirms exactly what the Holy Spirit said to you.
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