My Dear Friend,

When 4,000 Gentiles who had been with Jesus three days ran out of food, the disciples asked Jesus what could be done for them: "Where can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness" (Mark 8:4)?

Jesus, I'm sure, was disappointed, since only a few days earlier they had seen Him miraculously feed 5,000 Jews. However, I'm also sure, He was not surprised. He recognized two reasons for their forgetfulness.

First, their unregenerated human hearts were still dull and somewhat slow to recognize spiritual things. Second, they had not yet received the Remembrancer - the mighty, divine, all-knowing Holy Spirit!

Among the Holy Spirit's many vital ministries to us is His memory ministry. Jesus said, "He shall . . . bring all things to your remembrance" (John 14:26). In the context, "all things" refers most immediately to Jesus' teachings. But the divine Reminder doesn't just help us recall Bible texts. He does much more.

He helps us remember our conversion, so we may maintain and grow our "first love," or, if necessary, recover it (Revelation 2:4-5). He helps us recall exceptionally devoted Christians we have known and observed closely, so we may practice their private devotional habits. He reminds us of overcomers' inspiring testimonies, to inspire us to overcome our own painful thorns, humbling crosses, and obstinate mountains.

He reminds us of our past sins, so that, when tempted similarly, we may rebuke the tempter and rise above the sin. He reminds us of how we gained past spiritual victories, so we will repeat our overcoming choices and actions. When we are struggling in a test of faith, He brings to mind the exact promise of God we need to believe at the moment - and, immediately, we are restored and steady again in the way.

When listening to or reading false teaching, He brings us the very Bible verse that contradicts it, so we will realize it is unbiblical and, thus, to be exposed and rejected, not believed and obeyed. When struggling to impose our will or way on circumstances without God's blessing, He reminds us of God's will and way in the matter, so we will repent and return to God's way - and blessing.

He reminds us of books or messages that have deeply blessed us in the past just when we need to read or listen to them again - and receive another heavy dose of blessings. He reminds us of the great lessons of history just when we are seeing them played out again in our times, so we will see trends, events, and leaders from God's perspective.

He reminds us how God answered a past prayer request quickly and distinctly so we will stop trying to worry and work our way through our current troubles and start depending again on God through persisting, believing prayer (Luke 18:1). When we are asked to give to God's ministries, missions, or needy ones, He reminds us of how faithfully God repaid our past donations so we will give again, freely, just to bless others, resting in childlike faith that God will take care of us (Luke 6:38).

When someone asks our forgiveness, He reminds us that (a) Jesus requires us to forgive others (Mark 11:25-26) and (b) He has always blessed us when we have done so, to prompt us to quickly and completely forgive again. When we begin ever so subtly to envy sinners and carnal Christians because they seem to be getting away with sin, He reminds us that no one can evade God's eternal laws of righteous judgment (Galatians 6:7) and that, even when we, in our humbling Christian training, appear disadvantaged, we are the advantaged ones and greatly to be envied (Psalms 37, 73).

In these and a thousand other ways, the Holy Spirit brings to mind just what we need, just when we need it - ever so quietly, never forcing, but ever wooing - just so we will overcome our tests, honor God, and experience the fullness of God's delightful, divine joy! Jesus, who is speaking to us every time the Spirit speaks, said, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).

The Holy Spirit's remembrances are one thing; our recognition and response are another. This subject begs two crucial questions. First, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed" (Acts 19:2, NKJV)? Second, have you learned to live filled with the Spirit every day since the day you received the Spirit?

Regarding the first question, God's Word promises that receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is easy for born-again Christians who are ready to seriously obey God (Acts 5:32) and ask for His Spirit's fullness in humble, childlike faith (Luke 11:11-13). So, ask, believe, and be filled!

Regarding the second, we need additional practical instructions. To hear well, we must stay full well; only those who stay full of the Spirit detect the voice of the Spirit. So, anything that contributes to more fullness contributes to more hearing.

Here are some Spirit-filling disciplines. Spend time with God "first" thing every morning, before interacting with others (Matthew 6:33). Wait quietly in His presence. Recall His recent kind acts. Forgive every offender. Draw near God by singing praises and offering thanks (Psalm 100:2, 4). Minister to Him by blessing His "name," or honoring His attributes and reputation. Thoughtfully, quietly, and patiently offer Him worship from your very spiritual core. Prayerfully read and study His Word, meditating on verses and phrases that convey timely thoughts. God's Spirit is in His Spirit-breathed Word; to take in His Words is to take in His Spirit, and the more the better.

Pray often and candidly through the day with open-hearted, childlike simplicity. Pray in your mother tongue and, if able, pray in the Spirit. Ask the Spirit to refill you often. Openly tell Him you need Him and cannot get by without Him. And take time to pray for others as you pray for yourself, remembering that selfishness quenches the Spirit, while selflessness releases Him.

Consistently and persistently obey God - His written Word, ministry calling, situational guidance, and personal corrections - remembering God gives His Holy Spirit "to them that obey Him" (Acts 5:32). So, the more we obey, the more fresh anointings of His Spirit we receive. Every time you obey, confess your faith, "I shall be anointed with fresh oil" (Psalm 92:10). God's "fresh oil" refreshes our weary spirits, enabling us to hear every fresh word the Remembrancer speaks. Conversely, disobedience breaks our God-connection and, while not losing our salvation, we immediately begin experiencing what Oswald Chambers called "spiritual leakage." And grow increasingly spiritually dry and dead - and deaf to the Remembrancer's voice.

Stay linked to the Spirit all day long by honest, humble self-examination, quickly acknowledging to God every sinful thought, word, or deed, and quickly making things right with anyone you offend (Matthew 5:23). Stay close also by steadily offering God thanks, audibly with your lips and inaudibly with your heart. This "clinging life" is the best spiritual hearing aid on the kingdom market.

And, lastly, maintain inner quiet. To hear the Spirit's "still, small voice" speaking inside us (1 Kings 19:12), we must be still and quiet inside. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). If our souls are constantly vexed and spirits agitated, what the Remembrancer says goes unheard - and we go unhelped! So, deal quickly with anything that disturbs your peace: anxiety, fear, anger, impatience, envy, strife, discontent, offenses, or any unconfessed sin. As long as the "peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" steadily rules your heart (Philippians 4:7, ESV), the perfect advice of the Remembrancer will steadily bless your life. Again, and again, and again.

This will mean a new life for you. Every day the Remembrancer will faithfully and lovingly enable you to recall just what you need to know, just when you need to know it - and draw you ever closer to Jesus!

Listening to the Remembrancer,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES