John 16:13 English Standard Version (ESV) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

What must be made clear is that we are all still human with human frailties, experiences, memories and emotions. The term “guide you into all the truth” does not mean we know all truth. It is meant to reassure us that He will guides us in nothing but truth. Because we are human we might not handle the truth rightly if it is presented to us before we are ready to use that knowledge properly.

A baby does not need to know he can cut steak with a knife. The baby is not capable of eating the steak and the knife is too dangerous to handle. While this is an over simplification of the idea of prepared to handle truth, let it be an example of more complicated truths.

Here is an important aspect of the Holy Spirit sharing truth. He only shares what Father God determines to be appropriate and necessary for us to receive. The Holy Spirit serves the will of God not our own self-interests. We might and often do inquire about spiritual truths that we are not mature enough to handle. This is part of our humanity, curiosity. We should seek God and accept anything He shares with gratitude and humility.

The second point to this verse is knowledge of things to come. It is not the gift of prophecy as one might think. It is a warning about the dangers that we will encounter if we continue to walk down this path we have chosen. We are to walk by faith not by will. So often our choices lead us to a point where we have to cry out for help because we did not listen to His warning.

John 8:44 English Standard Version (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Some do not believe in Satan. That is exactly what Satan wants us to believe. His greatest lie is that he has no influence over out behavior and everything we do is of our own free will. Influence is a subtle thing. Influence does not have to be overt. It is often covert. He is a liar and father of lies. His influence is at its peak in the power of the lie. Lies influence emotions.

This is why God the Father has sent the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, to combat Satan’s lies with truth.

I understand these conversations are old hat to those of us who have been in the Lord for any length of time but remember these are conversations we should be having with people who are thinking about accepting Christ. Not everything is for us and we need to be mindful of what the initiate needs to hear.

We were all born into this world, water birth. Because of that we are spiritually dead and cannot hear with spiritual ears and see with spiritual eyes. Everything is stained with earthly colors. Self-interest is always pushed on us. Even love for another has a large selfish instinct. “I need you!”

Even those who are brought up in a loving Christian atmosphere here Satan’s lies being told all around them every day. Every heard the term “preacher’s kid”? Most experience those kids as the most rebellious and selfish kids growing up. It is not every case but enough to create the image we can identify.

We must all learn to hear the truth, the Spirit of Truth.