The Holy Spirit’s Prophetic Role: Discerning the Future & Discerning God’s Voice
Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come (John 16:13).
There is no second-guessing when it comes to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
That’s what Jesus stressed as He continued teaching His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus said, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”
The word “shew” in this verse is the Greek word anagello, which means to announce and describes a vivid showing or a pronouncing of events. So we see that part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to announce future events to us — and to show them to us with great clarity. The Holy Spirit does not portray a blurry picture of the future. If we listen to Him, He will vividly show us things to come so we can plan our lives according to His will.
This aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is evident in nearly every book of the Bible. For example, when the apostle Paul described the events that will occur in society at the end of the age (see 2 Timothy 3), he was writing under the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the One who imparted the vivid details to the apostle John concerning end-time events recorded in the book of Revelation.
However, this “revealing” ministry of the Holy Spirit is not relegated to Scripture. Jesus was speaking to every believer when He spoke of the Holy Spirit showing us things to come. If what Jesus taught is true — and it is — a significant part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to reveal details about future events. He wants to prophetically speak to you and prepare you for your future. He wants to show you details about your future and the future of your family that He believes you need to know.
Open your heart today to the revealing work of the Holy Spirit. If anyone wants you to be prepared, it is the Holy Spirit, your Helper and Coach. He does not want you to be taken off guard by any situation you might encounter in life.
Simply avail yourself to Him by spending time in prayer every day without distraction. Linger in God’s presence long enough to get your mind quiet and your heart open to hear. Then ask Him, “Holy Spirit, show me things to come in my life, in my business, and in my family. Reveal to me what I need to know to navigate every future situation that I will face with Your wisdom. I purpose to follow Your leading every step of the way.”
My Prayer for Today
Holy Spirit, today I receive You as One who speaks into my life to show me things to come that I really need to know. I’ve tried hard to figure out things on my own. Forgive me for not developing my trust in You the way I should have in this area of my life. Starting right now, I ask You to fulfill the prophetic role of Your ministry in my life and to show me things to come. I know You want me to know how to plan my life, how to circumvent demonic attacks, and how to be prepared for every phase of my journey in You. Your Word promises that as I keep my spiritual ear tuned to You, You will show me exactly what I need to know about every step in front of me. I believe You and I gratefully receive Your ministry in my life day by day. I pray this in Jesus’ name!
My Confession for Today
I confess that my ears are open and that my spirit is attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He would show me things to come, and by faith, I embrace the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life to show me everything I need to know about my future. I am not left to figure anything out on my own. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart about things to come. I listen to His directions, and I make plans to do what He shows me. This spares me wasted time, helps me avoid mistakes, and puts me on a solid path that leads to His highest will for my life. I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
Questions for You to Consider
One of the Holy Spirit’s roles is to show you things to come. Have you learned to let the Holy Spirit speak prophetically to you about your future, or have you just tried to figure it all out on your own?
Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit did tell you something about your future and you believed Him — and as a result, it gave you direction and saved you lots of valuable time and effort?
Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to you, impressing your spirit with vital information, and you discounted and ignored it — only to understand later that it really was the Holy Spirit trying to show you something about your future that you really needed to know?
