How The Holy Spirit Helps You Improve Your Teaching

How the Holy Spirit Helps You Improve Your Teaching

Illustration:Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the Devil.

J.K. Johnston, John Wesley Why Christians Sin, Discovery House, 1992, p. 102.

1. Paul wrote, "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for; but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express... in accordance with God’s will." (Rom. 8:26,27)

The Holy Spirit improves your ability to teach effectively by facilitating the following factors:

A. Greater wisdom is given to those who are led by the Spirit of God. (James 1:5)

B. Greater love is given for the all the students of the teachers who are led by the Holy Spirit.

C. Greater understanding of student’s genuine problems, needs & goals is given to Spirit led teachers

D. Greater power is given to Spirit led teachers as a way of demonstrating God’s authority

E. Greater insight into the truth of God’s word is given to teachers who are directed by the Spirit.

Illustration:A lady once asked John Wesley if he knew that he would die at midnight the next day, how would he spend the intervening time. He replied, "Why, madam, just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at five tomorrow morning; after that I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to Martin’s house...talk and pray with the family as usual, retire myself to my room at 10 o’clock, commend myself to my Heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up in glory."

Today in the Word, March 1989, p. 40.

F. Greater encouragement is given to Spirit led teachers so that they know their work has eternal value.

G. Greater competence is given to Spirit led teachers so they can produce disciples who are simultaneously growing socially, mentally, emotionally, physically, behaviorally, and spiritually.

Illustration:If we want God to guide us, our attitude needs to be right. Here are some guidelines as to how we can play our part in arriving at right decisions.

First, we must be willing to think. It is false piety, super-supernaturalism of an unhealthy pernicious sort that demands inward impressions with no rational base, and declines to heed the constant biblical summons to consider. God made us thinking beings, and he guides our minds as we think things out in his presence.

Second, we must be willing to think ahead and weigh the long-term consequences of alternative courses of action. Often we can only see what is wise and right, and what is foolish and wrong, as we dwell on the long-term issues.

Third, we must be willing to take advice. It is a sign of conceit and immaturity to dispense with taking advice in major decisions. There are always people who know the Bible, human nature, and our own gifts and limitations better than we do, and even if we cannot finally accept their advice, nothing but good will come to us from carefully weighing what they say.

Fourth, we must be willing to be ruthlessly honest with ourselves. We must suspect ourselves: ask ourselves why we feel a particular course of action will be right and make ourselves give reasons.

Fifth, we must be willing to wait. "Wait on the Lord" is a constant refrain in the Psalms and it is a necessary word, for the Lord often keeps us waiting. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God.

James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986, Page 13.

H. Greater variety of teaching skills are made available to those who are being creatively led by the Spirit.

I. Greater organizational, delivery and research skills are given to teachers who are led by the Spirit of God. (John 16:13)

J. Greater credibility is given to teachers who are consistently enabled by the Spirit of truth.

K. Greater balance of theory, practice and motivation is given to those who are led by the Spirit.

L. Greater faith, hope and love are combined to give a Spirit led teacher an inspirational approach to teaching and learning. (I Thes. 1:3)

M. Greater perseverance and endurance is given to those teachers who are led by the Spirit of God.

N. Greater ability to involve all types of teaching and learning styles are enabled by Spirit led teachers.

O. Greater evangelistic passion is given to Spirit led teachers for the purpose of presenting the gospel

P. Greater disciple making vision is given to Spirit led teachers to help produce more maturing disciples.