John 14:26

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John‬ ‭14‬:‭26).

I don’t think we could overstate the importance of this verse for the disciples going forward. Their world is about to be rocked in ways they can not imagine. Their daily access to Jesus is going to change in a few hours, and while Jesus understands this, the disciples can’t.

One beautiful thing about this verse is that Jesus is assuring them that they are not being left alone. But in addition to God’s presence, they will also have God’s guidance. First, the Holy Spirit will teach them all things. I don’t think this necessarily means that the Holy Spirit will teach them algebra, for example. Rather, the Holy Spirit will help them learn all the things they learn.

Second, the Holy Spirit will remind them of the things that Jesus had said to them. John 2:22 is an example of what Jesus meant: “When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” (John‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬, emphasis added)

How does any of this apply to me? Because the Holy Spirit came to dwell in believers, not just the disciples, I have the same blessing of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence.   I believe that everything I learn is by the help of the Spirit. This is why I pray for my kids every day before they go to school. This is why I asked God to open His word to me this morning before I read John 14.

In the way that the Holy Spirit would bring to the disciples’ remembrance the things that Jesus said to them, I am hopeful he will do the same for me. This can be throughout the day when various things come my way or when talking to others, particularly about spiritual topics.

Finally, these words to the disciples, and by extension to me, should help me have courage throughout each day, knowing that the Holy Spirit is with me. “You got this!” is a popular mantra that teachers use to encourage their students, particularly younger children, in stressful situations. Based on what Jesus said, I would adjust that to “We got this!”

Father, help me have greater confidence in you because of the Holy Spirit’s presence. Please help me learn new things and bring to my remembrance all that you have said to me. Amen.