Welcome to the Come to Jesus Daily Devotional, posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as we continue our Luke: Exploring Who Jesus Is series.
Please note this week, due to our week of prayer, I'll be posting every weekday.
From Luke 18:34, 41-43, let’s reflect on how understanding of spiritual things is the gift of God as we are taught by the Holy Spirit.
You can listen to this devotional below (It’s available on Youtube and many other platforms)
‘The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.’ (Luke 18:34)
‘“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.’ (Luke 18:41-43)
We are told that the disciples initially “did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.” True spiritual understanding is not something we can grasp on our own—it is only made known to us as the Holy Spirit teaches and reveals it to us.
‘These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.’ (1 Corinthians 2:10-13)
Christianity is a Spirit-revealed faith. We believe the Bible itself is ‘God-breathed,’ and without God’s revelation through His Word, we would know very little about Him, His ways, or the gospel message. Even with the Bible in hand, we cannot fully grasp its teaching without the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who gives us a new heart and “eyes to see,” enabling us to comprehend the wisdom and truth found in God’s Word.
How aware are we of our need for the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us? Far too often, Christians rely on psychological methods to change their thoughts, feelings, and habits. While these methods can be helpful, they are not enough on their own. True, deep, and lasting transformation of the heart comes only through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This account from Luke 18, where the disciples fail to understand while a blind man receives his sight, is meant to teach us profound truths. It highlights the healing of spiritual blindness. Like the disciples and the blind man, we are “blind” until Jesus, through his power, reveals spiritual truth to us.
Today, let’s be reminded that understanding spiritual things is a gift from God, given as we are taught by the Holy Spirit. Academic knowledge alone cannot sustain us. Simply listing God’s attributes or reciting truths about our identity in Christ is not enough. We need the Holy Spirit to bring transformative revelation that moves beyond head knowledge and into heart-changing understanding.
Things to go away and pray for or reflect on:
Do I truly believe the Bible is ‘God-breathed’ and has the power to transform my life?
Do I pray for the Holy Spirit to teach me?
Who needs my prayers for revelation of truth, and/ or revelation of the gospel, at this time?
How can I pray for the teachers in my church?
Community Group Notes
Due to our week of prayer, there is no group study this week. We would love you to come along to as many of our prayer meetings as you can. If you want details of the Zoom link, please contact the church office or, if you are signed up, look at Church News in your emails.
Theme of the Week
Our week of prayer will follow the theme of our Luke series. Inspired by Luke 18:31-43, we’ll focus on “fresh vision from God that leads our community to praise Him.”
Each day, during our morning and evening Zoom gatherings, as well as our in-person meeting on Wednesday, we’ll explore these themes:
Monday: Luke 18:31-33. Fresh vision from Jesus.
Tuesday: Luke 18:31-33. Fresh vision of the gospel.
Wednesday: Luke 18:34. Fresh vision from the Spirit.
Thursday: Luke 18:35-39. Fresh vision results from and leads to prayer.
Friday: Luke 18:4—42. Fresh vision leads others to praise God.
Sunday: General prayer inspired by our week of praying together.
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