John 16:12-15
12 "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.
14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
----------------
Even after three years, the Twelve were not able to bear the things that Christ needed to teach them. Take a minute to let that sink in. The Twelve had three years of walking with Christ, talking to him day in and day out -- and they're still not ready. They needed the Holy Spirit to guide them in all truth. Christ says the Holy Spirit takes from what is His, and declares it to the Twelve.
So it is with us. Folks, we NEED the Holy Spirit if we want to understand the height and breadth and width and depth of what God desires to give to us. We cannot do it on our own. No degree of study or willpower is enough. I can testify to this. I used to think I could just bear down and study the Scriptures and "get it." That was my pride talking. The Scriptures didn't truly open up for me until I realized I couldn't do that, and I started taking my questions directly to God and asking Him what He was trying to teach me.
