Before He returned to heaven, Jesus put the Holy Spirit in charge of all matters related to the Church.  The Church was born when the Holy Spirit came, (Acts 2).  Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would teach us all things and remind us of everything Jesus said, (John 14:26).  It is the Holy Spirit Who distributes the spiritual gifts to each believer as He determines best, (1 Cor. 12:11). 

Just  before Jesus went to the cross, He told the disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His Own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and declare it to you,” (John 16:12-15 ESV).

In Acts 1:6-8, just before Jesus returned to God the Father, He instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem.  They were not to start any ministry, even witnessing, until after they had received the Holy Spirit and the power He gives.

Think about it… The Holy Spirit guides.  He reminds us of what we need to know.  He teaches us.  He communicates to us what He hears from God.  He shows us what will happen in the future.  He glorifies Jesus.  He empowers us, and He determines which believers need which gifts and then distributes those gifts as He knows is best.  Given all that, it would be foolish to try to do anything without listening to and obeying what the Spirit tells us, but that’s exactly what many churches do on a regular basis. 

A. W. Tozer once wrote, “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference.  If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.”  That is sad, but true. 

Church, we need the active direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do what Christ wants us to do.  Though we are highly intelligent people, our intellect will not lead us where Jesus wants us to go.  His thoughts are far higher than ours.  Our strength will not achieve what Christ wants us to achieve.  We need supernatural power.  Our insight and wisdom will not figure out the right path to take.  We need the direction of the Spirit Who sees what is to come.