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If you've watched a baseball or football game on television at some point in this century, there is no doubt you've seen players either ask God for success or thank him for it. Athletes regularly do things like point to the heavens after crossing home plate or finding themselves in the end zone.  Some will bow in a short prayer.  It's a nice sentiment and, for many, a testimony that transcends a token gesture.

But let's be honest.  Unless that football player gets in shape and memorizes the playbook, all the pointing to heaven in the world isn't going to lead to success.  You can say a short prayer on the mound or in the batter's box, but unless you can hit the strike zone or a curveball, you're going to fail.  Pretty badly, in fact.

It's the same in Bible study.  All too often people who sincerely want the feeling of knowing Scripture aren't willing to put in the time it takes to get there. Instead, they'll take shortcuts and then expect the Spirit to take up the slack.  The assumption seems to be that the promise of the Spirit to guide us into truth means the third person of the Trinity will excuse a lack of effort and give us the answers we need.  The analogy that comes to mind when I hear that is a little disturbing. The Spirit isn't the kid sitting next to you in high school who lets you cheat on the exam.  Do your own work.

Setting aside for the moment the fact that passages like John 16:13 really aren't about personal Bible study, the truth is that God expects effort in the pursuit of truth.  The Spirit of God works in our hearts and minds, which are the terms Scripture uses for our intellectual faculties (i.e., our brains).  He generally makes use of the content you've put there (in your brain) in your pursuit of the truths of Scripture.  There is no mental download from heaven coming.

Rather than substitute the Spirit for personal effort, my advice is this:  as you do the hard work of Bible study, ask the Spirit for insight to expose flawed thinking (your own or whoever you're reading) and for good questions to ask about the biblical text.  The more of God's Word you have devoted attention to, the more the Spirit can help you recall for understanding.