--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to emphasize that what the Spirit…" description: "\"“We need to emphasize that what the Spirit speaks he speaks through what has already been spoken, and that what the Spirit does he does through what ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/john-r-w-stott-15425_spirit-speaks_we-need-to-emphasize-that-what-the-spiri_3000382.jpg" --- # We need to emphasize that what the Spirit speaks he speaks… ![“We need to emphasize that what the Spirit speaks he speaks through what has already been spoken, and that what the Spirit does he does through what has already been done.” quote by John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/john-r-w-stott-15425_spirit-speaks_we-need-to-emphasize-that-what-the-spiri_3000382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/john-r-w-stott-15425_spirit-speaks_we-need-to-emphasize-that-what-the-spiri_3000382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/john-r-w-stott-15425_spirit-speaks_we-need-to-emphasize-that-what-the-spiri_3000382.jpg) > ““We need to emphasize that what the Spirit speaks he speaks through what has already been spoken, and that what the Spirit does he does through what has already been done.”” [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Holy Spirit communicates through the words and actions already revealed in Scripture, not by creating new doctrine. **In simple terms:** Spirit works through existing revelation. Key Takeaway Trust Scripture as the basis for spiritual guidance. Themes faith revelation authority Mood reflective reverent Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - preaching - Bible study - personal devotion Key Concepts theology continuity interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How does this view shape your understanding of new revelations? - What role should tradition play in modern faith? A Different Perspective May limit fresh insight if over‑emphasized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emphasize Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasize-spirit-4760979/) [Need Emphasize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-emphasize-4130173/) [Speaks Spoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-spoken-4760980/) [Spirit Speaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-speaks-1129402/) [Spoken Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoken-spirit-3758617/) ## Related quotes > [“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-spirit-alone-gives-eternal-life-human-effort-accomplishes-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On stage you need to emphasize every emotion. But on screen you need to tone everything down and make it believable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holland/on-stage-you-need-to-emphasize-every-emotion-but-on-screen-you-need/) [Tom Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holland/) > [We need to emphasize the more positive aspects of our species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everett-mcgill/we-need-to-emphasize-the-more-positive-aspects-of-our-species/) [Everett McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everett-mcgill/) > [The Spirit speaks directly to our hearts through music. That's why music has always had such power to move people into positive action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-loggins/the-spirit-speaks-directly-to-our-hearts-through-music-that-s-why/) [Kenny Loggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-loggins/) > [The Holy Spirit speaks many languages; among them the languages of art in all its forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-griswold/the-holy-spirit-speaks-many-languages-among-them-the-languages-of-art/) [Frank Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-griswold/) > [One way to ask for help is to ask for a sign. Signs from spirit are all around us, and everything speaks to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-way-to-ask-for-help-is-to-ask-for-a-sign-signs-from-spirit-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The impressions on the soul that comes from the Holy Ghost are far more significant than a vision. It is where the spirit speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-impressions-on-the-soul-that-comes-from-the-holy-ghost-are-far/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [His Spirit speaks with promptings that are not audible—often they are much louder than that—always in perfect harmony with the Scriptures and always resounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/his-spirit-speaks-with-promptings-that-are-not-audible-often-they-are/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [“May you know, that spirit speaks through silence and is in the wind. Every breath, blown into you, is still with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulonda-faye/may-you-know-that-spirit-speaks-through-silence-and-is-in-the-wind/) [Ulonda Faye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulonda-faye/) > [“The Bible is not magic. But this man had discovered that God’s Spirit speaks and heals through Scripture, which came alive in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/the-bible-is-not-magic-but-this-man-had-discovered-that-god-s-spirit/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) ## More by John R.W. Stott > [“The gift of singleness is more a vocation than an empowerment, although to be sure God is faithful in supporting those He calls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/the-gift-of-singleness-is-more-a-vocation-than-an-empowerment/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“The New Testament uses five main Greek words for sin, which together portray its various aspects, both passive and active. The commonest is hamartia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/the-new-testament-uses-five-main-greek-words-for-sin-which-together/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“What God said to Abraham was not 'Obey this law and I will bless you', but 'I will bless you; believe my promise'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/what-god-said-to-abraham-was-not-obey-this-law-and-i-will-bless-you/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Thomas Cranmer in his ‘Homily of Salvation’ explained that three things had to go together in our justification: on God’s part ‘his great mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/thomas-cranmer-in-his-homily-of-salvation-explained-that-three-things/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“We “receive the Spirit,” he insisted, not because of any good works of obedience that we may have done, but “by hearing with faith,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/we-receive-the-spirit-he-insisted-not-because-of-any-good-works-of/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Nowadays the really great mind is thought to be both broad and open – broad enough to absorb every fresh idea which is presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/nowadays-the-really-great-mind-is-thought-to-be-both-broad-and-open/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“The power to save lies in the one who is gazed upon, not the one who does the looking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/the-power-to-save-lies-in-the-one-who-is-gazed-upon-not-the-one-who/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“There is much shallowness and levity among us. Prophets and psalmists would probably say of us that ‘there is no fear of God before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/there-is-much-shallowness-and-levity-among-us-prophets-and-psalmists/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“To say that somebody ‘is not responsible for his actions’ is to demean him or her as a human being. It is part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/to-say-that-somebody-is-not-responsible-for-his-actions-is-to-demean/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“It is that the promise of the “gift” or “baptism” of the Spirit is to as many as the Lord our God calls. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/it-is-that-the-promise-of-the-gift-or-baptism-of-the-spirit-is-to-as/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“We state and commend the faith only in so far as we go out and put ourselves inside the doubts of the doubters, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/we-state-and-commend-the-faith-only-in-so-far-as-we-go-out-and-put/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Perhaps it is a deep-seated reluctance to face up to the gravity of sin which has led to its omission from the vocabulary of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/perhaps-it-is-a-deep-seated-reluctance-to-face-up-to-the-gravity-of/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“To love the glory of God more than our own glory is also to seek approval from God rather than other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/to-love-the-glory-of-god-more-than-our-own-glory-is-also-to-seek/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [“Jesus never concealed the fact that his religion included a demand as well as an offer. Indeed, the demand was as total as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/jesus-never-concealed-the-fact-that-his-religion-included-a-demand-as/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) [Explore all 42 John R.W. Stott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) ## More Spirit Speaks quotes > [“May you know, that spirit speaks through silence and is in the wind. Every breath, blown into you, is still with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulonda-faye/may-you-know-that-spirit-speaks-through-silence-and-is-in-the-wind/) [Ulonda Faye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulonda-faye/) > [His Spirit speaks with promptings that are not audible—often they are much louder than that—always in perfect harmony with the Scriptures and always resounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/his-spirit-speaks-with-promptings-that-are-not-audible-often-they-are/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [The impressions on the soul that comes from the Holy Ghost are far more significant than a vision. It is where the spirit speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/the-impressions-on-the-soul-that-comes-from-the-holy-ghost-are-far/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [One way to ask for help is to ask for a sign. Signs from spirit are all around us, and everything speaks to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-way-to-ask-for-help-is-to-ask-for-a-sign-signs-from-spirit-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Holy Spirit speaks many languages; among them the languages of art in all its forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-griswold/the-holy-spirit-speaks-many-languages-among-them-the-languages-of-art/) [Frank Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-griswold/) > [The Spirit speaks directly to our hearts through music. That's why music has always had such power to move people into positive action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-loggins/the-spirit-speaks-directly-to-our-hearts-through-music-that-s-why/) [Kenny Loggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-loggins/) > [“The Bible is not magic. But this man had discovered that God’s Spirit speaks and heals through Scripture, which came alive in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/the-bible-is-not-magic-but-this-man-had-discovered-that-god-s-spirit/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) [Browse all 8 Spirit Speaks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit-speaks-1129402/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We need to emphasize that what the Spirit speaks he speaks through what has already been spoken, and that what the Spirit does he does through what has already been done.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John R.W. 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