Holy Spirit
John 16:4b-15 ESV
John 14:6 ESV
2 Kings 19:11-13 ESV
Acts 2:1-4a ESV
Forgiveness Series
In the upper room Jesus knew the things he told his disciples would bring them great confusion and sorrow. He also knew time was short and He needed to prepare them.
Jesus said in John 16:4b, “when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” Jesus knew there would come a time when they would need to remember His words.
His words would be all they had.
In John 16:5-15 Jesus told them, “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “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.”
We cannot really begin to comprehend how difficult those moments would have been for Jesus and for His disciples. He outlined and defined the work the Spirit of God would do for them.
Jesus told them He was not always going to be with them.
Holy Spirit was coming to help, guide, comfort, and teach.
He reminded them in verse 7 the Spirit was coming because Jesus would not be on earth so it was for our benefit. Jesus knew what they did not know or understand. The Holy Spirit was being sent to help, guide, comfort, and teach.
In Verses 8-11 He told them the coming Spirit will convict of sin, provide righteousness and judgment about sin.
Because they didn’t believe Jesus. A helper was coming to guide, comfort, and teach. A helper was coming to guide those who did not believe Jesus to the truth.
We remember Jesus told them, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Holy Spirit coming will help, guide, comfort, and teach. The Spirit will glorify Jesus, take what belongs to God/Jesus and declare it to the world.
The Spirit will declare Jesus to the world.
I cannot remember a time when the Spirit hasn’t been with me. I heard words about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit when I was in preschool Sunday School. While I didn’t understand everything then, I gradually learned more about God’s purpose in sending the Spirit to earth after Jesus returned to heaven.
When I was younger I had mentors who heard God. They told me what God told them about me. I was humbled but I was also scared. Every time one of my mentors spoke about hearing God, I would ask how? How do I hear God?
They all told me the same thing.
Ask, and leave it to God.
They told me the Spirit was IN me and I didn’t have to work to hear it. They said all I had to do was be silent and God would take care of the rest.
Honestly I think the hard part for me was getting out of God’s way.
Once I stopped worrying about how to hear God, I heard God.
I heard the still small voice of God that the Prophet Elijah wrote about in 2 Kings 19:11-13:
“And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
I stopped yammering about hearing God and in the silence I heard God.
Today I can’t imagine life without the guidance of the Spirit.
Jesus knows things about us that will be difficult for us to handle.
The Spirit IN You is there to help.
The Spirit will guide us to truth and will guide us to what is to come.
The Spirit is here.
The Spirit IN us will glorify the Son and the Father today.
Everything is from the Father and the Spirit declares it to the world.
It’s not up to us.
Acts 2:1-4a, “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The Spirit of God is a mighty rushing wind.
When we turn to God the Spirit fills our houses.
The Spirit speaks with tongues of fire…today the Spirit speaks.
The Spirit rests upon us.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Be Silent
Be silent so you can hear The Spirit of God.
In God, Deborah