Thoughts About the Holy Spirit

“When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” – John 16:13

Over the centuries, the Holy Spirit has been the most misunderstood and unappreciated member of God’s holy Trinity. He is hardly mentioned in some churches, while being overemphasized in others.

But in John 16:5-15, just a few short hours before being arrested and nailed to a cross, Jesus places the perfect amount of emphasis on the Holy Spirit – teaching His disciples (and us) about the Spirit's life-changing work in and through Christ's followers for the glory of the Father. As He leads His followers to the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shares timeless truths about His Spirit that you and I need to understand. 

Here are four practical truths Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit:

Truth #1 (v. 7): It’s better for you to have uninterrupted fellowship with the Holy Spirit than to have part-time fellowship with Jesus. Jesus tells His disciples, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” Even as amazing as it would have been to have walked and talked with Jesus 2,000 years ago, what we have today is even better. We have the Spirit of Jesus living on the inside: teaching us, protecting us and empowering us for life-changing ministry, 24/7.

Truth #2 (vs. 7-8): Jesus sent the Holy Spirit TO you in order to bring conviction to unbelievers THROUGH you. In Jesus’ words, “When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.” But we have to allow Him. So ask yourself: Do I see evidence of the Holy Spirit working through me to bring conviction to others around me? Continue to prayerfully speak God’s Truth and live God’s Truth in plain view of others around you. And as you do, the Holy Spirit will bring conviction to those who are ready to be saved.

Truth #3 (vs. 12-13): Jesus knows your limits. So, thank Him for the Holy Spirit, who patiently corrects you, teaches you, and guides you little by little. He tells His disciples: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with you? Aren’t you grateful that He didn’t dump all of His theology and biblical insight on your lap on the day you got saved? It would have fried your brain.

Truth #4 (v. 14): It brings glory to Jesus when you allow the Holy Spirit to give TO you and to move THROUGH you. Jesus tells His followers, “[The Holy Spirit] will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you.” If you love Jesus, then allow the Holy Spirit to fill you—not from the outside in, but from the inside out. If you are a baptized believer and follower of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is already inside you. But have you let Him fill you?

Remember, to be full of the Holy Spirit is to be full of Jesus. So, I urge you to ask God: “Father, please fill me from my head to my feet with Your Spirit. Holy Spirit, give me whatever You want to give me, and use me however You want to use me for God’s glory.”

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Four Promises You Can Count On

 “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Knowing full well what awaited Him over the next 24 hours, Jesus spent the evening before His betrayal teaching His apostles some of the most important things He wanted them to know before their worlds would be turned upside down.

 As John 16 draws to a close, Jesus makes four amazing promises that will change their lives forever. These four promises are summed up in four words: Resurrection, Joy, Love and Peace. Do these sound like four promises you’d like to hear a little bit more about? Well, read on.

Jesus’ 1st Promise: I am going to die, but you will see me again (vs.16-18). Promise #1 is a bad-news-good-news promise. In verse 16, Jesus tells his disciples, ““In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” As was often the case, Jesus’ disciples were confused. So, what DOES Jesus mean? He means this: “I promise you, something lousy is going to happen to Me. (That’s the bad news.) But I also promise you that it will only be temporary. (That’s the good news.)”

Jesus’ 2nd Promise: You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy (vs. 19-24). Jesus’ second promise is another bad-news-good-news promise: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (v. 20). In other words, “I promise you, something lousy is going to happen to you, and you WILL be heartbroken. (That’s the bad news.) But I also promise you that your grief will be miraculously transformed into joy. (That’s the good news.)” Jesus illustrates His point using the example of childbirth. When a woman is in labor, she experiences intense pain. But “when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world” (v. 21). Jesus Christ specializes in transforming failures into opportunities, hardships into blessings and grief into joy.

Jesus’ 3rd Promise: God the Father loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God (vs. 25-28). No matter how rotten a sinner you are ... no matter how undeserving of forgiveness and heaven you are … if you love Jesus Christ and trust Him as your Savior and Lord, God the Father will forgive you. And He will love you like you’ve never been loved before.

Jesus’ 4th Promise: Regardless of how much trouble you experience in this world, you can have peace in Me (vs. 29-33). In verses 29-30, Jesus’ disciples declare that there’s no longer any doubt in their minds that “You came from God.” But Jesus warns them that soon, “you will be scattered [and] you will leave Me all alone” (v. 32). The disciples probably wondered why Jesus had spent so much time telling them He would leave them, about their upcoming bout with grief, and that they’re going to be scattered. Jesus answers with His fourth promise: “Regardless of how much trouble you experience in this world, you can have peace in Me. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (v. 33).

Some people's promises don't mean much. But aren't you thankful that Jesus keeps EVERY ONE of His good promises to you and me? 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Pastor Dane’s daily devotional, “40 Days in Proverbs,” is available on Amazon.com. Join us on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.