Dear Explorer,
Read John 16:1-7
Jesus was warning His disciples that persecution would be coming soon. Another book in the Bible, the book of Acts focuses on the time immediately following Jesus' resurrection, and tells the story of great persecution for the followers of Jesus. Religious persecution continues today in many parts of the world. And I believe that it will get a lot worse, even here in America, before Jesus returns.
Jesus warned his followers that they should be prepared for it and not be surprised when it happened. Then He promised to send the Helper, the Holy Spirit (Day 273), and states in John 16:7 that that is an advantage to the follower over having Jesus present.
Why would He say that?
I guess if Jesus were alive today and living in Israel, you and I would not be able to walk and talk very closely with Him. The physical boundaries of space would make us feel alienated and distant. But the Holy Spirit can be present with each one of us 24x7. He can be with everyone all over the globe at the same time, with no language barriers, no physical boundaries and no limits on His time. Jesus, in his earthly body, could not do that. He lived on earth in an earthly body just as we do, with imitations to his time and energy. Jesus had to sleep! The Holy Spirit does not! The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent – because He is one aspect of God (just like Jesus).
Read John 16:8-11
We usually think of the Holy Spirit in terms of what He does for followers of Jesus.
John 16:8-11 give us 3 things that the Holy Spirit does for people who are not followers of Jesus. What are they?
If you have not invited Jesus into your core, these are things that the Holy Spirit will do in your life.
#1 He will convict you of sin; because you have not invited Jesus into your life, you are empty and ruled by SELF. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals that something is missing at the core of your being. This may cause you to begin seeking and searching for truth. You may search in all the wrong places, but that drive to fill the emptiness is powered by the Holy Spirit.
#2 The Holy Spirit will convict you concerning righteousness. In Romans 1:18-20, we learn that God places a knowledge of Himself inside every person. The Holy Spirit fans that spark, reminding you that you are a created being in search of your Creator. There is a yearning for righteousness and good. And you may find yourself very attracted to people who are followers of Jesus.
#3 The Holy Spirit will convict you that judgment is coming. The Holy Spirit is the One who reminds you that rejecting Jesus comes with a price and after death comes the judgment. You may become very aware of your own mortality. You may experience sleeplessness or anxiety regarding your sin.
In the book, Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby and Claude King, I found a list of things that ONLY God can do. The book states, "When you see one of these things happening, you can know that God is at work." I had never thought of it that way.
So now, when a friend who is empty expresses sorrow or guilt over something she's/he's done -- I see it as an opportunity to share. It's Good News to tell others that they don't have to continue with guilt and shame. Jesus has come to set them free of guilt. And I can be 100% sure that God is at work in their lives.
Or when they express that "empty" feeling, I know that the Holy Spirit is at work and I can speak boldly about the One who is able to fill them up. I tell them about the God-shaped vacuum that Pascal described. Nothing fits except God!
But there's another benefit to this truth: John 16:8-11 assure followers that we are not responsible to "convict" anyone or to make them feel badly about being empty. That's the Holy Spirit's job. Our job is to be there and be ready to point them to Jesus when we see the Holy Spirit working in their lives.
In His service, dale
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