And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
— Ephesians 4:30

Today I want to talk about grieving the Holy Spirit, which I am certain none of us wants to do. That’s why it’s so important for us to know what the Bible says about grieving the Holy Spirit — so we know how to avoid that pitfall! So let’s look at Ephesians 4:30, which says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

I want to especially draw your attention to the word “grieve” in this verse, which is the Greek word lupete. This was a word that described pain or someone that was wounded by someone else. It could be used to depict the emotions of a betrayed spouse — feeling deceived, lied to, misled, hurt, wounded, and abused. All of these portray the emotions of a spouse who has discovered that her or her mate has been unfaithful and feels very hurt, grieved, and wounded. The word lupete would describe all of those painful emotions.

We find the word lupete was used by Paul to describe how we affect the indwelling Holy Spirit when we embrace worldliness. There is no doubt as to what Paul was telling us. When we cease to make our relationship with the Holy Spirit the number-one priority in our lives and let other things take His rightful place, it hurts and deeply grieves Him. After all He has done for us, it is simply grievous to the One who dwells within us whenever we do anything to yield our hearts and souls to worldliness.

The Holy Spirit is the One who lives in us, leads us, guides us, teaches us, reminds us, comforts us, seals us, sanctifies us, empowers us, and works to produce the character of Christ in us. He has been sent to reveal the will of God, which is the mind of Christ and to give us the victory Christ won through the Cross and His resurrection. The Holy Spirit is here for us. That is why He was sent. Therefore, when we ignore Him, turn a deaf ear to Him, or consistently disobey what He nudges us to do, it grieves Him. It would grieve you, too, if you were the Holy Spirit.

But let’s be even more specific about what grieves the Holy Spirit. The verses preceding and following this one about grieving Him say to put away “lying” (v. 25), “let not the sun go down upon your wrath (v. 26), “neither give place to the devil” (v. 27), “steal no more” (v. 28), “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth” (v. 29), and, finally, “let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice (v. 31). All these things “grieve” the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, Paul was speaking to Christians when he wrote these verses. That means Christians were doing these things! They were lying, holding on to grudges, giving place to the devil, stealing, talking evil about one another, giving bitterness a place in their hearts, being angry, and having malice toward each other. No wonder the Holy Spirit was grieved!

The fact that Paul used the word “grieve” — the Greek word lupete — tells us that the Holy Spirit felt wounded by these believers. He felt like a spouse who was being dragged through the mud by an unfaithful mate. After doing all that He had done within them, how could they now give in to their flesh in such an ungodly manner?

We need to remember that Someone lives inside us whose name is the Holy Spirit. The reason He is called the Holy Spirit is that He is holy. Romans 1:4 actually calls Him “the spirit of holiness.” That is who He is, and that is what He has come to produce in our lives.

You would never think of throwing mud and garbage all over a beautiful cathedral. Your conscience wouldn’t bear the guilt of knowing that you had personally desecrated a finely decorated church building! Yet the temple of the Holy Spirit called you is much more valuable to God than a fine church building!

The Holy Spirit doesn’t live in buildings. He lives in each of us as believers. Yet in spite of this, we throw garbage into our lives and drag Him through the mud, never thinking of how it must grieve the Spirit of Holiness who lives inside us.

According to Ephesians 4, the sins that we find most difficult to resist are usually inward attitudes such as grudges, bitterness, anger, or malice. But we shouldn’t harbor these attitudes in our lives for even a minute, if for no other reason than because we know they grieve the Holy Spirit.

The next time you want to hold resentment in your heart toward someone, ask yourself the question, Is this attitude going to grieve the Holy Spirit in my life? If you simply make yourself more aware of the Spirit’s indwelling presence, it will help you change the way you think and live. It will most definitely help you think before you talk and act!

Remember that the Holy Spirit lives inside you. What you do in your life today, you do to Him as well. Where you go today, you take Him with you. When you go to the movies, He goes with you. What you look at on the Internet, He watches with you. When you choose to sin, you are dragging Him with you through that filth. Do you really want to grieve Him? Of course not! So make a decision today to never forget — the Holy Spirit lives inside you, and He deserves your utmost respect and honor in all you say and do!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I repent for the times that I have subjected You to ugliness and ungodliness that I have tolerated in my life. I am truly sorry. It is my heart’s desire to honor You and Your holy presence in all I do and say. After all the wonderful things You have done in me to change me, to restore me, and to make my life better, I am so sorry that I have ever done anything that would bring pain or sorrow to You. I repent — and that means I am changing my behavior, and I am going to start right now.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live continually aware of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence in my life. I am very aware that He lives inside me — so much so that this realization impacts how I live each day. Choosing to deliberately give Him my attention helps me live in such a way that my life brings honor to Him. I am so thankful for my salvation and the infilling of the Holy Spirit and for the daily power He provides to me. The last thing I’d ever want to do is to bring pain and sorrow to the Holy Spirit because I tolerated ungodly attitudes or behaviors in my life. I declare that from this moment onward, I am going to live with the consciousness that the spirit of holiness lives in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever been aware of a moment when you brought pain to the Holy Spirit by your attitudes or actions? Have you knowingly done something you knew was wrong — and you knew it caused the Holy Spirit to be grieved?
2. What actions do you need to take in order to stop whatever you’ve been doing that brings Him pain?
3. If you were advising another believer about what to do in these cases, what advice would you give him or her? In what ways can you apply the same advice to yourself?

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?
— James 4:4

As we saw yesterday, James began James 4:4 by calling his readers “adulterers” and “adulteresses” — which is strong language to use when addressing believers! James obviously wanted to get their attention. In some way, they had violated their relationship with Christ. They had been unfaithful; they had crossed the line and given a part of their hearts and souls to the world around them. By calling them “adulterers” and “adulteresses,” James was saying that whatever they were doing was the equivalent of spiritual adultery.

James probingly asked his readers, “…Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God…?” The word “know” is oida. It refers to firsthand knowledge that these believers should have already possessed. In this case, it means, “Don’t you know?” “Don’t you understand?” “Haven’t you grasped by now?” Then he continued, “…Know ye not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?”

The word “friendship” is the word philia, a noun taken from the word phileo. The word phileo describes affection, attachment, devotion, endearment, or familiarity. It can be used to portray the intense sentiment between two or more people. It was most often used to denote a relationship that was dear, precious, and valuable. In fact, it carried such a feeling of endearing affection that the word philema comes from it, which is the Greek word meaning to kiss. There is no doubt Paul meant that these believers’ tie to the world had never been fully severed. In some manner they were still being attracted to the world — to such an extent that its influence was encroaching on their relationship with the Lord.

Worldliness is a serious thing with the Lord, and it tries to wrap its arms around all of us. If we begin edging in on worldliness with the way we live our lives, the Holy Spirit will warn us to break that wrong relationship with the world and return to Him.

If you want to have a quick wakeup call, just take a little time to think of the things you tolerate in your life today that you would never have tolerated ten years ago. For example, do you watch movies today that you would have considered a sin ten years ago? Are you more permissive in your thinking about sin now than you used to be? Are there any areas of your life where you used to be more on fire and less compromising than you are right now? Do you pray and witness as you much as you once did? You may as well be honest with God because He knows your real spiritual condition anyway.

You can’t bluff God by making up excuses. At least when you’re honest with God, you put yourself in a position where He can deal with your heart. Once you’re being truthful with yourself and with Him, you can begin to repent and return to being on fire for Him the way He desires you to be.

We could all admit worldliness in some area of our lives, but if we don’t deal with the areas as the Holy Spirit leads us, over time we will become more conformed to the world than to Jesus Christ. Being a friend of the world doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. It’s a very slow, seductive, and methodical process as our thinking, behavior, and outlook on life grows to look more and more similar to the world than to that of Jesus.

The Bible says that a Christian who is entangled with the world is at “enmity” with God. The word translated “enmity” is the Greek word echthra, meaning hostility or enmity. Allowing the world to encroach on your relationship with God is a very serious thing in His view. The word “enmity” tells us that this is very serious!

Today I want to ask you: Are you on fire for Jesus as you once were? Or have the things of the world slowly begun to douse the flames that once burned so brightly for the Lord? Are you free of the world, or has its attraction lured and seduced you from Christ? Would Jesus say that you are completely committed to Him, or would He say you are sharing His rightful place with other things? Who or what is the central focus of your life? If you consider yourself to be a serious Christian, these are very important questions for you to answer today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I want to burn brightly and live on fire for You. I ask You to search my heart. If worldliness has found a place in my heart and soul, today I repent of it. I turn toward You to walk in holiness and sanctification unto You. I can see how worldliness can slowly creep up on me, and I ask You to forgive me for allowing the lure of the world to affect me. It wasn’t intentional. I repent for allowing myself to become distracted and for not keeping first things first. I got busy and involved, and before I knew it, I had sunk to a spiritual low that I detest. I ask You to refire me and help me return to my first love and to keep You in that position for the rest of my life

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am on fire and burning brightly for the Lord. I live in the world, but I am not a part of it. It has no lure on my heart and soul. Every day I am growing more passionate to know Christ practically, through experience for myself, and to become more fully committed to Him. Jesus Christ is the Object of my heart’s desire — and I refuse to ever live the kind of life that would make Him want to say I am guilty of spiritual adultery.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Are you burning as brightly as you once burned for the Lord? If not, what happened to cause you to lose the fire that once burned so brilliantly in your heart?
2. In order for you to return to that place of spiritual fire and passion for Christ, what do you need to change or sever from your life? The Holy Spirit has already been speaking to you about it, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to answer this question. So what do you need to change?
3. If you were asked to describe a worldly Christian, how would you do it?

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
— James 4:4

Up to this point, we have covered Jesus’ teaching on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 14, 15, and 16, and we’ve learned how to develop a more intimate and personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Now we’re going to shift our focus to another vital aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry found in the New Testament.

As you will see in the days to come, the Holy Spirit lives within us like a Divine Lover. When believers allow the things of the world to usurp the place that should belong only to Him, the Holy Spirit — like a violated spouse — feels hurt and grief. It’s therefore vital that we gain a deeper understanding of how sin affects the indwelling Holy Spirit so we can purpose to change any permissive attitude toward sin that may linger in our lives and to live holier and more consecrated before Him in love.

In James 4:4 and 5, James referred to the nature of the believer’s relationship with Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. He wrote, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Throughout the New Testament, believers are most often referred to as “brothers and sisters.” Yet here James referred to his readers as “adulterers” and “adulteresses.” Imagine if a great spiritual leader wrote to you and called you an adulterer or adulteress! This is especially strong language when you consider that James was writing to Jewish believers, who could have been stoned for committing adultery. In fact, James couldn’t have said anything more shocking or outrageous to his audience! However, this adultery he was referring to was not a physical act, but rather a spiritual adultery that they had committed by giving their hearts to things other than Jesus Christ.

The Greek word for “adultery” is moichalis, and it carries all kind of connotations. Unfaithfulness, impurity, and violating a commitment to marriage are just a few. This word paints the picture of a wounded spouse who feels rejected, betrayed, misled, and deceived because the sanctity of his or her marriage relationship was recklessly thrown away by the act of adultery. All of these ideas are embedded in the Greek word moichalis.

So what had these believers done to be addressed in such a way? James explained, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye know not that friendship with the world is enmity with God…?”

To illustrate James’ point, let me share an example from my own life. In the early years of our marriage, Denise and I led a single-adult ministry in a large denominational church. During this time, we developed a program to help single adults who had recently gone through a divorce. As we listened to the concerns of these precious believers, we discovered that most of these people felt like they were outcasts from the Church. So we made it a point to open our hearts and emphasize “life after divorce” as a primary message of our ministry. Soon newly divorced people came to us from all over to receive ministry, love, acceptance, and healing. It was one of the most gratifying, yet troublesome, periods of ministry we had ever experienced.

It was gratifying to see people who had been so rejected and wounded being healed by the love of Jesus Christ. However, it was very troublesome to hear the pain many of these believers felt as a result of being betrayed by someone they loved and trusted. Day after day, we would sit and listen as each one shared his or her story. Out of approximately 100 cases, nearly all sounded similar — so similar, in fact, that eventually I could almost finish most of their stories for them.

Again and again, these emotionally bruised people lamented, “I just don’t understand how he could do that to me. After all these years of being faithful to him, raising our children together, and working to help him through school, I don’t understand how could hurt me like this.” Or, “How could she do this to me after I’ve given her so much? I gave her my love, my attention, all that I knew to do. How could she do this to me?”

These intense, painful emotions are exactly what Jesus felt toward the believers James addressed in James 4:4. After all that He had done for them, they had been unfaithful to their sacred relationship with Him as the Bride of Christ by embracing a sinful relationship with the world.

In tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem, I will explain in depth what the believers did to prompt James to refer to them as “adulteresses” so that you never have to cross that line yourself. But today, why don’t you take a moment to look inwardly and carefully examine your life. Do you see anything that would cause the Holy Spirit to feel violated by your actions? After all He has done for you — regenerating you, filling you, and sanctifying you — I know that you would never want to intentionally cause the Spirit of God pain and sorrow. So make sure that you are living in such a way that will always give Him pleasure, not grief!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I repent and ask You to forgive me for all the times I’ve walked too close to the world and violated Your holy indwelling presence by allowing sinful actions and attitudes to persist in my life. I am truly sorry, and today I repent before You. I ask You to strengthen me with Your mighty power to walk with a higher discernment and with the spiritual awareness to know when I am doing something that is grievous to You. I want to honor Your presence and honor You by the way I treat You with my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live a life that is pleasing to the Holy Spirit. When I do something that hints of displeasure to Him, I quickly recognize it and repent of it. I do not permit wrong attitudes and actions to rule me. Instead, I surrender to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and it produces the life and character of Christ in my own life. Day by day, I am becoming more sensitive and spiritually aware of the things that displease the Lord, and I am learning to walk a higher walk in Him.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Are there any areas of your life that are out of sync with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence? What are those areas? If you are aware of them, is there a reason you have tolerated them instead of repenting and getting your heart right with the Holy Spirit?
2. When the Holy Spirit is grieved because of our attitudes and actions, our own spirits are grieved as well. Have you felt grief and sorrow in your own heart when you did things that were displeasing to the Lord?
3. What are some of the areas in which you’ve made progress and no longer habitually repeat sins as you once did? If you’ve had victories, you need to remember them and thank God for them!

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
— John 16:14

Do you find the ability to express yourself in worship to God easy or difficult? Is it easy for you to lift your arms and audibly worship the Lord, or do you feel self-conscious and think about the possibility that people might be watching you? Do you hesitate to worship in the presence of others but find it easy to worship at home when no one is watching?

As Jesus prepared to depart from this world and sat in that upper room teaching His disciples about the Holy Spirit and His various roles, one of these roles He stressed that the Holy Spirit would carry out is the ministry of glorifying Jesus. Jesus said in John 16:14: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

The word “glorify” is the Greek word doxadzo, which can be translated in a variety of ways depending on its context. It can be rendered to extol, to praise, to magnify, to worship, to give honor, to give adulation, or to express one’s fame or repute, and in John 16:14, it actually encompasses the full range of these meanings.

Thus, when Jesus said, “He [the Holy Spirit] shall glorify me…,” He expressly meant that the Holy Spirit’s role is to extol, magnify, glorify, and worship Him. In fact, one of the Holy Spirit’s chief roles is to give adulation and fame to Jesus — to glorify that name that is exalted above every other name (see Philippians 2:9). The Spirit of God doesn’t seek to draw attention to Himself in any way. Rather, He points everyone toward Jesus and leads us in rapturous worship of our exalted Savior.

Because the Holy Spirit is an invisible, non-material Spirit Being, He cannot glorify Jesus in the way the Lord desires without using someone as a vessel through which to work. By now, I’m sure you can guess that the vessel He chooses is the one in which He lives — you! How does the Holy Spirit fulfill His responsibility to glorify Jesus through you? He heals the sick, casts out demons, leads lost people to a saving knowledge of Jesus, and so on. However, one of the most effective, magnificent avenues through which He glorifies Jesus is in those moments when your heart is full, your hands are raised, and your whole being is caught up in worshiping Jesus the Lord.

By His very nature, the Holy Spirit is a Glorifier and a Worshiper, and when He is free to work in your life as a believer, it’s very obvious because you will glorify Jesus. If you will allow the Holy Spirit to be loosed inside your life, you will find yourself wanting to throw your hands in the air, move your feet, and lift your voice to Heaven with praise and worship — completely oblivious to who might be watching or judging you. The Holy Spirit seeks to glorify Jesus in every aspect of your life, including your conversations, your behavior, and your relationships. He wants your lips to be filled with Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

The Holy Spirit’s primary task is to reveal Jesus to you — and He’ll take you to Jesus on a level that you’ve never known before. He’s just waiting for you to surrender and to take the plunge into this spiritual experience. Believe me when I tell you that you’ll never be the same.

If you’ve had a hard time abandoning yourself in worship in the past, today is the day for you to begin. I urge you to take a moment right now and pray, “Holy Spirit, You are a Worshiper, so I yield to You. I ask You to help me remove all my inhibition as I do. I ask You not only to glorify Jesus in my behavior, my conversations, and my life, but right now in a time of worship, I ask You to glorify Jesus through me.”

If you prayed this prayer, just yield to the Holy Spirit and watch what He will do in you. Right now while no one is watching, lift your arms to Heaven and begin to express your thanksgiving to Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you and take you into a realm of worship that you’ve never known before.

The Holy Spirit’s primary task is to reveal Jesus to you — and if you let Him, He’ll take you to Jesus on a level that you’ve never known before. He is there with you in this moment, and He’s just waiting for you to surrender and to take the plunge into this spiritual experience. The time and place for you to start is right now in the privacy of your own home. He’s waiting for you — so why not start today?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus — and I ask You to help me abandon my inhibitions and enter into the freedom of worship. I know that there are realms of worship that I have never experienced, but today I am opening myself to those realms and asking that the Holy Spirit unleash worship in me as never before. I surrender myself to be an instrument of worship and, Holy Spirit, I ask You to take me on an adventure as I learn to worship Jesus as You reveal Him to me on a level I’ve never experienced before.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that my entire body — all that I am — is an instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to magnify and to exalt the name and Person of Jesus Christ. Inhibitions have no part in my worship. I am free to express my adoration and love for Jesus — the One who is higher than all others and whose name is more highly exalted than any other name. Inhibitions must go from me in Jesus’ name, for I am liberated to worship Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Has there been a moment when you threw off all restraint and worshiped Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit? When did that experience occur, and has anything stopped you from entering into that type of worship again?
2. What happened inside you when you threw off those restraints and fully entered into the worship of Jesus? What did the Holy Spirit do inside you that changed you forever?
3. What would you say to someone who has never experienced freedom in worship? What has it done for you, and what will it do for them?

Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
— John 16:13

There is no second-guessing when it comes to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That’s what Jesus stressed as He continued teaching His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:13, Jesus said, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”

The word “shew” in this verse is the Greek word anagello, which means to announce and describes a vivid showing or a pronouncing of events. So we see that part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to announce future events to us — and to show them to us with great clarity. The Holy Spirit does not portray a blurry picture of the future. If we listen to Him, He will vividly show us things to come so we can plan our lives according to His will.

This aspect of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is evident in nearly every book of the Bible. For example, when the apostle Paul described the events that will occur in society at the end of the age (see 2 Timothy 3), he was writing under the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is the One who imparted the vivid details to the apostle John concerning endtime events recorded in the book of Revelation.

However, this “revealing” ministry of the Holy Spirit is not relegated to Scripture. Jesus was speaking to every believer when He spoke of the Holy Spirit showing us things to come. If what Jesus taught is true — and it is — a significant part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to reveal details about future events. He wants to prophetically speak to you and prepare you for your future. He wants to show you details about your future and the future of your family that He believes you need to know.

Open your heart today to the revealing work of the Holy Spirit. If anyone wants you to be prepared, it is the Holy Spirit, your Helper and Coach. He does not want you to be taken off guard by any situation you might encounter in life.

Simply avail yourself to Him by spending time in prayer every day without distraction. Linger in God’s presence long enough to get your mind quiet and your heart open to hear. Then ask Him, “Holy Spirit, show me things to come in my life, in my business, and in my family. Reveal to me what I need to know to navigate every future situation that I will face with Your wisdom. I purpose to follow Your leading every step of the way.”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, today I receive You as One who speaks into my life to show me things to come that I really need to know. I’ve tried hard to figure out things on my own. Forgive me for not developing my trust in You the way I should have in this area of my life. Starting right now, I ask You to fulfill the prophetic role of Your ministry in my life and to show me things to come. I know You want me to know how to plan my life, how to circumvent demonic attacks, and how to be prepared for every phase of my journey in You. Your Word promises that as I keep my spiritual ear tuned to You, You will show me exactly what I need to know about every step in front of me. I believe You and I gratefully receive Your ministry in my life day by day.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that my ears are open and that my spirit is attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said that He would show me things to come, and by faith, I embrace the prophetic ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life to show me everything I need to know about my future. I am not left to figure anything out on my own. The Holy Spirit speaks to my heart about things to come. I listen to His directions, and I make plans to do what He shows me. This spares me wasted time, helps me avoid mistakes, and puts me on a solid path that leads to His highest will for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. One of the Holy Spirit’s roles is to show you things to come. Have you learned to let the Holy Spirit speak prophetically to you about your future, or have you just tried to figure it all out on your own?
2. Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit did tell you something about your future and you believed Him — and as a result, it gave you direction and saved you lots of valuable time and effort?
3. Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to you, impressing your spirit with vital information, and you discounted and ignored it — only to understand later that it really was the Holy Spirit trying to show you something about your future that you really needed to know?

Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth….
— John 16:13

In most Middle Eastern countries, ancient ruins are scattered throughout the land, dating from biblical times. To visit these sites, it is required that a person be accompanied by an “official guide.” These guides are certified by the government and undergo a rigorous certification, which must be renewed annually. The process requires guides to receive ongoing education and training in a variety of subjects, such as history, art, and archeology, in addition to earning their initial degrees. Official guides are not simply individuals who snapped a “tour guide” badge on their shirt or jacket; they are highly trained specialists who invested years of study in order to obtain and maintain that hard-earned status.

To make a tour interesting for a group, a guide must know how to communicate effectively and give clear instructions concerning where to go, what to stay away from, and so on. Hiring good guides can be expensive because they have spent so many years studying and training. However, their expertise is invaluable. As they lead people through a site, tour guides impart information that can be obtained only through many years of studying — a commitment that most people obviously cannot make.

In many large, complex sites, such as the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pergamum in modern-day Turkey, it would almost be foolish to try to see these sites without a certified guide. These sites are huge, and parts of the ancient roads are deteriorated, twisted, rocky, and potentially dangerous. In fact, there are so many paths to take that an uninformed person could easily get confused and lost along the way. However, with a good guide at your side, you can rest assured that you will not get hurt or lost as you explore, and you’ll conclude your experience with a wonderful memory of a trip well executed.

With this example in mind, let’s look at John 16:13, where Jesus told His disciples, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.…” In this verse, Jesus used the example of a tour guide to describe the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as a guide leads a group through a historical site, the Holy Spirit wants to guide us through life.

The word “guide” in John 16:13 is the Greek word odega — a word that describes a tour guide or one who would lead you on an excursion. As we have seen, a tour guide is a professional who has gained an intimate knowledge of a site you want to see through years of dedication and experience. He knows all the shortcuts and all the points of interest, and he can relate its history in depth. Your willingness to allow the guide to lead and your willingness to follow his directions will save you from making mistakes and drawing incorrect conclusions about where you are, where you are headed, and what are you are seeing.

This Greek word odega describes the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus was informing us that if we are willing to listen to the Holy Spirit and to follow His instructions, He will act as a Guide for our lives. Like the tour guides discussed in the example above, the Holy Spirit knows what lies ahead of us. He knows the obstacles we should avoid; He sees our ultimate destination; and He knows God’s plan for our lives down to the smallest detail. The Holy Spirit knows every route God desires for us to take — and if we are willing to follow the Spirit’s leading, He will give us a wonderful and memorable experience along the path of life.

My friend, I want to tell you that the Holy Spirit deeply desires to guide you in life. If you’ll let Him lead you, He will offer you sound guidance in every sphere of your life. If you listen to His voice, He will tell you the career you should choose, the person you should marry, and the place you should live. He is the only One who knows the future; therefore, He is the only One who is truly qualified to lead and guide you.

Divine guidance is one of the biggest challenges we face in the Christian life. However, Jesus explicitly said that the Holy Spirit is here to lead and guide us every step along the way. What a relief and security it affords us to know that God the Father has charged the Holy Spirit with the responsibility of leading and guiding us to the right place at the right time — every single time. And He also warns us away from certain people, places, and situations. This is His job! Without His direction, we are incapable of discerning where we should go in life, the people with whom we should surround ourselves, and the best timing for our endeavors.

However, in order for this to happen, we have to make an effort to listen to the Holy Spirit’s voice and be willing to follow His instruction. If we will do that, we’ll find that the Spirit of God is leading us, just as He did the apostles in the book of Acts!

Today I urge you to open your heart to the guiding ministry of the Holy Spirit. Trust that He is the Spirit of Truth who will not mislead you. “Take the hand” of the Holy Spirit and tell Him from your heart: “Holy Spirit, I trust You from this moment forward to be my Guide every step of the way!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I open my heart to Your leading and guiding in life. I repent for foolishly having tried to lead myself through difficult decisions and questions, when you were always right there, wanting to lead me along the way. You know the plan of God for me down to the smallest detail, and from this time forward, I will do my best to consult You and to yield to Your guidance for my life. You know everything about me, my future, and which steps I need to take next. Rather than try to figure it all out on my own, I entrust myself to you as my official Guide to lead me each step of the way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am led by the Holy Spirit. He was sent to lead and direct me, and I am learning to hear His voice, to recognize His leading, and to allow Him to be the Senior Guide in my life. I know that as a result of being guided by the Spirit, my life is going to be more adventuresome and filled with less mistakes, for the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, and He will never lead me down a wrong path. Holy Spirit, I’m ready — let’s get started today!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a moment in your life when the Holy Spirit supernaturally led you through difficult decisions and questions? When was that experience, and have you ever shared it with anyone else?
2. How do you recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If someone asked you to describe what it is like to be led by the Holy Spirit, how would you put it into words? Why don’t you practice describing it so you’ll be ready to help someone else understand what it is like to receive guidance from the Holy Spirit?
3. What situation are you facing right now that requires supernatural direction? How will you let the Holy Spirit guide you down the path that lies before you?

And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
— John 16:8,11

Today I want to continue talking about the supernatural convincing work of the Holy Spirit. In the previous two days, we’ve seen how the Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of his sin — a supernatural work that cannot happen apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. We’ve also seen how the Holy Spirit convinces a Christian of his God-given righteousness — something that a believer will not completely comprehend until the Holy Spirit reveals it and brings that person to the undeniable fact that he has been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

But there is one more convincing work of the Holy Spirit mentioned in John 16:8,11. It says, “And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” This describes the Holy Spirit’s work to convince and remind us that although Satan may seem to have free rein at the moment, his ultimate fate is settled and his doom is sealed. He is the loser at the end of the day.

If all we do is sit and listen to the news, it’s likely that it will leave us in a despondent state as we wonder what in the world is going to happen. Moral codes are changing; laws are changing; politics are changing — and it seems much of the Church itself is negatively changing. If we dwell on all these negative changes, we will soon become despondent with despair. But a glorious part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convince us that the “prince of this world is judged” (see John 16:11). That means the devil isn’t going to win! His judgment has already been pronounced, and part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to remind us and convince us of this fact.

Let’s look at the terminology Jesus used when he called Satan “the prince of this world.” The word “prince” is the Greek word ho archon, a title used to describe a ruler in a particular realm that can be translated as the word “prince.” The word “world” is the Greek word kosmos, which emphatically does not describe the earth, universe, or planetary systems. Instead, it denotes culture, society, and the systems in which mankind lives and functions. It denotes systems, such as education, entertainment, government, and every human sphere, as the places — the kosmos — where Satan operates. The word kosmos is the identical word that the apostle Paul used in Second Corinthians 4:4 when he referred to Satan as the “god of this world.” It pictures Satan as being the ruler of the lost culture and lost systems that dominates every sphere of mankind. Those systems are where Satan temporarily operates and exercises his power. I say that he operates there temporarily because Jesus said his rule has been “judged.”

The word “judged” is the Greek word krino. The word krino was used in a judicial sense, even in a court of law, to mean the decision has already been weighed and decided. There is no more debating of this issue. The decision is made, and the case is closed. All that remains is pronouncement of the verdict, which is judgment. And Jesus said that part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry would be to convince you and me that Satan is condemned without the possibility of escape.

This means, my friend, that the bad news we see in the world today is temporary. Jesus is Lord, and everything we see around us won’t last very long. Christ completely and utterly defeated Satan through His death on the Cross and His resurrection. Now it’s only a matter of time until the clouds break and Jesus comes through the eastern sky — and everything changes!

When you’re tempted to despair because of what you hear and see, that is the moment you need to say, “Holy Spirit, please — remind me that the prince of this world is judged.” He will bring you to an absolute place of conviction that will put your feet on solid ground and cause you to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that the prince of this world is judged and that you really are on the winning side!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that Jesus conquered Satan through His death on the Cross and His resurrection and that Jesus is truly Lord over all! The ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life is a daily reminder to me of this glorious fact. Especially today, when it seems so many things are changing and it looks like evil is winning so many battles, I rely upon this special convincing ministry of the Holy Spirit that the prince of this world is judged — and from this condemnation he has no possibility of escape. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for keeping me in remembrance of the truth that Jesus is Lord now, that He is Lord tomorrow, and that He will always be Lord of all!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that Jesus is Lord over everything in this world. When I am tempted to fear or to give sway to the bad news that is going out over the airwaves all the time, I will stand tall, throw my shoulders back, hold my head high, and boldly declare that Jesus is Lord and Satan is the loser! I declare that the decision has already been made, the court is closed, and Satan’s doom is sealed. Jesus is coming back soon, and everything will change!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever had moments when it felt like the world was morally crumbling all around you and it made you feel hopeless? What do you say or think on to counteract the temptation to go down that dark road in your emotions?
2. What do you do when you hear other believers speak almost endlessly about how bad things are getting? Do you remind them that Satan’s doom is sealed and that things we see are only temporary? Or do you join in and begin complaining with them? What should you do in that case?
3. Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit speaking to you to take heart because the real truth is that Jesus is Lord and everything else is temporary? Is the Holy Spirit trying to assure you of this, but you keep getting caught up in the bad news you hear? What should you do differently to keep your focus on the winning side?

 

And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove… of righteousness…because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.
— John 16:8,10

When I was a young man, I struggled with condemnation, constantly fearing that I wasn’t really saved. I didn’t grasp the idea of a God-given righteousness. I felt that I had to prove my worth to be acceptable to God. But one day the Holy Spirit began dealing with me, supernaturally convincing me of my Christ-imparted righteousness. And, friend, I want to tell you from the Word and from personal experience that being convinced of righteousness is just as supernatural as being convicted of sin.

The word “reprove” in John 16:8 is the Greek word elegcho. As we saw in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, it means to cross-examine a person on a witness stand until he is brought to a place of utter confrontation where he cannot deny the facts. We saw yesterday how the Holy Spirit has an elegcho ministry with sinners, bringing them revelation of their spiritual condition to the point where they cannot deny the fact that they are lost, without God, and in sin. At that point, they then have the opportunity to repent and to receive Christ.

But in the very same way, the Holy Spirit cross-examines us as believers and convinces us of our righteousness! The Bible says that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is very difficult for the human mind to comprehend and accept, because our natural thinking says we’re not righteous. And it’s true — on our own, we are not righteous, but we have been declared righteous because of the blood of Jesus.

Rather than struggle in an effort to become righteous — a state you will never be able to attain on your own — the Holy Spirit wants to open your eyes. He wants to bring you to a point where you see and understand, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are not trying to become righteous; rather, you have been declared the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. The day you understand that and are utterly convinced that this is an actual fact, it will begin to radically change how you pray, how you feel about yourself, and how you carry yourself. Why? Because you will see and act like one who has become the righteousness of God!

What a wonderful work God did for us! He sent Jesus to die in our place and to take our sin upon Himself. Then God exerted all of His mighty power to raise Jesus from the dead, seat Him at His own right hand, and send the Holy Spirit to live in us so we could actually become the righteousness of God in Christ. Yet if there is any subject in Scripture about which Christians will often argue, it is this issue of righteousness. Most Christians are so conscious of their own sinful nature that they have great difficulty embracing the truth that they have been declared righteous. If you were to tell them they are righteous, they’ll likely respond by telling you how bad they are.

Sinful nature always clings to what is worst and most negative. It will always gravitate downward, never upward. That is the nature of the mind that isn’t under the control of the Holy Spirit. The sinful flesh, if not mortified by the sanctifying power of God’s Spirit, will follow its negative leanings all the way to the grave. If abandoned to your flesh, you’ll never believe a good report; you’ll never believe God is doing a good work in you; and you’ll certainly never believe you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.

Negative, base, sinful thinking has been a part of our humanity for so long that it requires a special convincing work of the Holy Spirit to make us realize the supernatural work that God has done inside us. When the Father says, “You’re My child, and I’ve made you righteous,” we must receive the Holy Spirit’s special work of convincing us of our rightstanding with God. If we don’t, our negatively charged mind and emotions will retort, It’s not so! I’m unworthy. I’m unholy. I’m so pitiful!

Too many Christians fall in this trap. But that is like throwing the compliment back in God’s face! These people love the Lord, but they fail to understand and esteem the work He has done for them — a work that cost Him greatly! He put forth His best work to redeem them and make them “new creations in Christ Jesus” (see 2 Corinthians 5:17) — and yet they have nothing good to say about themselves!

The Bible tells us explicitly that we are “…his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:10). Another version of that verse could read, “We are a product of His very own, marvelously created in Christ Jesus — created under the influence and control of His divine power.” This is a powerful, life-changing truth, but it requires the Holy Spirit to move this truth from our heads to our hearts. Just as the Holy Spirit must convict the sinner of his lost condition, He also must convince us of our position of rightstanding with God!

We are so negative in our old, fleshly nature that it really does take a supernatural work of the Spirit to cause us to comprehend our new condition in Jesus Christ. This realization that we have been made righteous is just as supernatural as the lost man recognizing that he is lost.

I can remember when the Holy Spirit woke me up to this truth many years ago. Driving down the street, feeling totally unrighteous, I was listening to a teaching on righteousness — when suddenly my mind began to grasp what I was hearing. It was as if someone took blinders off my eyes and earplugs out of my ears. For the first time in my life, I was seeing and hearing — really seeing and really hearing — that God had declared me righteous in Jesus Christ. The truth was going straight to my heart by the power of the Holy Spirit! I heard it! I understood it! My inward man was leaping for joy as the Spirit of God illuminated my understanding about righteousness. Right then He convinced me of the truth, and I was set free!

If you struggle with your self-image and feelings of condemnation, you need the Holy Spirit to do His convincing work in your life. Only He can open your eyes to really see and your ears to really hear who you have become in Christ Jesus. Once your eyes and ears have been opened and you understand you have been made righteous, you will never throw the truth back in God’s face and argue with Him again. Now when the Holy Spirit reminds you that you’ve been made righteous, you will cry out with joy, “Thank You! That’s exactly what I am!”

You don’t have to keep being negative about yourself all the time. You don’t have to beat yourself over the head, constantly reminding yourself of how unworthy you are. Jesus Christ made you worthy! He made you righteous! He made you a new creation! Let the Holy Spirit do His work to convince you of these glorious realities!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to bring me to that place of realization where I really understand the righteousness that has been imparted to me through Jesus Christ. I don’t want to struggle with guilt and condemnation anymore. Since Jesus was made sin for me that I could be made the righteousness of God in Him, help me to step into that place of awareness and remain there, forever free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I didn’t earn it or deserve it, but by faith I repented, and I received righteousness as the gracious, free gift of God. I do not struggle with my past. It has no hold on me. I am, in fact, a new creature, totally new in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit has done His work to convince me of my rightstanding with God, and I am free from the past forever!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you struggled with self-condemnation and self-judgment? If yes, what benefit has it produced in your life?
2. Has there ever been a moment when the Spirit opened your eyes and “convinced” you that Christ had made you righteous? If yes, what was the immediate result of that revelation?
3. If you were to describe people who are sin-conscious or righteousness-conscious, how would you describe these two groups of people?

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
— John 16:8

In the Upper Room, as Jesus continued teaching about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He said, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). Let’s talk about what Jesus meant when He said the Holy Spirit would “reprove” the world of sin.

The word “reprove” is the Greek word elegcho. It means to expose, to convict, or to cross-examine for the purpose of conviction — as in convicting a lawbreaker in a court of law. The Holy Spirit will begin to deal with the heart of an unbeliever, and by the time He is finished, that lost, sinful soul will feel exposed and convicted. As the Holy Spirit enables that person to hear the Word of God for the first time, the razor-sharp sword of the Word will penetrate his soul until he feels as if he has been cross-examined on a witness stand. Finally, the court will be adjourned, the verdict announced, and he will know on the inside that he is guilty of sin.

This is precisely what a sinner feels when the Holy Spirit convicts him of sin. It is amazing how long a sinner can live without conviction or godly sorrow for his behavior — how long he can be nearly numb to any sense of wrongness regarding his sinful actions. The Bible says that sin has made unbelievers to be hardhearted, spiritually blind, and past feeling (see Ephesians 4:18,19). But those factors change instantly when the Holy Spirit touches the human soul and exposes its sinful condition. Exposed, naked, confronted — that is exactly what a sinner feels when the Holy Spirit wakes him up to his true spiritual condition.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict sinners of their lost condition. The whole world stands guilty before God (see Romans 3:19), but the lost don’t realize they are guilty until that moment when the Holy Spirit reveals it to them.

Jesus stated, “No man can come unto me, except the Father…draw him” (John 6:44). This drawing of a person’s heart to Jesus is done through the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus reminded us of this when He said, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin” (John 16:8). Without the work of the Holy Spirit to expose our sinful condition, we would still remain in darkness today, eternally lost and without God.

It is amazing to me that a person can be in sin, and even understand that he is in sin, yet nonetheless fail to grasp the real eternal consequences of what that means. He can even be in a church service where he hears about sin and acknowledges that the sermon is true and that he’s a sinner — yet leave that service and continue living the same lifestyle he did before he got there.

But something happens when the Holy Spirit begins to work in that person’s soul. He lovingly cross-examines that person, until finally He brings him to a place of confrontation. It is at this point that invisible scales fall from the person’s eyes, and he truly sees for the first time that he is in sin. This is something that can only be revealed by the Holy Spirit. When He convicts of sin, the sinner absolutely knows that he is a sinner.

Once the Holy Spirit has lovingly brought that person to the place where he finally sees it for himself, the person has a choice: Will he stay in sin, or will he repent and turn toward God? Helping that person reach this point of decision that has such eternal consequences is the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s convicting ministry in his life.

It is frustrating to share Christ with family and friends and to feel as if you are “hitting a brick wall.” You share, talk, and plead with them to receive Christ, yet it seems they just can’t hear what you are saying. Even though they may acknowledge they are sinners, they may not seem to be too deeply disturbed by the implications of this fact. They just press on as though they were numb to or ignorant of the spiritual deadness in their lives.

But the Bible clearly teaches that a lost person is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Don’t forget that dead people don’t feel anything. Spiritually dead people especially don’t feel the conviction of sin. It requires a special, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to rouse the human consciousness to realize its sinful condition.

How can you make a dead man see? How can you cause a dead man to feel? How can you convince a dead man that he needs to change? Thank God for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit! Only through the convicting power of God’s Spirit can a spiritually dead man be awakened and beckoned to Christ.

Friend, it was the Holy Spirit’s call that touched your soul, awakened you to your sinfulness, and beckoned you to Christ. Once you were brought to this place of undeniable conviction and you recognized that you were a sinner, the Spirit invited you to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. At that divine moment, your soul heard the Holy Spirit say, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14). And in that next moment, you were born again!

What a miracle it was when God raised our spirits from spiritual death to spiritual life. In fact, there is no greater miracle! The convicting work of the Holy Spirit is part of the foundational work that He does in our lives, but it’s certainly not the last! Tomorrow we’ll look at His work to “convince” us of our God-given righteousness. Don’t miss it!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I know Jesus Christ today because of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. I remember when You first awakened me to my sin — a realization that had never gripped me before. But when I saw my spiritual condition, I really understood that I was lost and needed to be saved. Thank You for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and for bringing me to a place where I could be saved. I could have never arrived there on my own, so today I want to say thank You! And I trust You to complete that work in the lives of those for whom I pray to come to a saving knowledge of You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of my family, friends, coworkers, and acquaintances to bring them to a place where they really see and understand their lost condition and need for salvation. Jesus Christ died for them, and He sent the Holy Spirit to draw them to Jesus. If the Holy Spirit prompts me to testify to them, I will do so, for the Holy Spirit knows how to touch each and every heart. I declare that they will finally hear, understand, and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because of the convicting and converting power of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you remember when you were first struck by the reality of personal sin and separation from God? Where were you, and what situation produced that awareness?
2. When you awakened to your need to turn from darkness to the light, how long did it take before you turned to Jesus in repentance to receive Him as your Savior and Lord?
3. What unsaved individuals are on your prayer list right now? Can you think of someone who was praying for you before you came to Christ?

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.
— John 15:26

When I was growing up, our church had regular visitation nights when we paid a visit to people who had recently attended our church or we visited the homes of unsaved people so we could present Christ to them. I literally hated those evenings of visitation and witnessing. The word “hate” is not too strong of a word, because this is precisely what I felt at the time. I hated it.

I loved Jesus with all of my heart, but getting into the car to go knock on doors to talk to people I’d never met in my life and read them a tract that they weren’t interested in hearing wasn’t my idea of having a good time. Other Christians had the same problem too. I know, because our pastor constantly had to coax our congregation to come to Sunday school visitation and nights of witnessing.

Nevertheless, I knew I was supposed to be a witness for Jesus. I can remember piling into my Sunday school teacher’s car, looking at the list of names we were to visit, and then going to knock on all those doors. I felt powerless, defeated, and joyless as we went, and although many believers would never want to admit it, they feel the same way about witnessing that I did.

The truth is, there is no true witnessing without the work of the Holy Spirit. We must have the Holy Spirit’s help as we testify. However, the good news is that Jesus said, “He [the Holy Spirit] shall testify of me.”

You see, the Holy Spirit loves to testify of Jesus. As a result of His deep love, adoration, and affection for Jesus, He loves to talk on and on about Him. So when you partner with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work through you, testifying becomes natural and simple instead of forced and difficult. It becomes an overflow of your relationship with the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit, He said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Notice He said that the disciples would be witnesses “after” the Holy Spirit came upon them. To witness and testify powerfully about the resurrected Christ, supernatural power is required. Hence, without the Holy Spirit’s assistance, it is almost impossible to testify with confidence about Jesus Christ.

Before the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were similar to many Christians today. Rather than advancing upon the lost world with the message of Christ, they were hiding behind closed doors (see John 20:19). Unlike the great spiritual army they were supposed to be, they were simply “holding out” in a room, hiding for fear of the Jews.

Yet Jesus said the Holy Spirit would “testify” of Him, not make us fear-filled cowards! That word translated “testify” comes from the Greek word martureo, which means to witness or to give a good report. It’s where we get the word martyr, referring to someone who obtains a righteous testimony as a result of his willingness to accept suffering or death rather than renounce his faith in Jesus. That kind of courage comes only from the supernatural ability of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer to testify of Jesus, regardless of any pressure or opposition, no matter how severe.

It was not until Acts 2 that the disciples comprehended the greatness of the Holy Spirit’s ability to empower believers to testify. The witness of Jesus Christ literally blasted out of their mouths as they hit the streets of Jerusalem, fully yielded to the Holy Spirit. In addition to supernaturally declaring “the wonderful works of God” in other languages (see Acts 2:11), they proclaimed the Word of God intelligently in their own language to a people they had been afraid of the day before!

A good example is seen in the story of the apostle Peter. After he received the infilling of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, he was transformed! Standing before an enraptured crowd, Peter boldly proclaimed, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you…ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified…whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death…therefore being by the right hand of God exalted” (Acts 2:22,23,33). This was supernatural witnessing! This was supernatural proclamation!

Certainly there is nothing wrong with preplanned evangelism, door-to-door visitation, or evangelism programs that teach you the basics of witnessing. But when those programs are carried out without the power of the Holy Spirit, they are often dry, dead, and unsatisfying. Real witnessing or testifying of Jesus Christ can only be done by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Why lean on your own understanding when it comes to witnessing? Why reduce this powerful moment to a mere program? The Holy Spirit was sent to testify of Jesus! No one knows how to testify better than He does.

If you are afraid to witness, as I was when I was younger, I urge you to open your heart to the Holy Spirit and let Him release His power through you to become a witness for Christ. As you surrender your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit’s control, witnessing will turn from stressful drudgery into a joyful, rewarding, and exciting adventure!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I admit that I am one of those who has been uneasy and fearful about witnessing in the past. I’ve felt so uncomfortable — afraid that I’ll say the wrong thing or that someone will ask a question I can’t answer. I’ve been controlled by fear and dread when it comes to sharing my faith with others. In fact, I’ve even tried to avoid it, even though I know that I am commanded to be a witness for Jesus. I realize now that all that fear, frustration, and anxiety was the result of my attempt to do Your will in my own strength without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Starting right now, I want to do my best to surrender to the Holy Spirit — and let Him release His testifying ability through me. Holy Spirit, You love to talk about Jesus, and You know precisely the words to speak because You hold the key to every person’s heart, so speak through me to others and touch the part of their hearts that is ready to hear and receive the truth of the Gospel. I thank You, Holy Spirit, for making me an effective fisher of men!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am NOT afraid to witness for Jesus Christ. My testimony is powerful. People want to hear it. Because the Holy Spirit is my Partner, He knows exactly how to start every conversation, how to touch each heart, and how to win each person to Jesus Christ. I do not do this on my own, but I do it in partnership with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is jubilant when it comes to the subject of Jesus, and He releases that joy-filled attitude victoriously through me as I open up and testify of Jesus to others! I receive the power of God that makes me an effective witness for Him!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you been afraid to witness? Have you ever thought about why this is such a fearful thing for you to do? Maybe it would be good for you to think through this question and come up with a conclusion you can pray about.
2. There is special supernatural power available to help you share Christ with others. Have you ever experienced that supernatural power in a specific situation? What was that situation?
3. Who do you know that is unsaved and needs to hear the message of Jesus right now? Is it a friend, relative, coworker, or an acquaintance? Don’t you want that person to know Christ as you know Him? Why not yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him testify through you to that person? He’ll show you when and how to do it!