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!

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
— John 14:26

Have you ever wondered how the four gospel writers separately recorded four gospels with no contradictions? With all the countless words the disciples heard Jesus speak, how did they ever remember them all accurately? It is absolutely remarkable to me when I think about each apostle’s fantastic ability to remember what Jesus said and did. This leads us to the next responsibility God gave to the Holy Spirit — to bring to our remembrance all the things Jesus said or taught.

When Jesus taught about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He said that bringing what Jesus said to remembrance would be a part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. In John 14:26, Jesus said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and will bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

The word “remembrance” is a translation of the Greek word hupomimnesko, which is a compound of the words hupo and mimnesko. The word hupo in this particular case means by — as to place something alongside of something else. The word mimnesko means to remember, to recollect, to remind, to regather, or to recall. When these two words are compounded, the combined nuances depict someone whose memory is awakened or one who is enabled to call something to mind.

This is truly amazing to me. When I read the gospels and I see how the Holy Spirit brought explicit, vivid details to the remembrance of four gospel writers, I know that it would have been naturally impossible for all four of these men to so precisely recall everything they remembered on their own. However, the fact is that they were all listening to the same Holy Spirit who was bringing to their remembrance everything they had experienced with Jesus.

The Bible gives us a very clear example in John 12 of this “reminding work” of the Holy Spirit. In this account, Jesus was entering into Jerusalem triumphantly as people joyfully proclaimed, “Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord” (John 12:13). At the time this was happening, the disciples didn’t realize Old Testament Scripture was being fulfilled before their eyes. But John 12:16 goes on to say, “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.” This very clearly refers to the reminding ministry of the Holy Spirit.

After the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those who prayed in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, one of the ways the Holy Spirit taught the apostles about Jesus was by tying Old Testament Scripture into events they had experienced with Him. Many things that hadn’t been clear or hadn’t made sense to them while Jesus was on earth were now being explained and defined as the Holy Spirit led them in Old Testament verses. As He inspired the apostles to write the New Testament, He clarified and revealed to them the significance of the Old Testament as it related to Jesus’ ministry and calling, the newly emerging Church, and the future.

Furthermore, the gospels contain no errors. What we have in them is exactly what Jesus said and did. They were written as the Holy Spirit put Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in remembrance of what Jesus said and did. How marvelous and fantastic it truly is to see how the Holy Spirit illuminated their minds to recall vivid details from Jesus’ life and ministry. It is due to this wonderful reminding work of the Holy Spirit that we have the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in our Bibles today.

This makes me know that we can never claim ignorance for not knowing Scripture. Part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to bring to our memory exactly what verses we need — when we need them. If our partnership with the Holy Spirit is strong, we can lean upon Him the moment our memory fails us, because it is His responsibility to remind us of the Word of God. When we are in the midst of a difficult situation and don’t know what to do, the Holy Spirit will reach into the Word of God that is stored in our hearts and minds, and He will withdraw the exact verse or truth we need and put us in remembrance of it at just the right moment.

Perhaps this particular reminding work of the Holy Spirit is best illustrated in parts of the world where the Bible is illegal. My family lives in the former Soviet Union, where the Bible was forbidden for more than 70 years. I am constantly in awe as I meet leaders and entire churches that had only one Bible over a span of many years. Sometimes it was a hand-copied version with torn and tattered pages from decades of use. Those yellow, tattered pages of the Word of God meant everything to them.

It is the most amazing thing to see people who have had limited access to the Bible and yet know it so well. They can quote it and remember it better than people in free countries who have several Bibles in their homes and the opportunity to read them every morning and every night. There is only one explanation: the Holy Spirit. He is doing exactly what Jesus said He would do — putting them in remembrance of the Word of God. This is especially true where the Word of God, although it may be scarce, is embraced and esteemed. When a person has given precious care to reading and meditating on the Word day and night, the Holy Spirit has the wherewithal to call to remembrance what that person has read and assimilated in the deepest parts of his being. That is one of the Holy Spirit’s responsibilities as our Partner in this world.

Today I want to encourage you to open your heart to this reminding ministry of the Holy Spirit. If you say you have a difficult time memorizing Scripture, open your heart to the ministry of the Holy Spirit because He wants to put you in remembrance of everything that Jesus said. And He will help you recall everything you need to remember that Jesus said to you — exactly on time and exactly at the right place. That’s part of His reminding ministry to you and to me.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am so thankful for the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit to put me in remembrance of the words and acts of Jesus Christ. I confess that there have been times when I found it difficult to remember scripture verses, but now I understand that in times when my memory fails me, the Holy Spirit will step forward to help me remember exactly what needs to be brought to my attention. I will no longer claim a poor memory but will now embrace this special reminding ministry of the Holy Spirit!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the Holy Spirit brings to my memory everything I need to recall about the life, words, and acts of Jesus Christ. I have the mind of Christ working in me because the Holy Spirit lives in me and is helping me. Part of His ministry is to remind me of everything that Jesus said or did, and I declare that because of the Holy Spirit’s faithfulness to remind me, I recall everything I need to — on time and in every situation where it is needed.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you couldn’t recall a verse or a passage of Scripture, and then it suddenly came to your mind at exactly the right moment? When was that? How did it affect you when you remembered it so correctly?
2. Is this reminding ministry of the Holy Spirit a brand-new concept to you, or have you already been aware of His function to remind you of things Jesus said or did?
3. Everyone has a responsibility to memorize Scripture. If this is difficult for you, do you see more clearly after reading this Sparkling Gem how the Holy Spirit is ready to help you with this? As you plant the Word in your heart and determine to set certain scriptures to memory, He will be faithful to bring those words to your remembrance!

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things….
— John 14:26

As Jesus continued teaching the disciples about the various roles the Holy Spirit would soon have in their lives, He told them that the Holy Spirit would also “teach” them. Let’s look at that word “teach” in today’s Sparkling Gem and see what Jesus meant when He chose this word.

This word “teach” is the Greek word didasko — a word that is used approximately 200 times in both the Old and New Testaments. It is used so often, in fact, that its meaning is very well established. But to make sure we hit the target correctly, we will take our meaning of didasko from The NIV Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words, which gives the primary meaning of this word as “to teach, inform, instruct, demonstrate, and prescribe.” It continues, “The word is used typically for the relationship between teacher and pupil, instructor, and apprentice. What is taught may be not only knowledge, opinions, or facts but also artistic and technical skills, all of which are to be systematically and thoroughly acquired by the learner through the activity of a teacher.”

Thus, in the context of John 14:26, we see that the word didasko means the Holy Spirit has taken on the role of a Teacher, just as Jesus was a Teacher to the disciples. The Holy Spirit has become our Teacher, and we are His pupils. He is our Instructor, and we are the apprentices. Furthermore, the full extent of the Holy Spirit’s teaching is deep and multifaceted. Not only was He sent to us to impart knowledge and facts, lessons from Scripture, and theological truths, but He also teaches us how to live our Christian lives with divinely artistic skill. Instructed by the Teacher who lives within each of us as believers, we receive lessons imparted as we spend time in the Word or prayer or through any aspect of our innumerable life experiences. If we are listening, the Holy Spirit is teaching us constantly. Our responsibility is to listen, to obey, and to internalize and put into practice the truths He is teaching us.

There are always people who claim that if you haven’t been to Bible school, you are untaught and ignorant and therefore unable to be used significantly by God. However, this is simply not the case. It’s true that Bible school can be an immensely beneficial experience, and it’s good for you to read every book that you can read. But if you never go to a Bible school or read a teaching book, the Holy Spirit will still teach you, because He is ordained by the Father to do just that. Teaching is a fundamental part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

6 Verlyn D. Verbrugge, NIV Theological Dictionary of New Testament Words: Abridged Edition, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), p. 141

Jesus told His disciples that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach them, and today the Holy Spirit has been sent to teach you. If you’re seeking the best Teacher in the world, look no further! If you are born again, you have the Holy Spirit — the greatest Teacher in the history of the world — living inside you. If you’ll see yourself as His apprentice and cultivate your partnership together, He’ll teach you everything you need to know to live successfully and victoriously for Christ!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, You said that when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach me all things I need to know. I am thankful for my pastor, my church, my books, and my various teaching materials — but there is nothing that could ever replace the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. I admit that I’ve leaned on my own understanding on too many occasions, but starting today, I sincerely dedicate myself as a pupil and apprentice to the Spirit of God.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am in need of the Holy Spirit’s teaching in my life. I am thankful that I don’t need to beg for it or work to earn this work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew I needed divine instruction, and that is one reason why He prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit into the world. He is my Teacher, and I am His pupil. He is the Instructor, and I am the apprentice. I am serious about learning, and I take it as my responsibility to internalize and put into practice what He teaches me through diligent study and by application of His words in my life experience.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever experienced the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit?
2. Can you clearly express the specific ways you’ve experienced the Holy Spirit’s teaching ministry? Your ability to do that could help someone else who needs to learn how to benefit from this coaching and instructing role of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.
3. How do you internalize and put into practice the things that the Holy Spirit has taught you through personal study or life experience?

…For he dwelleth with you and shall be in you….
— John 14:17

Today I want to return to that night in the Upper Room when Jesus taught His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As the disciples sat and listened attentively, Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit had been with them all along, but soon would be in them. As they had ministered at Jesus’ side, the disciples had experienced an atmosphere of the anointing and had temporary moments when the Spirit of God would come upon them. However, they had never experienced the Holy Spirit living inside them.

Up to that moment in history, the Holy Spirit had only taken up permanent residence inside one Person — Jesus. Even the prophets, priests, and kings in the Old Testament never knew this glorious privilege. Under the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit might temporarily come upon people to specially empower them for ministry and service, but this anointing was temporary.

So when Jesus told His disciples in John 14:17 that the Holy Spirit “shall be in you,” it was a mighty statement! The phrase “shall be in you” is translated from the Greek words en humin, which can only be translated in you. At first glance, this may seem simple, but remember that the Holy Spirit had never before lived inside a human being. This was Jesus declaring that for the first time in human history, the Spirit of God was going to literally come inside believers and abide there! His presence would no longer be temporary or fleeting, as people in the Old Testament had experienced. The Holy Spirit was going to take up residency and dwell inside them permanently — to never move, never waver, and never pack His bags and leave for another location.

Prior to this statement in John 14:17, Jesus had described the Holy Spirit’s role as a “Comforter” (v.16). As we saw in previous Sparkling Gems (June 2-6), this word is the Greek term parakletos, meaning one called alongside them. Now He takes it a step further and affirms that the Holy Spirit would actually live “in” them.

This is a central truth of the New Testament: If you have repented of sin and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, then you have been born again and the Holy Spirit has come to live inside you. This is why the apostle Paul wrote, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

I like to say it this way — your heart was never meant to be a hotel. God never intended for the Holy Spirit to be your Guest. The Holy Spirit has come to stay as a permanent Resident inside your heart, and He will be with you for the rest of your life. This is yet another reason why you should develop your partnership with Him. He has moved in, taken up residence, and is committed to staying with you until that glorious day when you are ultimately relocated to Heaven itself!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that the Holy Spirit is not a temporary Guest, but a permanent Resident inside my heart. Help me to remember this and to live my life in a way that honors His indwelling presence. Help me to live with the constant awareness that He is with me always. I am so thankful that He does not come and go and that He is not a fleeting relationship in my life. Help me to cultivate my fellowship with Him until I come to know Him deeply in my life on a practical level.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I acknowledge and declare that God’s Spirit dwells permanently inside my heart. He will never waver or pack His bags to move to another location. My heart is not meant to be a hotel, but rather a permanent residence for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not a temporary Guest — He has come to indwell my heart for the rest of my life! He has moved in, taken up residence, and is committed to staying with me until I am ultimately relocated to Heaven itself!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought about how glorious it is that your heart is not a temporary location for the Holy Spirit, but rather His permanent dwelling place?
2. How should the awareness that your heart is the Holy Spirit’s permanent dwelling place affect the way you live your life?
3. What kind of condition is your heart in for Him? What renovations do you need to make in your heart to make it more accommodating to Him, considering the Holy Spirit already lives inside you?

And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us…. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
— Matthew 9:27,29

Today I want to further highlight Jesus’ own supernatural partnership with the Holy Spirit. It’s so important to grasp the fact that Jesus depended entirely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance during His earthly ministry as He preached and performed miracles throughout the land. And with that in mind, let’s focus in on this truth: Everything Jesus did in His earthly ministry worked! Every single sick person He laid hands on was healed. Every demon He cast out of a possessed person left for good. Even the dead rose to His command! His rate of success was 100 percent.

What was the key to Jesus’ success? Just this: He never took action unless He knew the Father through His Spirit was leading Him to do so. Jesus never attempted to heal a sick person, cast out a demon, or raise the dead without first knowing that He was doing what He saw the Father do (see John 5:19).

An interesting example of Jesus’ spiritual partnership with the Holy Spirit can be found in the account of the two blind beggars in Matthew 9:27-31. As it is related in this passage, two beggars heard Jesus walking by them and began to cry out to Him for healing. However, instead of stopping to heal them, Jesus continued on His way without even acknowledging their presence. As a result, verse 27 states they “…followed him, crying and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” Even though they were blind and couldn’t see where they were going, these beggars were determined to follow Jesus until they got His attention, and the Bible says they were “crying.” This word “crying” is the Greek word kradzo, which means to scream, to yell, to exclaim, or to cry out. In other words, the two blind beggars were exerting every ounce of their hearts and their efforts into using their mouths to make a sound that would cause Jesus to turn His attention on them so they get Jesus’ attention!

Think about this situation for a moment. It is a very unusual depiction of Jesus. There were two blind men who desperately wanted to be healed and were crying out to get Jesus’ attention. Yet instead of stopping to help them, Jesus just continued on His way as though they weren’t even there. Still they pursued Him relentlessly. Groping along in their darkness, the blind men screamed, yelled, and cried out at the top of their lungs: “Have mercy on us! Have mercy on us! Have mercy on us!” There was no way that Jesus didn’t hear their cries, but He didn’t stop to acknowledge their existence.

In Matthew 9:28, we see that these blind beggars followed Him all the way to the house where He was staying and continued to cry out, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” Finally, Jesus came outside and addressed them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They answered, “Yea, Lord.” Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith be it unto you,” and their eyes were immediately opened (v. 30).

Although this passage of Scripture relates the story of a mighty healing miracle, it perplexed me for many years. Why didn’t Jesus acknowledge them? Why didn’t He immediately turn to heal them when He learned of their blind condition? What were the reasons behind His hesitation?

After meditating on this subject, I came to a realization. The only answer possible is that Jesus evidently did not sense the leading of the Holy Spirit in that moment to restore sight to those men. Otherwise, He would have stopped to do it, because as Jesus stated in John 5:19, He did only whatever He saw the Father do, regardless of His own inclinations. The good news is that those men were able to use their own faith to be healed, anyway, and their sight was miraculously restored. In fact, it is almost as if Jesus told them, “You are going to have to receive this on your own. Be it unto you according to your own faith.”

Usually we think of the Holy Spirit leading us to do something; however, in the case of the two blind beggars, Jesus was led to do nothing. If He had been led to heal them, He would have healed them immediately, just as He had done on countless other instances.

So often we get caught up in following our own plans and miss out entirely on what the Holy Spirit is attempting to do and say through us. We get the ball rolling on a project, and then after our program is already well underway, we pray and ask God to bless what we have initiated — assuming it was His will in the first place. No wonder we often have such poor results! We must learn to let the Holy Spirit lead us just as He led Jesus.

If the Holy Spirit leads us to action, we should act — but if there is no leading, we should do nothing. Sometimes doing nothing is the right thing to do! I can think of many instances when I saw something that was a good idea — something I thought someone should do — but I felt no unction to do it, and knew I would be wrong if I did it. In those cases, someone else had to use his or her faith to get it done, and ultimately that task was completed — but by someone else, not me.

I’m sure that when Jesus first saw those two blind beggars, He felt tugged by compassion to immediately reach out and heal them. However, He did only what He saw the Father doing, and He initiated nothing without first being led by the Holy Spirit. That is why His success rate was 100 percent!

Instead of jumping into action every time you see a need, learn to put on the brakes, stop yourself for a moment, and wait until the Holy Spirit speaks clearly to your heart. It may seem as though this way of doing things takes longer, but the end results will be far more rewarding and long-lasting if you adopt Jesus’ approach and rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than just going with your own preplanned program. You’ll find that your success rate will increase dramatically!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me learn to be keenly sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit — paying attention not just to when I should take action, but also to when I should do nothing. I’ve never thought about the Holy Spirit leading me to do nothing, but I can see that sometimes it is not His will for me to take action because He wants to work in a different way, at a different time, or through someone else. I admit that I’ve often assumed I knew what the Holy Spirit wanted me to do and then acted presumptuously without even praying. Now I under- stand why my success rate has not been as high as I desire. Help me be like Jesus — taking action only when the Holy Spirit is leading.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am led by the Holy Spirit and that I refuse to jump into action simply because I see something that needs to be done or because I am aware of a need that should be met. I put on the brakes; I listen; and I wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart. Because I take action when He speaks to me and I do exactly what He tells me to do, I experience His supernatural power and supernatural results in my life. I confess that I will endeavor to do things the way Jesus did — doing only what He knew was being initiated by the Father and the Holy Spirit!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of an instance when you assumed you were supposed to take action, but in actuality, the Holy Spirit had not led you to do anything at all?
2. Can you recall other times in the four gospels when Jesus didn’t heal someone? What do you learn about being led by the Holy Spirit by studying those examples?
3. Have you ever done something out of compulsion? Perhaps you thought this task needed to be done and it cost you a lot, but ultimately it produced no results. As you look back on that experience, what did you learn from it?

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
— Romans 8:14

When I was a young boy, I used to play a game with my sister and childhood friends called “Follow the Leader.” The rules of the game dictated that the leader had absolute authority to tell us what to do. I always wanted to be the leader, but my older sister would always end up in that coveted leadership role. The leader said what we could play, who would clean the house, and so on. We basically did whatever he or she told us to do. No wonder my older sister always wanted to be the leader!

When I think back on those playtime experiences as a boy, I am reminded of Romans 8:14, where the apostle Paul talks about following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. He wrote, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” In Greek, the sentence structure is actually reversed, so that it reads, “For as many as by the Spirit of God are being led, they are the sons of God.” It puts the Holy Spirit at the first of the verse, and we are placed behind Him — a picture of our responsibility as children of God to “follow the Leader.”

The Greek word for “led” is ago, which simply means to lead. However, I want to point out that this word is also the root for the Greek word agon, which describes an intense conflict, such as a struggle in a wrestling match or a struggle of the human will. Thus, we see that although the Holy Spirit wants to lead us, our human will doesn’t like the idea of being led. The flesh always distrusts guidance or instruction given by a person in a position of authority, and it’s human nature to want to call the shots and lead the way. Whether young or old, most people don’t like the idea of being led. When I played “Follow the Leader” as a child, I didn’t like being led by my sister and being told what to do. I’d rather have been in charge myself and called the shots as I saw them!

In the same way, when we make the decision to allow the Holy Spirit to dictate the course of our lives, it often produces a struggle between our will and our flesh. However, as children of God, we must learn to subdue the complaints of our flesh and stay in our place — behind the Holy Spirit as followers. We’re not to be out front directing the Holy Spirit; we are to go behind Him, following His leading, direction, and guidance. The mark of a mature believer is his or her ability to sense where the Lord is leading and then to follow that leading.

The fact that the Greek word for “led” is also the root of the Greek word for struggle tells us that we will have to deal with our flesh as we begin to rely fully on the Holy Spirit as our Coach and Guide. Our flesh wants to control our lives, so we must say no to it and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way. Regardless of how great the struggle seems, this process of trusting the Holy Spirit’s leadership is the only way to live a supernatural Christian life.

In a certain sense, we should make it our goal to be “tagalongs” to the Holy Spirit. We should continually follow along to see what He is doing, where He is going, and how He is leading — and then we should obey His leading implicitly. Just as Jesus emulated the Father’s actions, we must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and then follow His cues. In other words, we must “be led by the Spirit,” which is both the responsibility and benefit of being a child of God. To become the mature Christians God wants us to be, we must have this practical relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The leading of the Holy Spirit is often subtle, taking the form of an impression or nudging in our hearts to do something. However, His leading can also be more dramatic, such as through a prophecy, dream, or vision, or simply through a voice speaking clearly to our spirits.

The truth is, learning to know the voice of the Holy Spirit and being led by Him should be one of your primary concerns as a growing, maturing child of God. It’s all part of that lifelong pursuit to know Him and the power of His resurrection as you press toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I want to learn how to become a “tagalong” behind the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I know You sent the Holy Spirit to be my supernatural Coach — but that His Help is only a reality to me if I choose to obey His leading. I admit that I have often struggled with obedience, and I ask You to forgive me. I really want to obey. Today I ask You to give me the strength of will and the inward surrender of heart to trust and obey the Holy Spirit and do exactly what He is trying to lead me to do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am tuned in to the Spirit of God and that I boldly obey whatever He instructs me to do. Fear and lack of trust do not dictate my obedience to the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of truth. He will never mislead me or misguide me, and I am confident of His leadership over my life. Even when I do not understand the reasons why He is leading me in a certain way, I choose to obey Him. He is the Spirit of truth. Therefore, I am confident that He is directing me into the perfect will of God for every sphere of my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you truthfully say that you are a consistent “tagalong” who follows behind the Holy Spirit? Or do you find that most of the time you are out front, trying to direct Him as to what should be happening in your life?
2. Have you ever experienced an inner struggle after making a decision to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps He nudged you to do something — or to refrain from doing something — and you found it very difficult to do so, even though you were certain it was His divine leading?
3. Have you ever experienced a struggle when the Holy Spirit instructed you to witness to someone, but you found it difficult to obey? Or perhaps you sensed the Holy Spirit’s leading to give a sacrificial offering, and your flesh put up a fight against His instruction in your heart. Can you think of other instances where you had to mortify your flesh in order to obey what the Holy Spirit was directing you to do or not to do?

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth….
— John 14:16,17

As you’re learning more about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in these June Sparkling Gems, you may have thought at some point, Following the direction of the Holy Spirit at this deeper level is a little unsettling for me. Honestly, it sounds a little scary to stop trying to manage the situations of life and entrust myself completely to His leadership. I can’t even see Him! What is my guarantee that I can understand how to hear or to follow Him when the Holy Spirit attempts to lead me?

These are reasonable questions to ask if you’re not used to the idea of partnering with the Holy Spirit. In fact, when Jesus first told His disciples about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, similar doubts were probably swirling around in their minds. That’s why Jesus made sure to take the time during His last night on earth to assuage their fears and give them a divine guarantee regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16 and 17, He said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of Truth.…”

Notice that Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth” in this verse. This is the first of three instances where Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth” over the course of His teaching in John chapters 14-16 (see John 15:26 and John 16:13). Three different times in three chapters! By repeating this phrase over and over again, Jesus was driving a truth into His disciples’ hearts — that the Holy Spirit is utterly trustworthy and would never mislead them or misguide them.

In each instance where Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of Truth,” the word “truth” is a translation of the Greek word alethes, which describes something that can be depended upon or something that is trustworthy, reliable, and true. In the Old Testament Septuagint, this term often denotes something that is faithful, sure, stable, and firm, as opposed to something that is unreliable and uncertain. In addition, the word alethes is used in the gospels to depict the uncovering of truth as opposed to the deliberate hiding of truth. Taken together, these meanings emphatically show that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would always be trustworthy, reliable, and true. The disciples could rest assured that the Holy Spirit would never deliberately conceal information from them that was vital for them to know.

When Jesus used the word truth to describe the Holy Spirit, it was the equivalent of saying, “You don’t need to worry that He will lead you astray or that He will lead you wrongly. You can depend upon Him and you can trust Him.” Jesus wanted the disciples to relax and understand that they could depend on the Holy Spirit to lead them correctly.

Many believers have a hard time following the leading of the Holy Spirit because they can’t see Him or physically hear His voice. They say, “Oh, how I wish Jesus was here” or, “I wish Jesus would step through the door and tell me what to do in this situation.”

But this way of thinking isn’t in line with the Bible. Is it time for you to rejoice that you have the Holy Spirit in your life because He will never mislead you! You may need to develop your ability to listen, but the Holy Spirit will always guide you to where you need to be. He is the Spirit of Truth!

This means you can be sure that when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart to do something, it is the right thing to do. When He puts a thought into your mind, it is a right idea. When He guides your spirit, He knows something you don’t and is trying to lead you on the best possible path through the obstacles in your life. He is always the Spirit of Truth, and as the Spirit of Truth, you can rely on the fact He will never mislead you.

The bottom line is this: If we’re going to experience real, supernatural Christian living, we must come to a place of surrender to the Holy Spirit. He is always trying to coach and direct us, even when we’re not listening. He is always as close as our next breath, dwelling in our spirits — speaking, directing, encouraging, and trying to help us make the correct decisions in life. Whether or not we listen to Him, He is still there on the inside of us because that’s the job assignment He received from the Father. So to the extent we decide to listen to our Heavenly Coach and follow His advice, that is the extent we benefit from the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

We must learn to trust the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do what He instructs us to do. He is a divine Coach sent by God to help us. For Him to help us, it requires our ears, our hearts, our trust, and our obedience. Anything short of this will produce inferior results, results far short of the supernatural life you really desire. Since He is the Spirit of truth, it means He is completely trustworthy — so put aside your fears and objections and begin to let Him do His job of coaching you. This is Jesus’ guarantee!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I confess that I have been fearful about following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Today I admit it; I confess it; and I turn from it. I want to experience the coaching ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. Therefore, I know He will never mislead me. Starting today, I choose to put aside my apprehensions and surrender to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. With Him helping me, I will begin to follow His leading and let Him guide me through life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that when the Holy Spirit inspires a thought in my mind to do something, it is right. When He nudges my spirit to do something, I can rest assured that He sees and knows something I don’t know and is trying to guide and direct me according to truth. He is always the Spirit of truth and will never mislead me. I long for real, supernatural Christian living, so I confess by faith that I will surrender to the Holy Spirit. In this act of surrender, I give Him permission to be my Heavenly Coach and Counselor.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever really trusted the Holy Spirit’s leadership in your life, or do you typically question whether or not you should do the things He has nudged you to do?
2. If you have been afraid to follow His leadership in the past, what belief about the Person of the Holy Spirit caused you to be fearful?
3. Can you think of a time when you ignored the Holy Spirit’s nudge in your heart, only to discover later that it really was the leading of the Holy Spirit?
4. What was that experience, and what was the result of your not doing what He was prompting you to do?