Our pastor is preaching on the Holy Spirit this year, not to de-emphasize the work of the Father or the Son, but because most preaching in churches today isn’t focused on the person of the Holy Spirit. God is Triune – three equal persons – so it makes sense to explore this person. Jesus told the first disciples that it was better if he went away so that the Holy Spirit could come to them. I don’t know if, prior to Pentecost, they believed that it would be better if he left, but I love Jesus’s promise of Holy Spirit’s close fellowship:
“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].” (John 16:7 AMP)
A physically present Jesus could not be everywhere at all times, so it IS to our advantage to have Holy Spirit living within all Believers – present in all places and at all times. This ever-present-God-within-us guides us into Truth. “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].” (John 16:13 AMP). In much of our world today, TRUTH – especially God’s Truth – seems to be in short supply. Those that stretch, ignore, or even lie about Truth seem to have no consequences for this sin. Yet, Jesus told us that we need the Holy Spirit because, “When he comes, he will expose sin and prove that the world is wrong about God’s righteousness and his judgments. ‘Sin,’ because they refuse to believe in who I am. God’s ‘righteousness,’ because I’m going back to join the Father and you’ll see me no longer. “And ‘judgment’ because the ruler of this dark world has already received his sentence.” (John 16:8-11 TPT)
The notes in the Passion Translation explain, “In essence, “sin . . . righteousness . . . and judgment are related to three persons.” Sin is related to Adam, for it was through Adam that sin entered humanity (Rom. 5:12). Righteousness is related to Christ, because it comes through him, and he has become our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). Judgment is related to Satan, for the pure works of Christ bring judgment to the works of Satan. If we do not embrace Christ’s righteousness, we will share Satan’s judgment.” (p. 282).
Holy Spirit – our Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, and Standby – has been sent to us by our Savior Jesus Christ to be in close fellowship with us. He wants us to embrace Christ’s righteousness so we can give up our sin and avoid sharing satan’s judgment. Our ever-present-God-within-us guides us into all the full and complete Truth and will disclose to us what is to come. Today, let us be grateful for the Holy Spirit which helps us know God’s Truth.
God of Truth, Power, and Love,
Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to show us what the heart of the Father was like. Thank you for the power and authority you give us to spread the Good News of the Gospel. Thank you that your Truth stands firm, unmovable, and complete through all eras, places, and in all circumstances. Thank you for the close fellowship you offer us with Holy Spirit so that we can embrace your righteousness, give up our sin, and avoid sharing satan’s judgment. Move your Spirit on each of us, influence our minds, break us of our willingness to be ensnared by evil, redeem and restore us, and show us your love so we can obey you. May we be lost in the wonder of your Grace, Mercy, Love, and Truth. We ask this through the power of Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.
“God of Truth, and Power, and Love”
by Charles Wesley
1 God of truth, and power, and love,
Father, friend of all mankind,
Let on me Thy Spirit move,
Influence my feeble mind;
’Twixt the serpent’s seed and me
Prevalently interpose,
Break the fatal amity,
Make us everlasting foes.
2 Sin hath poisoned all my soul,
Sin, the serpent’s cursèd seed:
No one part in me is whole,
Yet will I the promise plead;
Promise of all-saving grace,
Promise of an inward power,
Able to redeem the race,
Me, and all men to restore.
6 Tell me Jesus died for me,
Show some token of His love;
Love and sin can never agree,
Love shall still the stronger prove:
Love in the first measure give,
Sin shall then no longer sway,
Flesh may for a season strive,
I the Spirit shall obey.
8 Adam, flesh, and self, and pride,
Antichrist, perdition’s son,
Let him not in me abide,
Cast him out, and reign alone;
Slay the dragon in the sea,
Make my soul Thy pure abode,
Filled with all the deity,
Swallowed up, and lost in God.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)