Joh 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
Joh 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
Joh 16:9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
Joh 16:10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
Joh 16:11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Here again we see Jesus leading us into the truth. In these passages He is helping us to understand why He had to go and the truth of what will actually come to pass because of His victory. The devil’s goal it to have us follow him and give him authority thus giving him power in our lives. The devil is the father of lies and is a master of deception but he only has authority when you believe the lies that he has perpetrated on the human race and in believing the lies follow what you believe to be truth.
Most people would never follow the “Hollywood” devil, you know the one, with the pitchfork, horns and pointy tail. We would see him coming a mile away and run to Christ. But just as the devil is described in the garden of eden as more subtle, more cunning and more crafty the Bible alerts us to how he will manifest himself from time to time.
2Co 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
You see it is the Truth that satan hates and it is the truth that he desires you not to know. He leads us by things that fit right into our nature…things that seem may even seem good as the 1950’s French novelist Albert Camus said
“The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.”
And since that day in the garden when we desired to know good and evil and be like God we have fallen into satan’s trap many times. And just like Simon Peter we too are at war with satan when we come to know the truth and that truth sets us free but we have an advocate…
Luk 22:31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
Luk 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
So the first step in knowing the Holy Spirit is to know that He bears witness of the Truth. And in that most famous passage Jesus tells us that He is Truth (John 14:6) and now our job our purpose is to allow the truth of Jesus to save us, to sanctify us, and to satisfy us in every facet of our life and to tell that same story of the power and love of God, just as Paul did in the book of Acts
Act 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
Next time we will start to look at how the Holy Spirit reveals and applies these truths to our lives and how He deals with three different groups of people; unbelievers, believers and the spiritual forces of darkness.
Joh 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
Joh 16:9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
Joh 16:10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
Joh 16:11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Here again we see Jesus leading us into the truth. In these passages He is helping us to understand why He had to go and the truth of what will actually come to pass because of His victory. The devil’s goal it to have us follow him and give him authority thus giving him power in our lives. The devil is the father of lies and is a master of deception but he only has authority when you believe the lies that he has perpetrated on the human race and in believing the lies follow what you believe to be truth.
Most people would never follow the “Hollywood” devil, you know the one, with the pitchfork, horns and pointy tail. We would see him coming a mile away and run to Christ. But just as the devil is described in the garden of eden as more subtle, more cunning and more crafty the Bible alerts us to how he will manifest himself from time to time.
2Co 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
You see it is the Truth that satan hates and it is the truth that he desires you not to know. He leads us by things that fit right into our nature…things that seem may even seem good as the 1950’s French novelist Albert Camus said
“The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.”
And since that day in the garden when we desired to know good and evil and be like God we have fallen into satan’s trap many times. And just like Simon Peter we too are at war with satan when we come to know the truth and that truth sets us free but we have an advocate…
Luk 22:31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
Luk 22:32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
So the first step in knowing the Holy Spirit is to know that He bears witness of the Truth. And in that most famous passage Jesus tells us that He is Truth (John 14:6) and now our job our purpose is to allow the truth of Jesus to save us, to sanctify us, and to satisfy us in every facet of our life and to tell that same story of the power and love of God, just as Paul did in the book of Acts
Act 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
Next time we will start to look at how the Holy Spirit reveals and applies these truths to our lives and how He deals with three different groups of people; unbelievers, believers and the spiritual forces of darkness.
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