John, chapter 16

Thank you LORD for the entrance of Your Word that gives us light. Thank you that the Light shines and the darkness did not comprehend it in the name of Jesus, Amen.

John 16:7 (NKJV)

"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 depart, I will send Him to you."

Amen, thank you LORD.

When Jesus was sending His disciples to preach the gospel in the different towns and cities, He sent them with His Word which gave them the power to cast out demons and to heal the sick (Mark 3:15). The disciples did not need the ministry of the Helper also known as the Holy Spirit because they had Jesus, His name and His presence with them.

In John chapter 16, Jesus is still comforting His disciples about His departure to be with the Father God in heaven (John 16:28) for it would benefit them more if He left. Jesus was introducing to them and telling us as well about someone extremely precious, a Person who is more precious and important than the presence of Jesus which is the Person of the Holy Spirit. He was the Person who was behind all the miracles that Jesus performed and when some people insulted the works that Jesus did, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation - because they said, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:28-30 NKJV).

When you look at the verse above, it represensts the level of trust that Jesus had for the Person of the Holy Spirit. Just when the disciples thought their lives had come to an end after the death and burial of Jesus, hope was made alive by Christ's resurrection. Romans 8:11 (NLT) says, "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies." The disciples were men, fishermen by profession, others tax collectors, men living ordinary lives who by the Spirit of the LORD were transformed into men equipped with the power to do the works of the Father God. 2 Corinthians 3:18 speaks of beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror being transformed into His image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the LORD. When God created you, He made you in His image (Genesis 1:27) with His nature and likeness and in 1 John 4:17 reminds us that as God is, so are we in this world.

Later on, when the disciples had been filled with the Holy Spirit and now had become apostles of the early church, when people met them, uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled for they realized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). The apostles beheld the glory of the risen Lord and were transformed into His image by the power of the Spirit of the LORD. Acts 4:33 (NKJV) says, And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

In John 16:22-23 (NKJV), Jesus continues to say, "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you." Indeed Jesus' words came to pass because the disciples who were now apostles were no longer in sorrow but rejoicing and walking in joy for the Holy Spirit gave them a joy that nothing or anyone could be able to take from them. Today, Jesus' words hold true for you and I just like they did for the disciples that is, Jesus left us with the most precious Person, the Holy Spirit who is also our Helper (John 16:7) who pours the love of God without measure in our hearts (Romans 5:5) and from this place we are able to call God, Abba Father as sons and daughters that have a family we belong to (Romans 8:15). The Holy Spirit also equips us with power to wtiness about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:8) with great signs and wonders. The Holy Spirit is our peace (John 16:33) and joy, the author of the ministry of righteousness for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). He is also the One by whose power we are kept alive unto God in Christ Jesus (1 Peter 1:5) for sin has lost its power over you. Now ask God, the Father in the name of Jesus so you will receive and that your joy may be full (John 16:24).

Jesus in John 16:27 (NKJV) continues to remind you, "for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God."

I'll end with this Word found in 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NKJV)

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Amen, thank you LORD.

Invitation to salvation: The greatest gift that God gave the world will always be His Son, Jesus. If you would like to receive eternal life and have personal relationship with God through His Beloved Son, Jesus. I invite you to say this confession:

"I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that; Jesus Christ, the Son of God came in a human body to die for my sins and was raised from the dead so that I could have a new life where I am alive to God." AMEN.

GLORY TO GOD, You are now a new creation in Christ Jesus! In case you have not already, please prayerfully consider becoming a member of a church and get WATER BAPTIZED!

If you have not already, I encourage you to read chapters 1-16 of John's Gospel! GOD BLESS YOU