John 16 Relationships not Religion
Comforter – helper
Illustration: How do you get the air out of a glass?
Photo: Avis rental “we try harder.”
What can you handle on the level you’re own?
A box of gold -encyclopedia to Wyatt or Christian vs. coloring book or a cup of ice cream.
When you’re on this walk, you have levels of growth.
The Holy Spirit comes:
Immediately
Imminently
Ultimately
THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS BY:
CONVICTION
John 16: 8-11, I Corinthians 12:3 Psalms 24:4 Psalms 15:1-5 Rom 6:3-4 newness of life
Cancel culture
Clean Hands and pure heart – who washes our hands and heart
help your child wash their hands
A visitor coming into your house with muddy boots. Shocked to remove them the
the way we are when Christ ask us
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. People may criticize us. The world may condemn us. But
these are not the most important voices for us to listen to. The convicting voice of the Holy Spirit
is the most important voice that we must listen to. Even in soul-winning, we must depend on
the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to make people realize their need for Christ. This will be
more effective than all our words of condemnation and ridicule.
CONFIDENCE
Acts 1: 8, II Timothy 1: 7
The Holy Spirit gives us supernatural boldness. In these days
when we face so many fearful situations, we must depend on the
boldness given by the Holy Spirit. This will help us to witness
fearlessly for Christ. This will also help us to face difficult
situations with confidence.
COMFORT
John 16:7, Acts 9: 31
The Holy Spirit is a comforter. The Early Church faced so much
persecution and martyrdom. But they did not lose their zeal for
the Lord because they were constantly comforted by the Holy Spirit. Today we need the same
experience to serve God with zeal
and enthusiasm in the midst of great trials and tribulations.
COUNSEL
John 16: 13, I John 2: 27
The Holy Spirit gives us counsel and direction. He leads us into
all truth. The early church was constantly guided by the Holy
Spirit. Today the church must be led by the counsel of the Holy
Spirit. The devil is constantly developing strategies and devices
to attack and destroy the church. To counter this attack, our
human plans and wisdom will not be sufficient. We need the counsel
of the Holy Spirit.
CONFLICT
Isaiah 59: 19, Isaiah 10: 27
The Holy Spirit helps us in our battles and conflicts. We are
in intense spiritual warfare. Even our natural and physical
battles often have a spiritual cause behind them. Therefore the
church needs to fight these battles not in human strength but
with the power of the Holy Spirit.
CREATION
Gen 1: 2, Romans 5: 5, Galatians 5: 22-23
The Holy Spirit brooded over the waters before the work of creation took place. The hen
broods over the egg, and a work of
creation takes place inside the egg. In the same way, when we
allow the Holy Spirit to brood over our lives, a work of creation
takes place. The fruit of the Spirit is developed in our lives.
This is a desperate need in the church today. The people of God
must reveal the character of God in their lives.
COMMUNION
John 4: 23-24, Romans 8: 26-27
The Holy Spirit helps us to have communion with God. God is a
spirit. Therefore communion with God is a spiritual communion.
Therefore we need the Holy Spirit to help us have a deep fellowship with God. Without a deep
and intimate fellowship with
God, we cannot do anything of eternal value. All our religious
activities will be in vain if they have been done without divine sanction.
The church should become intimate with God and be filled with
divine love. God longs primarily for a deep relationship with
his children. The Holy Spirit helps us to come close to God.
