SPIRIT
Oh, Lord, fill us with Your spirit
Guide us by Your presence
How we need You, God
READ JOHN 16:5-16
The gospel writer, John, records words of Jesus that help us so much in understanding the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We’ve already discovered that the Holy Spirit is God’s personal, empowering, Holy presence in our lives, and now in this passage we begin to understand even more about the way He operates! God wants to be present in our lives in the same personal and powerful way that was established on the day of Pentecost - in John 16:7, we see the Holy Spirit is to be our ‘Counselor,’ and in John 16:13, He is to be our ‘Guide.’ In that way, Jesus explains three ways in which the Holy Spirit operates as our counselor and guide:
- It is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world by exposing sin and selfishness, by convincing people that Jesus is indeed who He says He is, and by making us aware that God is a just judge that will one day pass judgment over all mankind. (John 16:8-11)
- He will direct believers towards righteousness and truth, teaching and correcting us, and helping us develop a more Holy and Christ-like character. (John 16:13)
- He will give us wisdom and revelation directly from God our father, through Jesus, so we can become more aware of who God is, and what Jesus has accomplished for us. (John 16:14-15)
Prayer:
Lord,
How I need the guidance and the counsel of your Holy Spirit!
Help me to be aware of the presence of the Spirit in me, and keep me sensitive to words that convict me of my sinfulness, paths that direct me to righteousness, and wisdom that comes from God Himself.
Holy Spirit, help me to be more like Jesus!
Amen.
(Days 1, 2, 3, and 4 written by Nigel James, THIRD DAY’s Road Pastor)
