The Work of the Holy Spirit | John 16
John 16
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Chapter Notables:
Jesus warns and comforts His disciples - verses 1-4
The word of the Holy Spirit - verses 5-15
Jesus tells His disciples that He will turn their sorrow into joy - verses 16-24
Jesus overcomes the world - verses 25-33
Comfort the Heroes | Lemuel Ayudtud
It is safe to say that we admire people that stand up for the lie convictions, beliefs and values. We speak of men and women who in spite of being maligned or threatened, stood in defiance of those things that they felt were not right. Most of us deem these types of people as heroes of their cause; those who would fight to the end for what they know and believe to be true.
Jesus, speaking to His disciples, warned them that they will meet a time where they will be pushed out of synagogues and be hated for His Name sake; that even some will think they’re doing God (and the world) a favor for killing them. Sure enough those times came.
After the Church was established on the day of Pentecost, the new found movement that was established on the Messiahship of Jesus, and the religious sect what would be Christianity shook up the world of that day. The explosive popularity of the Church brought about tribulation, ostracization, and even death to the disciples of Jesus. They were not only pushed out of synagogues, some were tortured in dismembered for the name of Jesus. (The story of the conversion of Saul shows us how the religious elite of that time considered it God’s work to persecute and imprison followers of Jesus.)
It’s not going to be vogue preaching the gospel of Jesus, calling people into repentance from sin, and lifting up Christ as the point of surrender and submission. (It wasn’t popular during the days of the Apostles as it is not popular now.) The Jewish leaders post ascension of Jesus brought on a period of tribulation for the newfound church at that time.
Just decades and continuing on for hundreds of years later, Rome persecuted the church with a strong hand. Some of the early Apostles were the first martyrs of the church. After them, “regular“ believers, face the mouths of lions, we’re bound to fiery stakes, some tortured cruelly without recantation of their faith or the Name of Jesus. Historians noted that … “By 325, an estimated 7 million were Christians with as many as 2 million killed for the faith.”
For most of us we are taught that the Holy Spirit has come to lead us from sin unto a life of righteousness and holiness. But here in this very particular chapter, Jesus tells the disciples that the Holy Spirit was going to come to comfort them because of the trials they would face.
Our modern day knowledge or understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit is really steeped in the teaching of spiritual actualization for believers, but in the time of Jesus and the apostles the Holy Spirit was not just to come to bring about miracles or righteous living. The Holy Spirit was to bring consolation to the hearts of the believers, that no matter what may happen God is with them.
Jesus promised the disciples in the last verse of this chapter that in the world they will face tribulation but, He declared to them, to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.
John, the same writer of this book, writes in his epistle that our faith will overcome the world. Again in the book of Revelation, John writes saying that those who withstood the onslaught of the Satan against them overcame because of the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb.
The fact is every believer that is true and committed to Jesus will face a world that will be against what they believe. Even in the world right now, we are challenged to hear the voice of the world and become part of the system of the world; but we understand we are the children of light, sons and daughters of God. But no matter what the world may say, our allegiance is to the word of God, to our faith in Jesus Christ, to the church at large, and those principles we are taught in as we are led by the Spirit of God.
We will be heroes. Not because we jump over a mountain with a single leap, or faster than a speeding bullet, or have supernatural strength; we will be heroes because we will take on the enemies of the cross without fear, doubt, shame, or recantation. We will stand firm in the word of God knowing that the Holy Spirit will comfort us at the time—and specially when the world hates us.
We don’t have to fear or leave the faith. We don’t have to cower to the demands of the world, why?
The Holy Spirit comforts us knowing that He that has begun a good work in us will also complete it in Jesus Christ.
In the days when we meet persecution, the Holy Spirit will strength is and give us the words to speak.
The Holy Spirit will guide us unto the truth and we will be embolden because of it.
And in the days of trouble, we will have joy because whatever we ask in Jesus Name He will do. Hallelujah!
At the end we know we will win. How? Because Jesus said he has overcome the world. And because He has overcome, we are overcomes. And as He loved not His life even unto death, so we have an example to prefer His life over our own, and His word over the World.
Lord, thank You for Your sweet Holy Spirit that resides in me to comfort me in the times of struggle. Thank You, Father, for giving me Your great grace to stand when all I want to do is fall. Heavenly Father, give me the courage of the early disciples who did not resist the evil that was being shown against them, but they rejoiced in the tribulation that they were facing because they were experiencing it for Your Name. Help me to love those that will be against me. Help me to pray for those that may seek my hurt. Help me to share Your word to a world that will refuse You. Lord, let the courage and the boldness You give me be a beacon to the world to see that indeed You are the son of God and the only way to the Father. I pray this in Your name Jesus, amen.
