Jesus was preparing His disciples for when He would leave them and wanted them to understand the work of the Spirit. I must admit that understanding the Holy Spirit still feels like a mystery to me.  Through years of studying the Bible, I feel confident in how God is revealed through scripture.  And understanding the historical account of Jesus in the four gospels with four different viewpoints provides great knowledge.  But understanding the work of the Spirit seems more fluid and less predictable.

In John Chapter 14 through Chapter 16, Jesus teaches many things about the Spirit.  Here are five promises about the Spirit that Jesus teaches.  First, the Spirit will always be with you as your advocate. Second, the Spirit will teach you all things and will remind you of everything that Jesus taught. Third, the Spirit will serve as your witness as if supporting you in a trial.  Fourth, the Spirit will reveal sin to the world and the path to righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.  Finally in verse 13, it is explained that the Spirit will reveal future revelations about the truth of God. This is why we teach that scripture is the living word of God.  It is not merely a historical account about God.  Instead, the Spirit is using God’s word to transform our lives while with us.

So how do we apply this understanding of the Spirit to our lives?  In a world filled with changing culture and conflicting opinions, it is easy to feel lost and overwhelmed.  The good news is that followers of Christ have a counselor or advocate that is always with them.  It is like having our own GPS in our lives that will guide us toward the truth.  As we focus on our faith and focus on God’s word, it aligns our thoughts toward heavenly truth.  If we feel uneasy, confused, or experience doubt, maybe that is the urging of the Holy Spirit to pause and seek confirmation through God’s word.  The major truth being communicated in John 16:13 is that God has provided the Spirit in your life.  And that the Spirit will lead you toward God and His truth.  This is a promise that we should never forget!

Read John 16:1-15