A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day
September 2, 2020
“The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17).
Shortly before the arrest of Jesus that led to His crucifixion, He spent time with His disciples and instructed them concerning things that were to come. He told them if they loved Him, they would keep His commandments. He also said He would ask the Father to give His disciples another Advocate who would assist them and be with them forever. He called this Advocate the Spirit of Truth.
“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – He will testify about me” (John 15:26 NIV).
He went on to tell them the world would not accept the Spirit of truth because the world does not know Him. Then He told His disciples they knew the Spirit of Truth because He was with them, and in the future not only would He be with them, but He would be in them.
Although at this time the disciples did not understand what He was saying, He was actually foretelling that the Holy Spirit would inhabit born-again believers after the church was established. He continued by telling them it would not be long before He would no longer be seen on the earth by the world, but that His followers would live because He would also live. He said, “On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you” (John 14:20 NIV).
He told them the Father would send the Holy Spirit, and not only would He teach them all things, but He would remind them of everything He had spoken to them. A while later He told His disciples it was necessary for Him to leave because the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, would not come to them unless He (Jesus) left (John 16:7).
Jesus revealed insight to us about the work of the Holy Spirit. He said when the Holy Spirit came, He would prove the world to be wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment because the prince of this world would stand condemned. He told His disciples there was much more that He could say, but they could not bear it at that time (John 16:12). This implied there would be further revelation concerning the Holy Spirit that would come later.
Then He further comforted His disciples by telling them that when the Spirit of truth came, He would guide them in all truth. He would not be speaking on His own, but He would tell them what was yet to come (John 16:13). He said the Holy Spirit would glorify Him because the Spirit is from Him.
Then He made a bold statement by saying, “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you” (John 16:15 NIV). Jesus clearly told His disciples that He was leaving, but He would not leave them like orphans (John 14:18). He told them the Holy Spirit would not only be with them, but very soon would be in them and show them things to come.
