O to have had a seat at that table!
Of all the settings I would have liked to have been, it was this one in the Upper Room with just Jesus and the disciples. Of all the conversations I should like to have participated, of all the subjects I would like to have heard from Jesus himself, (seeing his eyes and catching his expressions), it would have been the intimate night of Passover when he imparted such vital information on several all-important topics that impact us tremendously. It was what he talked about that night--yes, that Thursday night Jesus was later arrested. . . one subject in particular.
Look what he told them - pay close attention, guard against distraction because it has everything to do with you and me, Christian.
podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/ccdf76b1/what-would-you-like-to-have-heard-jesus-talk-about-not-another-like-him-29
Jesus told the disciples he was going to leave them, but that it was for their good....what?! Let us go there and listen to his words: "I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- 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. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.1
Further, Jesus said, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.2
The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth, Jesus said.
We who profess the name of Jesus have the Holy Spirit of God within us. That is what Jesus was talking about! He dwells with you and will be in you.
But what of the Holy Spirit? How to know him. I love this old-time piece "The Holy Spirit: How can we Know Him?" by A.W. Tozer, one of the greats.3
Tozer brilliantly explained that the Holy Spirit is not enthusiasm,
courage
or energy or the
personification of all good qualities.
The Holy Spirit, you see, has all the qualities of a person,
has substance but not material substance.
He has individuality; he is one being and not another.
He has will,
intelligence,
feeling,
and knowledge
and sympathy
and ability to love
and see
and think
and hear
and speak
and desire
and grieve
and rejoice.
Spirit is another mode of being, rather than matter; the difference is that matter possesses dimension and form. The Holy Spirit is not material, is not defined by dimension or physical substance.
He has memory and can communicate with you. And would it surprise you to know that you can wound the Holy Spirit? You can hurt him.
Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is a person, the Holy Spirit is God. John 14.17
The Holy Spirit is an unseen presence, a knowing, feeling personality.
The Holy Spirit resembles Jesus. The Holy Spirit is cultured, gracious, loving, kind - just like Jesus himself. Jesus was winsome, loving, kindly, the tenderest, the most beautiful character that lived in all the world-and he was demonstrating the Spirit!
The Holy Spirit is friendly. Because he is friendly, as stated earlier, he can also be grieved - when we refuse to obey him, ignore him or turn our backs on him, by sinning against him. The Holy Spirit can only be grieved because he loves. Think of a parent who loves her teen-aged son or daughter deeply . . . for that is the heart of the Holy Spirit, who is of God, and is God.
So, Lord Jesus, as though we were there that night, teach us afresh about the Holy Spirit, who he is and what he does in our lives, for we need you. As for me I ask, "empty me of me and fill me with you, sweet Holy Spirit".more to come...
Holy Spirit Come - song by Patrick Mayberry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoTNHiFq0p0
Lean in,
Christine
1 - John 14.16-18, NKJV
2 - John 16.7-15 NKJV
3 - A. W. Tozer clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va_BrSislsE
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