Holy Spirit = Everyone

"When He (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." - John 16:8

The Holy Spirit convicts Christians about their sins and the need to get right with God. But, what is most amazing to me is that the Holy Spirit convicts everyone, even those who are not believers. Really? Did you know that? You may be a skeptic or even completely disinterested. Regardless, the Holy Spirit has led you to this devotion today. In our scripture reference, it states that He will convict the "world" of guilt and righteousness and judgment." That means all of us, my friend.

You see, sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers when they hear of God's love for them through Jesus Christ. Sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers of the need to surrender and give their heart and life to God. And when that occurs, it becomes the most crucial moment of decision making in your life. It is a decision to keep doing things your way or God's way. The Holy Spirit convicts and draws you, but you must make the decision whether or not to give your life to God through the person of Jesus Christ. If you do that, then the Holy Spirit will come and dwell within you and give you this inner desire to obey the commands of God.

It all begins with the fact that God has first loved us through Jesus Christ. Christ is the reason we want to love Him back and obey His commands, and this is what the Holy Spirit convicts us all to do.

Holy Spirit = Conviction

"And when (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment." - John 16:8

Let's face it, no matter how hard we try, all of us will rationalize all sorts of evil plans. As my mentor has said many times, "For many people today, there is no such thing as sin, everything is explainable." The Holy Spirit cuts right through this nonsense.

The Holy Spirit is God's gift to convict us of sin. When we are not in close relationship with God, the Holy Spirit uses the sharing or preaching of the Word of God to convict us of our need for the forgiveness and salvation of God in Christ. If we are a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us to convict us when we do wrong with a need to get things right with God.

Did you know that the most miserable person in the world is not the non-Christian! The most miserable person in the world is the Christian who is rebelling against God, because that Christian is going through a war inside. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, He gives us an inner desire to confess our sin to God and to seek forgiveness from those we have wronged. In the process, we get right with God once again.

The Holy Spirit is there to convict us - because God loves us and wants the best for our lives. His conviction is all about God's love.

Holy Spirit- Resistance to Temptation

"And when (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment." - John 16:8

No matter how often we try, during the times of temptation, it can be difficult to show our love for God. For in temptation, we realize love for God is contrary to all of our emotions. When we give into temptation the result is guilt. If we keep repeating sin over and over we develop a heart of stone. And that is not a pretty sight. But, there is good news for the Christian in the face of temptation. The Holy Spirit convicts us to push back, to say no, and to do what is pleasing to God. Sometimes He brings to mind a verse on the example of Jesus. He is the source of what is truly supernatural: resistance to temptation.

So often, Christians try to live the good life on their own, in their own strength. This is doomed to failure. When we face temptation, we are up against spiritual powers of darkness and evil that are stronger and smarter than any of us. If you are a Christian, don't be an arrogant fool and try to make it on your own. Claim the power of the Holy Spirit and find victory over temptation.

Holy Spirit- Helper

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." - John 14:26 (NAS)

Here's something interesting. The verse above is from the New American Standard version; it translates the Greek word "paraclete" (which means the "Holy Spirit") as the Helper. Compare this with other translations:

• The King James Version translates Helper as Comforter.
• The New International Version translates Helper as Counselor.
• The New English Version translates Helper as Advocate.

All four translations give us a more complete picture of the Holy Spirit. He is Helper, Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter.

1. Helper = He empowers us with a “want to” to follow Christ in faith.
2. Advocate = He reminds us that God is for us and loves us.
3. Counselor = He is our teacher and guides us in how to understand and apply God's Word to our everyday life. He gives us wisdom.
4. Comforter = He is our greatest, most compassionate encourager in a time of need.

To know God - know Jesus in faith. To know Jesus is to receive a great gift - the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Still hungry?  Acts 2:33, John 16:13, 1 John 2:20, John 2:22

The Word Incarnate

Jesus the Word is the creator of everything; this is his world. This passage not only underscores Jesus’ full ownership of all creation as his rightful possession but also serves as a foundation of his love and providential care for all he has made. Jesus, the Creator of the world, was unwilling to leave his “very good” creation to the destructive powers of sin, but rather, he came to redeem his handiwork. The incarnation has profound implications for Christian stewardship.
In the wisdom of God, to redeem man from his sin required the Son to become a man himself … The Word himself had to become flesh. John’s Gospel begins with the astounding declaration of the act of God in becoming one of his own creation …

If stewardship, in its simplest implication, is about giving, then John 1:1 confronts the world with the most sublime gift ever given, the most astounding act of generosity that can be imagined. As a monument to the unsurpassed stewardship of the Son of God, the Incarnation rises high above the horizon of all other demonstrations of giving …

God presented his most valuable gift to man in the Eternal Word made flesh. Once in the world, Jesus the Incarnate Son then gave himself to the Father in complete submission and to the world as the Servant from God. In his earthly existence, Jesus was a steward charged with a divine mandate. Stewardship can be defined as “the obedient management of life and all its resources under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom.”

Jesus fulfilled his role of steward perfectly:

No matter how difficult the testing became, no matter how demanding the giving of self, no matter how costly in terms of friendship, following, or popularity, Jesus managed his life faithfully. When ultimately such perfect management meant giving up his life for the cause of the kingdom of God, Jesus was willing, and he did so. He made no exception to his total stewardship of life for anything, including his life itself …

Looking at a world filled with people facing the death sentence of sin, Jesus Christ laid aside the riches of heaven and came to be Savior. As he walked the earth, he continued to give his all, managing every opportunity, every gift, every resource, for the glory of God and the building of his kingdom. Even faced with death, he gave his last treasure, his own life, to save the lives of others. He went to the cross with no regret that if he had been a better steward, he might have done more. He had done everything God wanted of him, and he became the master steward, both Savior of humanity and example to those who would follow him.

Still Hungry? Revelation 19:13, John 17:5, 1 John 1:2