Intro:I hope you have enjoyed John 14 this week. I trust that God as spoken to you through his word and his Spirit.
There are times in life when we need help. Difficulty comes. Trials hit. We need help.
When I have trouble and need help I will often go to my wife or to friends for counsel. I might then turn to the Scriptures. Often there is much there to aid and comfort. But how often do I go to the Holy Spirit?
If Jesus were sitting in your living room and you were going through a difficult time would you go to him for counsel? Would you sit down and ask him questions? Would you ask him to pray for you? What would that look like?
Read: John 14:1-18
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.
Think:
There is definite value in reading John 14 again today. For one week you have had the freedom to read from one passage and think through it. So often we read a lot of content (like a 1-year bible) and other times we read Russian roulette (like a fortune cookie). Reading John 14 for 5 days gives you the opportunity to meditate on God’s word. It gives God the opportunity to impress some things upon you.
Jesus encouraged his team by reminding them that he would never leave them (v.15), that he would come back for them (v.18) and that he would take them to heaven to be with him forever (v.1-4). But he had to leave. After he rose from the dead he went to heaven to prepare a place for them. He was in fact leaving them and would not see them again until they met their end. So how can he say he would never leave them?
Jesus didn't leave them in that he gave them another counselor (v.16). There are 2 words in the Greek for “another”. One means “another of a different kind” (heteros) and the other means “another of the same kind” (allos). This Greek word refers to the latter. The Holy Spirit was another of the same kind as Jesus. He was going to be Jesus on the inside. This transition is so important that Jesus later said, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (Jn 16:7).
Jesus had a plan. These disciples were going to do what he did and greater things (v.12) not because they would do miracles but because they would be Jesus walking on planet earth as he lived in them and through them. Jesus by the millions! Jesus in your home! Jesus in your office! Jesus in you! That is a wild thought!
Do:
So, the Counselor has come to take up residence in your life and mine. Jesus has not left us alone. This Counselor sits in the living room of our lives ready to meet with us at any time. This Counselor guides us and wants to touch other people’s lives THROUGH us. This Counselor is the guarantee that we are not orphaned and that our Father will claim us when we get to his home. This Counselor enables us to live in love, peace, patience and a host of other wonderful qualities.
Do you have the Spirit of God? Does the Counselor dwell inside you?
Does the Spirit of God have you? Do you hourly surrender to him and allow him to guide and direct you. If he has you it will show up in certain ways. Others can tell it. Your wife can tell it. Your husband can. You dog can! If the Spirit has you you will have love toward others. You will be patient with your kids. You will have joy even when someone cuts in front of you. You will have peace in difficulty. You will have self control when tempted.
So, does the Spirit of God have you right now? The wild thing is you control this portion of your walk. You can live for yourself or you can let him live THROUGH you. The choice is yours. He is sitting in the living room!
DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.
