94.The Spirit Does An Inside Job. John 14:16

Do you remember family dinners with conversations at the dinner table; friends and family enjoying each others company and conversation, eating lovely home-cooked meals with knives and forks not a fork in one hand and a cell phone in the other. What has happened to one of the most precious family occasions we shared? Like so many of our treasured family times, we have allowed technology to overtake and corrupt our values. We are a generation who have all but lost the art of conversation, and are well on the way to loosing the value of communication and intimacy as well. This is also impacting on the time we spend with God. Although Jesus preceded the High-tech age, He was in constant demand; multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. But, the Scriptures tell us; (Mark 1; 35) “Long before daybreak Jesus went alone out into the wilderness to pray”. Jesus made time to be alone with His Father; He made time to communicate and have a conversation with His Dad. There are many of us older people who remember our parents and families around the dinner table, the stories and chatter that went on there and how we wish we had spent more time and paid more attention to their advice and ideas; Those fond memories never fade away, what a shame! for those of us who are too buzzy to enjoy those times today.. It requires spiritual discipline to eliminate anything that takes you away from being quiet and listening to God and people, constant noise and roaming eyes need rest, our Spirits need peace and quietness, we need peaceful hearts, listening ears and a quiet spirit to hear God’s voice. That’s why it’s good to have a designated time and place to be alone with God. If you practise achieving this, you will discover a heart-satisfying intimacy and fellowship with God. Invest a few minutes reading John chapters 14-16. and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message there. Notice He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they are never left alone. These are blessings He wants you and me to share as well. How can we find this peace, rest and comfort? Answer:>It’s an inside job!, because The Holy Spirit lives in us. Jesus told His disciples,”I will ask the Father and He will give you another comforter, and He will never leave you” (John14;16). The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and can provide everything we need to handle life’s difficulties with a peaceful heart and mind. The Comforter was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He is ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace and follow His unfailing guidance, Even as the disciples’ hearts ached about Jesus’ departure, He assured them that it was to their advantage He was leaving them, because it would bring them to a new era of power and authority, see (John 14:12). Being as it were “Under new management” wasn’t the end, but the continuation of Christ’s ministry as The Holy Spirit took the baton from the Son’s hand and placed it in theirs. The Son would leave, but The Spirit would come and abide (continue to live) with them forever (John 14:16) That was the “advantage” Jesus was talking about (They didn’t understand then, but they soon would) The Spirit would enter their human bodies and live permanently in them. This is no tentative, vague connection. It’s God’s Spirit choosing US to be His permanent residence (dwelling place.) That is some “advantage” Wouldn’t you say! Have you ever stopped to consider the advantage this gives you? Here’s a simple example: Tomorrow you may wake up feeling stressed, weary and irritated, and humanly speaking these feelings could easily dictate your day. But, because The Spirit lives in you, these things don’t have to control your day or your life. Paul writes “Do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you (1Corenthians 6:19). Once you accept that promise by faith, you become God’s temple. You can be at work, driving the children to school, walking the dog, waiting for biopsy results or attending the funeral of your best friend. And as you go about your everyday life, God’s Spirit, The third Person of The Trinity is living in you. (It’s mind-boggling) Can you now see why Jesus told His disciples it was good for Him to leave and send The Holy Spirit? Whatever you do, don’t let this life changing truth slide by you. In the New Testament account, (John 14:16) Jesus told His disciples “I will ask The Father and He will give you another comforter, and He will never leave you.” The Greek source for the word comforter is “Parakletos” which means ‘one who comes alongside’ to strengthen, encourage and advise you. How good is that? When you feel discouraged confused and powerless; You have access to a wise, compassionate, competent helper who will show up to support you, supplying you with what you need. Instead of struggling alone, learn to lean on The Holy Spirit, draw on His power and trust Him to do His mighty work in you. Paul tells us, (Galatians 5:16) He (The Holy Spirit) gives us directions, where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things as your evil nature wants you to. The battle of The Spirit versus th flesh is unrelenting, and our fleshly nature can never be subdued by human thinking; which just produces defeat and discouragement. What’s the answer? Paul tells us “Read again the two top lines of this paragraph” (Romans 8:14) Tells of another great benefit the indwelling Holy Spirit will bring you. “For as many as are led by The Holy Spirit of God, These are sons of God.” Praying and taking your best guess, isn’t God’s way. The Holy Spirit’s guidance – not our – guesswork should direct our lifestyle. Remember “it’s an inside job.” Thank you for reading, understanding and accepting How why and when God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in you. It is one of the most important truths you will ever need to know about God’. The Holy Spirit of God will be your greatest ally and strongest weapon against anything you may encounter in this world, and as you follow His leading He will take you triumphantly into the next. I pray the indwelling guidance of God’s Holy Spirit on us all. Phaline