Today’s Reading: John 15:26-27
Hearing God’s Voice for Today:
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
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Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come to them. He would infuse in them a power from heaven. His life would live in and through them.
The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to bear witness to Jesus. He wants no public attention or acclaim for himself. He is the silent sovereign.
Note the concept of the Trinity here in John 15:26-27. Though the term Trinity never appears in the Bible, the idea is clearly seen. The Holy Spirit flows from the Father, at Jesus’ command, to bear witness to the Son. There is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are not three gods in Christian orthodoxy.
The Trinity is a profound mystery. It can’t be explained by human logic. But it’s clearly taught and seen in the Word. For example, Jesus told his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.9
The Holy Spirit wants to bear witness to Jesus. He desires that his name be exalted above all other names.
When the Spirit enters your life, you desire to yield to his guidance. His heart becomes your heart and you are motivated to bear witness for Jesus as well.
At Pentecost, that’s exactly what happened. When the Holy Spirit filled the 120 who were gathered in the Upper Room, they were consumed with a desire to witness to those who had gathered in Jerusalem from many nations. They flooded the streets to share the good news. They were so joyful that some observers thought them to be intoxicated in the early morning hours.
Jesus told the disciples that when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they’d be his witnesses—both locally and globally. A major evidence of the infilling of the Spirit in your life is your bold and confident witness about the Lord—both locally and globally.
Do you desire to witness for Jesus? Or are you still trying to please people? Are you more concerned about your reputation than his? Are you concerned your name will be rejected rather than his name exalted?
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be Jesus’ follower and say you’re filled with the Holy Spirit and not be a bold witness for him. In fact, the word “witness,” in the original Greek text, is martus—the word from which we get the English word martyr.
If you are a witness for Jesus, you are willing to give your life for the Lord’s cause. You are faithful until the end of this life. You cannot deny the reality of what Jesus has done in you. You know he has begun a good work in you and you’re certain he will be faithful to complete it, even if you are called to be a martyr.
Is this you?
Are you a faithful witness?
[from “Hearing the Voice of God” by Pastor David Chadwick, Moments of Hope Church, Charlotte, NC]