Let’s go in our Bibles to John 16:7-15
Point 1 – The Holy Spirit shows us the better way.
Before Christ’s arrest and crucifixion, He spent some quality time alone with His disciples. He needed to prepare them for His departure and assure them that God had an incredible plan for what was next. These final moments and words of encouragement were captured in John 14-16.
In this section of Scripture Jesus tells those closest to Him about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the impact He would make in their lives. He would be so near to them that He would actually live within them.
In John 16:8-11, we learn that the Holy Spirit challenges the broken ways of the world. He opens our eyes to see the reality of God’s truth and God’s existence. He begins working in the hearts of men and women and helps them see their need for salvation.
More specifically, the Holy Spirit counsels us (John 16:7) The title given to the Spirit here is Paraklētos which means “one called, or sent for to assist another; an advocate, one present to render various beneficial services.” The Spirit is our helper, our in-house counselor, who helps us in our times of need and assists us with the work He prepared in advance for us to do.
The Holy Spirit also convicts us (John 16:8). The Spirit exposes our sin and makes us aware of our need for God’s grace. The Spirit wants to bring to our attention those things that need work in us so that we can have a richer, fuller, closer relationship with God. To the unbeliever, the Spirit exposes to the light their sin, so that they want to turn to Christ and have those sins forgiven and be set free.
The Holy Spirit also guides us (John 16:13) The Holy Spirit gives us direction to stay on course. The more we walk in obedience, and let the Spirit counsel and convict us, the more God can show us what He has next. His guidance often comes slowly by tilling and cultivating our character more than micromanaging every single choice we make. And as we are conformed into the character of Christ we will naturally make better decisions.
Questions for Group Discussion or Personal Reflection
- When did the Holy Spirit first show you your need for salvation? Was it a moment of truth or was it over a period of time?
- How is Spirit most active in your life right now? What does His impact look like on a daily basis? What role do you want Him to play a bigger part in (counseling, convicting, guiding)?
- This week, take some time to meditate on how the Spirit can work in and through you to make a bigger impact in the world around you, home, work, school, and neighborhood. Be open to what He will show you.