JESUS SPEAKING

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16: 5 – 11)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Before His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus promised to send a replacement known as the Holy Spirit; (the third person of the Trinity), which is the indwelling of God’s Spirit within the heart of every believer. Although the Spirit has many functions, we are told here that “He will convict the world of sin.” Those who are unwilling to change will reject the gospel message outright. However, those who choose to follow Christ will experience conviction concerning any sins they are engaging in. This supernatural guilt enables believers to identify sin, and the Holy Spirit then empowers them to repent and be transformed.

In general, pain is a very interesting sensation. Although it can cause great anguish, its primary purpose is to communicate to an individual that some portion of their body has been damaged and requires attention. The greater the injury, the greater the pain. When a tooth goes bad for example, it can become infected to such a degree that it causes swelling, bleeding, and can even put devastating pressure on the facial nerves. An abscess (infected) tooth can be one of the most painful sensations a person can ever experience. Those enduring this type of extreme suffering will inevitably be led to visit a dentist. As a result, any good dentist will take immediate action to relieve the pain from the infection by numbing and cleaning the area, draining the abscess, doing a root canal, or even removing the tooth entirely.

Like the pain caused by an infected tooth, the conviction of the Holy Spirit can cause moments of suffering in the soul that demand immediate attention. Like a rotten tooth, any areas of sin in a Christians life will be revealed. And in turn, they are drawn to the act of repentance; which leads to the removal of that behavior and brings great relief. Thus conviction is a healthy message from the Lord that can lead individuals toward a more Godly life. May we never grow deaf, but instead, always remain aware of what the Holy Spirit is communicating to us.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your goodness, Your wisdom, and Your affection. We desire to be filled with Your Holy Spirit, and to remain attentive to the feelings of conviction and guilt that arise in our hearts in association to sin. May we repent whenever necessary, and seek to be as much like You as we are able. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!