Tag: conviction

The Conviction of the Holy Spirit

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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!

Why People Reject Christ

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JESUS SPEAKING

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3: 18 – 21)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

According to Jesus Christ, those who refuse to believe in the gospel are driven by a singular desire; to continue in sin without conviction. Jesus is the light, and those who are willing to confront their sins and repent will draw near to Him. Yet those who are unwilling to abandon their sinful behaviors will avoid Christianity at all costs; they may even choose to persecute those who represent Jesus. For many who embrace darkness, the light is their enemy.

Every night around the world there are clubs and bars that thrive on and promote drunkenness and promiscuity. They shut the windows and turn down the lights; creating an environment where people can forget who they are and sin without conviction. Still, although they embrace the darkness for a time, these establishments must eventually close. When they need people to leave, they do one essential thing; they simply turn on the lights. In the light people can see themselves again for who they truly are, and the cover of darkness is broken. The patrons will then exit without delay.

Like clubs and bars, this world is a very dark place; full of sinfulness and debauchery; but Jesus Christ and His followers are the light that shines in the darkness. His presence convicts the world of sin; revealing the truth for all to see. Some will encounter that light and be transformed. Others will be convicted and because they refuse to change, they will attack the light. They will rage against Christianity and persecute anyone who dares to spread the gospel.

“Lord Father in Heaven, we desire to carry your light into the darkest places. Give us the strength and the courage to withstand any persecution we will endure on Your behalf. Please continue to make us better Christians and better messengers of Your will. May those who walk in darkness see the light and be transformed by it. 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!

Conviction

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“But if 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)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

In this scripture Jesus contemplates the future arrival of the Holy Spirit (the indwelling of God that exists within the heart of every believer; sent to mankind after Christ’s ascension into heaven.) According to the Lord, this powerful spiritual entity convicts the world of sin. What then is conviction? Conviction is the recognition of guilt and subsequent expression of remorse that accompanies any evil act or ungodly behavior. Although conviction is emotionally taxing, when experienced by a believer, this shameful imposition is far more helpful than harmful. God uses conviction to shape and mold our behavior. Guilt then leads us to abandon sin and embrace repentance; thus making us more like our Creator.

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, mimicking way. One night his cabin group chose him to lead the devotions before the entire camp. It was one more effort to have some “fun” at his expense. Unashamedly the spastic boy stood up, and in his strained, slurred manner—each word coming with enormous effort—he expressed a simple phrase, “Jesus loves me—and I love Jesus!” That was all. Conviction immediately fell upon those junior high students. Many of them began to cry. Revival had gripped the camp. Years afterward, Campolo still meets men in the ministry who came to Christ because of that testimony.

Like those young campers, God is still using conviction to create conversions and to strengthen and edify those who already believe. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the lines between right and wrong are no longer blurry; they have been redrawn; making God’s will easier to understand and obey. When we do something sinful or unjust, we are chastised by the Lord; corrected and driven to repentance and purification. Like any good Father, He is training us; molding and shaping us into a more ideal image; the image of His perfect Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we always seek after the Lord and never ignore our convictions.

“Lord Heavenly Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might recognize and experience the convictions that You have placed upon our hearts. Give us a willingness to change and the ability to understand Your will and to be transformed by it. If we have grown dull or become stubborn, may we rediscover a passion for accomplishing Your will. You truly are an awesome and amazing God. To You belongs all the glory and honor. 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!