John 16:25-30 – Personal prayer generates faith in a loving God

Jesus assured the disciples that the time was coming, when they would be marked with new understanding of spiritual things concerning God. His message would not seem to them as encrypted. This, of course, must be understood in the context of the coming of the Holy Spirit. He will be sent alongside His followers to reveal and clarify the truth to them.

Here Jesus assured the disciples that as their understanding becomes clearer, they could then relate with God personally and confidently. They could come to Him freely in His name. As we have discussed, praying in Jesus’ name is to petition to God based on the merit of what He had done. It is asking for things that correspond with His nature, character and objectives. It is also praying in submission to His Lordship. And as we personally connect with God through prayer in Jesus’ name, we would come to know and experience that the Father not only loves us all, but that He also loves us individually. Besides showing the effect of connecting with the Father in prayer, this passage shows us the perfect unity between Jesus and the Father. Jesus had no need to persuade the Father to be more gracious. Because the work He had come to do rested wholly on the loving care of the Father who had sent Him.

In verse 28, Jesus then told the disciples plainly that, “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.” This verse tells us two essential qualities of our salvation. It declares that our salvation originated from heaven, where Christ came from. It also tells us that the ultimate destination of us who are saved is also heaven, where Christ had returned to. All these affirm the Father’s approval of what Jesus had done. On hearing that, the disciples then expressed that Jesus had indeed spoken plainly to them. And it brought about a declaration of faith. They now believe that Jesus had indeed come from God, and they confessed their confidence in Him.

Connecting with the Father is one thing Jesus had constantly taught us to do. We see it in the way He related with the Father. He now teaches us to also connect with the Father in prayer. He assured us that we will individually experience the Father’s love for us through prayer. When that happens, our confidence in Him will find greater depth. So let us keep connecting to the Father in prayer. But remember to come trusting that whatever God will grant to us is on the basis of Christ’s completed work at Calvary. There is no other way.

John 16:23-24 – Experiencing Joy through prayer

The coming of the Holy Spirit would make many questions unnecessary. He, whom Jesus would send from the Father, would be here to make the truth of God plain to His followers. These were the assertions of Jesus. In referring to “that day,” Jesus was talking about the time when He would be physically absent from earth because He would have ascended to the Father. During that time, Jesus urged us believers to make prayer a way of life. He was talking about a critical spiritual exercise for effective living.

However, the followers of Christ must remember that Prayer still need to be directed to the Heavenly Father. Only this time the Lord is saying that we need to ask the Father on the merit of Christ Jesus and His completed work at the cross. Asking in His name also meant that our prayer must correspond with the character and objectives of Christ. It is asking what Christ would want and not just what we desire. Asking in His name also meant that our prayer must be offered in submission to the Lordship of Christ.  

Many, in our day, have misunderstood what Jesus had said here. It had resulted in the name-it-and-claim-it teachings of the prosperity gospel. They see prayer as a means to get anything one wants. Prayer becomes the excuse to pursue material wealth. This can only happen when a person fails to see that the purpose of prayer is to help us get into alignment with the desire God has for our life. When we are truly in alignment with God, we would ask according to His will for our life. That kind of prayer will bring us right smack into the core of His desire for us. It will bring us increasing joy. Without a doubt, answered prayers always generate joy. This is a transforming experience in Christian living. So we must learn to pray on the basis of Christ’s merit, and be aware of our own unworthiness. We are also to pray according to His nature and in submission to His will. 

We must not forget that God is concerned for our well-being. He wants us to be joyful Christians. We have Christ’s assurance that whenever we pray according to His will we will receive. When that happens, we will experience joy. While trials will be part and parcel of our spiritual journey, joy can be an ever increasing experience. It happens when we place our trust in Him through prayer. In return He will put an un-erasable joy into our hearts. As we connect with Him in prayer, let us pray so that our joy can be made complete. What a promise!

John 16:16-22 – Cultivating a victorious and joyful mindset

What Jesus said to them in John 16:16-18 was truly puzzling. What exactly did He mean? Unlike the disciples, we don’t find this puzzling, only because we are looking at these verses after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The disciples were puzzled because what we know today had not happened as yet. Here Jesus was not referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit as some had supposed. He was referring to His impending death, resurrection and ascension. We all know that He died on the cross and was taken down and buried. But on the third day He rose again. During His absence in the tomb, there was deep confusion, anguish and sorrow among His disciples. Then they were told that He arose from the dead and appeared to different groups of His people at different times. He would be with them to encourage them and then would disappear and appear to another group. Jesus here was foretelling that moment in an encrypted way. Hence, His disciples were puzzled and inquired of one another the meaning of Jesus’ statements.

The Lord knew their confusion, so He volunteered to help them unravel their confusion, using the illustration of a woman in labor and anticipating the coming of her child. Excruciating pain, blood, sweats and tears are usually experienced by a woman in labor.  But the moment the baby is delivered the experience of anguish and stressful emotion would be transformed into one of joy and elation. Similarly, the disciples would be going through a great time of anguish immediately following His death, but that would change very soon because He would appear to them after His resurrection.

Few of us can fully appreciate the misery the disciples had experienced then. They saw their Master maligned and suffered horrendous tortures and agony that defied any description. They saw everything to the very hour that He breathed His last on the cross. He must have appeared totally helpless and powerless. They must have known that His body was taken down by Joseph and buried in his newly acquired tomb. Deep anguish must have overtaken and overwhelmed them. It was truly a scene of deep sadness, despair, hollering and weeping and listlessness. Hence we cannot imagine the disciples’ indescribable joy, when they learned three days after His death, that He was alive again. From the depth of despair they were launched to the height of great joy. In Matthew 28:8, we are told that Mary and Martha on learning of Jesus’ resurrection, though afraid, went hurriedly with great joy to tell the disciples. We cannot imagine the rapturous joy that must have taken place when the two ladies charged into the room with the great news. Their misery was transformed into ecstasy. The joy they experienced that moment could not be fully described. 

We must note that the disciples experienced everything that Jesus said to them here. He promised a joy that nothing can take away. For us, as we faithfully journey with Him in life, we can also experience the joy of His resurrected presence. We can also experience the joy that no other can give and a joy that no one can steal. But bear in mind that there are moments where joy must rise from ashes of sorrow. The reason all these are recorded is for our learning. We must know that in this world trials and tribulation will be experienced, hence it is imperative that we must cultivate a joyful mindset no matter what. Remember this: if the devil cannot steal your joy, he cannot take away your peace. And our faith in a good good Father!

John 16:12-15 – The Holy Spirit enlightens believers

In the previous verses, Jesus dealt with the works of the Holy Spirit among unbelievers to bring about awareness of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. In these four verses, He would talk about the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing enlightenment to believers. He began first by telling the disciples that He had many things yet to say to them. But He knew that they could not perceive them as yet because of the limit of their experiences to that point. However, as they move on with Him deeper, they would experience more and more. And when the Holy Spirit comes, He would reveal the truth to them and help them live out the revelation.

Notice that the Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. He is called thus because He is here to guide the followers of Jesus into all truth. With progress of time, believers of Jesus will be guided into deeper into truth. Jesus also said that the Spirit’s teaching would not come from Himself but He would teach and speak what He hears. Jesus here indicates for us the perfect harmony between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The issue is about the perfect unity in the Trinity. The Holy Spirit would not be revealing something new but would make clear the truth Jesus had received from the Father and taught. The Spirit would be revealing to His followers of what would be coming. Here Jesus was not referring to end-times events but the whole council of God.  

The Holy Spirit’s work among believers is to enlighten and enlarge their capacity to see the things of God. Paul said in his letters to the Corinthians, spiritual truth are spiritually discerned. We need the Holy Spirit to be able to discern the truth. Here Jesus tells us that the work of the Holy Spirit is centered on Christ. It is not in the Spirit’s nature to draw attention to Himself. He came to glorify Christ and point us to Him. His key task is to take all the things of Christ and declare them. In verse 15 we also sense again the perfect unity of the Trinity. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit function in perfect unity. The Spirit would be as eager to reveal truth concerning the Father as He had about the Son. 

In these verses, we all need the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit. He is here to guide us into truth. What eye has not seen, nor heard, God through His Spirit would reveal them to us. Let’s learn to rely on the Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide us into all truth, even uncomfortable but hard truth. He will illuminate our heart and mind and enable us to discern what is true and what is not. 

John 16:5-11 - The works of the Holy Spirit in unbelievers

Let’s recollect the sequence of events so far: Judas had gone out to experience his night; Jesus had predicted the denial of Peter; the enemies of Jesus were plotting His death. Sorrow had overwhelmed the disciples’ hearts and they were panic stricken. Then Jesus told His disciples of His departure. But they were more concerned about His departure than where He was going. None of them seriously inquired of His destination. They were sad and troubled because He told them that they would experience enmity. It’s true that as we authentically live our faith, we must expect to face opposition. But instead of being trial-centered, Jesus wants His followers’ attention to be set on the resources available to them in the person of the Holy Spirit. While the Spirit would help believers’ in their spiritual journey, He will also help them in their roles as His messengers. Like a prosecutor the Holy Spirit would help to bring about conviction of wrong to the world.

Hence we can understand why Jesus said it would be to their advantage that He went away. His going would make room for the Holy Spirit to come. And when He comes, He would illuminate hearts and bring about regeneration. We know that it’s the Holy Spirit who would bring about spiritual realities. Here Christ tells us that The Holy Spirit will bring about three awareness to the world: a correct assessment of sin, a correct assessment of righteousness, and a correct assessment of judgment.

The awareness of sin would be brought about because they failed to believe in Christ. The Spirit would bring about a guilt-ridden conscience that would drive one to seek relief through the mercy of God that could only be found through believing in Christ. The awareness of righteousness would be brought about because Jesus would be going to the Father and no longer be seen physically. He was pointing to His resurrection and ascension. These would clearly indicate that Christ’s righteous life was God’s accepted standard. And as one becomes aware of what God’s accepted righteousness is, one would be convicted of his or her lack of it. Concerning the awareness of coming judgment, at the cross the prince of the world would now stand condemned. At the cross Jesus would break the power of sin which Satan controls. He would emerge as victor and bring condemnation on all the works of Satan.

Notice that the Holy Spirit would work only through the believers. Of course God could do anything because He is Sovereign. But here He tells us that His method would be through believers doing the work of reaching the world, empowered by the Spirit. Our lives when we are living in alignment with God are the channels of the Holy Spirit. Through us God will bring enlightenment concerning sin, concerning Christ’s standard of righteousness, and concerning the ultimate judgment that people can avoid. Yes, we can become God’s life-giving force wherever we may be. What a marvelous thought!

John 16:1-4 – The certainty of trails in Christian living

Jesus had been talking about the world’s hatred against the Father, against Himself and against the disciples. Here He told them with specificity. He spoke to forewarn them because to be forewarned is to be forearmed. His main reason for doing so was to ensure His disciples then, and believers today, would not go astray as a result of the severe trials. Jesus was preparing in reality His people.   

He specifically told the disciples to be prepared for excommunication by their enemies. This term excommunication is about putting someone out of fellowship from the believers’ community. This seems to suggest that some persecution might come right from within the believers’ community. It’s sad to be maligned by the world and people outside of the fellowship. What’s difficult to stomach is when one is put into cold storage by fellow believers. Those persecutors who had set their mind to destroy genuine believers could even think that they were doing God a favor.  It’s sad to think that persecution could be mistaken as doing God’s will.  

Jesus was telling the Jews that persecution was a certainty. And He is also warning us believers today. The many accounts of believers having to suffer in different parts of the world bear testimony to the truth to what Jesus had spoken. He said, “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.” He made it clear that persecution was an inevitable consequence for following Him. Genuine believers would have to suffer for their belief. The reason for this, He said, was because the persecutors were perfectly ignorance of the Father or of the Son. Jesus the Son came to make the Father known, hence to ignore Jesus is as good as ignoring the Father. Notice that Jesus did not say “My Father,” He refer to God as “the Father.” Here Jesus wanted the Jews to know that in reality they were rejecting God, their Father.  

The hostility that would come against believers were essentially to get at Christ. He is the reason for all the attacks. He did not tell them earlier because He was with them. He was physically present to guide them so there was no necessity to make known the intensity of the impending trials. But now that He was about to depart to the Father, whatever He had to bear would be directed at His followers. So Jesus wanted believers not to be taken by surprise at the hostility they would be encountering. So that instead of feeling crushed by the trials, believers should be strengthened because everything Jesus said would be proven to be true. As far as Jesus was concerned, there was no necessity to make known the intensity of the trials while He was physically present with the disciples. But now that His departure was looming, He knew that they ought to be forewarned.

No one enjoys hard times. But Jesus made it clear that they are inevitable. We must enjoy all the good times but bear in mind that encountering trials is part and parcel of living for the Lord. So Jesus tells us all these to get us to stay true to our course, and to follow Him whatever the cost. Are we prepared to do it?

John 15:26-27 – Witnessing of Christ with the Holy Spirit

What is the connection between these two verses and all that Jesus had been saying? Remember He had warned them of tough time ahead. He told them that they would be hated because they were associated with Him, and now would be bearing His message to the world. Anticipating the opposition His disciples would face, as they proceed as His representative in the world, Jesus brought them back to the promise He had made earlier. He promised to send the Holy Spirit who would come from the Father. This Divine Comforter, another person of the Godhead, just like Him, would come to their relief.

The purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit would be to testify of Christ. It is His role to reveal and glorify Christ. Here we see the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is said to be sent by the Son but come from the Father. Being sent from above, the Holy Spirit is more than qualified to tell of the glory from above. He shall bear witness of Christ.

In verse 27, Jesus showed how the Holy Spirit would testify of Him. He would do so in and through us, His disciples. The Holy Spirit would help disciples to testify of those things they had seen in Christ and heard Him taught. The testimonies of the disciples and the Holy Spirit would be one and the same. There would be unity and harmony in the message they proclaimed.

Can we sense the indescribable grace and compassion of Christ? We are seeing a grace and compassion that would not be quenched in the face of great hostility and hatred. The world may seek to malign Christ and toss His message out, but His mercy continues to linger. Christ is forestalling the judgement. And Peter tells us that He has no desire that any should perish but all to come to repentance.

Let’s pray that we will be like Him. That we will not flinch in the face of opposition, as the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit continues to energize us. Let us declare the excellence of Him who had called us out of darkness, as His Spirit gives us the boldness to speak His grace in and out of season.