The Holy Spirit Within You
"When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
John 16:8 (NKJV)
We talk a great deal about the Holy Spirit in Christian circles, but I want to make sure we are talking about a Person, not a power. The Holy Spirit is not a force or a feeling or an atmosphere; He is God Himself, the third Person of the Trinity, who comes to live within every believer at the moment of salvation.
And He comes with a purpose.
Jesus tells His disciples that when the Spirit comes, He will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement. Let's be honest about what that means. Conviction is not a comfortable thing. It is the Holy Spirit's way of showing us the truth about ourselves, clearly, honestly, and lovingly, so that we cannot remain where we are.
Before we can come to Christ, the Holy Spirit must first convict us of our sin. We cannot save ourselves from something we do not believe we have. And so the Spirit, in His mercy, shines a light on the reality of our need. This conviction is not cruelty ,it is the greatest kindness, because it leads us to the only One who can truly help.
Once we come to Christ, the Spirit does not stop working. He gives us new life. He produces fruit within us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are not achievements we manufacture. They are a harvest we receive as we yield our lives to Him.
The question Jesus asks through His Word is beautifully personal: how yielded is your life today? Not yesterday, not in the past, not in theory, today. The Spirit does not force His way. He is a Gentleman. He works in proportion to our openness.
Where have you been resisting the Holy Spirit? Where have you been trying to do what only He can do in your own strength?
Open your life to Him today, fully, willingly, without reservation. Let Him do what He came to do. The fruit He produces in a surrendered life is the most attractive thing in the world.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, I welcome You, not just as a concept but as a Person. Fill me afresh today. Convict me where I need correcting, comfort me where I am hurting, and produce Your fruit in every area of my life. I yield to You fully. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Pastor Ras
All Nations Community Church
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