The Promise of the Holy Spirit

Preached by Aje Pelser, Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town

John 14

Promises that make us aware of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jesus was speaking about us keeping His commandments and loving Him:

“…whatever you ask in My Name this I will do, in order that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it.

If you are loving Me with a divine and self-sacrificial love, the commandments which are Mine you will keep.

And as for Myself, I will ask the Father, and another Counsellor of the same kind as I am He will give to you in order that He might be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth, Whom the world is not able to receive because it does not see Him with discernment and does not know Him experientially.

But, as for you, you know Him experientially, because by your side He dwells, and in you He shall be. I will not leave you behind helpless. I come to you.” John 14: 12-18 Wuest’s Translation.

Jesus shows us his commitment to us to do what we ask in His name.

He requires us to Love Him with a divine and self-sacrificial love.

He requires us to keep His commandments.

Promise: it’s like having Jesus with us all the time!

Knowing that this is impossible for us He supplies the perfect solution – He sees we need His presence and so His Holy Spirit is promised to as a gift – a Counsellor of the same kind as Jesus was to His disciples.

Promise: the Holy Spirit is our helper – FOREVER!

Jesus ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God till all His enemies is made His footstool. But he has not left us helpless!

The Holy Spirit is promised to be with us forever.

Promise: We have the Spirit of Truth

Through Jesus’ promise we receive the Spirit of Truth. Jesus told his disciples He is the way, the truth and the life – the only way to get to the Father. So an element of Christ Himself is within us!

But the truth is also a deliverer form the lie. Whatever lie you have over your life is being destroyed by the Truth right now – receive the Spirit of Truth and let it disintegrate the vapour of lies that have clouded your judgement in life and about your true identity in Christ. You are more than an overcomer in Christ your are a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away and all things have become new. Say it till you believe it and start acting that way.

Promise: We get God’s discernment and a Divine Experience in Life

We are distinguished from the world that cannot perceive the Holy Spirit and His truth because worldly ways blind people and they lack the discerning power of the Word of God in their lives to access the reality of the Holy Spirit. The world also does not know the Holy Spirit experientially because it chooses to live in darkness rather than the light. Men have loved the darkness rather than the light – John…

But in that we see our promises: we see the Holy Spirit with the discernment of the Word of God – Jesus is the Word made flesh and the writings we have in the Bible come alive in our lives by the agency of the Holy Spirit – that is how Jesus remains with us forever or till He comes!

Knowing God through experience is something the Devil can’t steal from us – our word of our testimony! That is also how we overcome the accuser of the brethren, Rev 12:11

Promise: The Holy Spirit is by your side

We practise the presence of the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit and therefore we can be sure that He dwells by our side and in us always leading and guiding us into all truth about every situation.

Jesus gives us the Divine Helper by baptizing us with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. The fire consumes the things that will hinder the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and the Holy Spirit becomes the empowerment that we need to live glorious Spirit-led lives as sons of the Living God till Jesus comes to us.

Till then the Holy Spirit of promise is our Guarantee of us being His purchased possession until He finally redeems us all into His eternal kingdom.

Promise: The Holy Spirit helps to keep Jesus’ promises

Jesus promises He is coming. But a sign of His coming is that He came to us through His Spirit that fills us that helps us and leads and guides us into all truth till that wonderful day of Jesus Return for His Bride the Church. If all He said is true concerning the Holy Spirit – that happened in the book of Acts and that same Spirit of God is speaking through me today and confirming Jesus’ words with signs and wonders following in our lives – just look at the constant flow of testimonies in this Church that Jesus is building by His Spirit in hearts and minds – then the other promises will be kept too – believe it and receive it in Jesus’ mighty name and become more aware of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in our lives! Hallelujah!