By the work of God the Holy Spirit, God the Father and God the Son come and make their home in the heart of the most ordinary Christian in the world. That's an astonishing thought!
As you read today's section, see how many things you can learn about who the Holy Spirit is (His “person”) and what the Holy Spirit does (His “work”).
Read John 14:15
Who has the Spirit?
• Who is He given to (v 15, 21, 23)?
• What's the outward mark of someone who doesn't have this attitude (v 24)?
Notice that the presence of the Spirit is moral, not mystical; He doesn’t make us feel good, but He helps us behave right. Less comfortable, but more worthwhile!
• Who does not have the Spirit living in them (v 17, 22)?
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TIME OUT
This is important. We are not to expect to find the Spirit showing Himself in those who don’t love Jesus.
• Think about contemporary ideas of “spirituality” that you might find in a bookshop. How is real Christian spirituality different?
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What does the Spirit do?
• How is the Spirit described in verse 16?
The word used here is from the Greek “Paraclete” and means something like “another helping Presence”. Just as Jesus had been a “helping Presence” while He was with them, so God the Spirit will help them.
The Spirit and the Trinity
Look carefully at verse 20. When we have the Spirit (that is, when we are real Christians), we understand and know that we are united with Jesus. We can’t have the Spirit without Jesus, or Jesus without the Spirit.
• Who exactly comes to live in the person who loves Jesus and receives the Spirit (v 23)?
Notice how the three Persons of the Trinity always work together. To be a Christian is to have God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit living within our hearts!
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PRAY THRU
Praise the Father, the Son and the Spirit for the wonder of God’s presence in your heart if you are a Christian.
Thank the Father for not leaving us as “orphans” but giving us the Spirit as our helping Presence.
Ask the Spirit to be at work in you to enable you to obey the Son, who you love.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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