Advantage: Holy Spirit

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 go, I will send him to you.

John 16:7

Jesus warned His disciples that after He left them to return to the Father, they would experience rejection in the world. This would be because the world would treat them with the same contempt. He even warns them that death would await some who would dare to follow Him (John 16:2). All in all, it did not seem like a very good thing for Jesus to leave this world.

But there was something God would do that would give Christians and Christ’s church an advantage… even with Jesus gone and the world against them. Just as the Father had sent His Son into the world, so Jesus would send His Holy Spirit to His followers. When this occurred, His followers had the advantage. They would be kept, empowered, and assisted by the comforting, teaching, strengthening Holy Spirit of God.

What’s more, God’s Holy Spirit does a great work in the world at large. The world is moved by the gospel and the convicting work of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Spirit now convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Sin will be apparent in those who do not, as yet, believe in Jesus. Righteousness will be known in the absence of Jesus. His life will still present a holy standard that the Spirit uses to convince of the difference. And judgment will come as the work of the devil will be exposed by the greater work of God’s Spirit.

I may be tempted to wish I could see Jesus physically in the world, under a false belief the world would accept Him that way.  But the fact is, the world rejected Jesus when He was in it, and God is active by His Holy Spirit right now. And Jesus Himself said we have the Spirit as an advantage even as the world hates us. I believe that with a grateful heart.