You Will Bear Witness

And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning (John 15:27).

To whom will the Holy Spirit bear witness? He will bear witness of Jesus Christ (v. 26), He will testify of Me. He will not make any witness of Himself, He will not draw attention to Himself, He will not draw people to Himself. His role in the earth is to speak of Jesus Christ, to draw attention to Jesus Christ, and to draw people to Jesus Christ for salvation. The Christian church is on dangerous ground when it elevates the Person and work of the Holy Spirit above the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Even in the manifestation of spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit does not draw attention to Himself, but the gifts are given by Him to us, through Him by Jesus Christ, and for the edification of the body of Christ and the praise and glory of Jesus Christ.

The work of the Holy Spirit is primary in and through those who will belong to Jesus Christ through His work of regeneration of a dead spirit to a living spirit, the conviction of sin, the drawing of the soul to Christ, and the empowering of the new birth through one’s faith in Jesus Christ. He then will speak and work through the Christian, and the Christian church, to affect the principles and power of the Kingdom in the earth until Jesus returns to physically establish that Kingdom in His Millennial reign.

The initial work of the Holy Spirit in the disciples after Pentecost was to assist in bringing to their mind and understanding those things Jesus taught, the work that He performed, and the example of holy and righteous living that He demonstrated. (John 12:16) His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. He would also give them the words to speak as a witness in defense of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 10:17-20) But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 

The Holy Spirit performs these same works in the lives of Christians today. Total and complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit is vital for Christians given the world that we live in and the opposition we face in presenting the Gospel to others. While there have been some down through Christian history, and even in more recent years, who have made a shipwreck of their faith publicly because they walked in the flesh and not in the spirit, most followers of Jesus Christ maintain their faith and integrity in the Lord by being fully surrendered to Him in their personal life, family life, vocational life, social life, and community life. Thank You, Father, for sending the Holy Spirit to us, and may all praise and honor and glory be to Jesus for the promise of His Holy Spirit that has been sent! Amen.

Pastor Martin