STUDY  48 – THE PROMISE OF THE COMFORTER FOR OBEDIENT DISCIPLES

Gleans from Monday Bible Study with Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

DLBC Ojokoro, Old Agege, Lagos HQ

7th May 2018

STUDY  48 – THE PROMISE OF THE COMFORTER FOR OBEDIENT DISCIPLES

John 14:15-26; 15:18-19; 17:14,16; Luke 10:20

At this time, Jesus Christ was winding up His ministry on earth and He gathered His disciples, gave them some important instructions and revealed to them things they did not know even at that time. As He told them that He was departing from this earth to be with the Father in Heaven, the disciples were pained and very sorrowful as they thought of all Jesus had been to them the past three and half years: But Jesus told them, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). This solved their problem. That word, ‘Another’ has two shades of meaning in Greek:

1. It could be another of a different kind.
2. It could be another of the same kind. This latter is the one that Jesus meant; that He was going to send another of the same kind as Himself, with the same power and divinity, grace, love and helping hand, and He would be with them forever. He calls Him the Comforter. The Comforter will abide with you forever.

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). He also said that this One is Special. You are having something Special that the people out there and of the world cannot have. They may have strength, knowledge, riches, prosperity, and position but they cannot receive this Spirit of Truth. For people who had doubts whether the disciples were saved at that time, Jesus confirmed they were saved because the Spirit of God dwelt with them – ‘for he dwelleth with you’. You have ownership and connection with Him because you are saved. They were saved because He had chosen them out of the world (John 14:15; 15:18-19; 17:14); they were children of God and their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20). Now He was promising them something; the Comforter for obedient disciples. They were only to keep and obey His commandments, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and He would manifest Himself unto them in a greater, broader, higher and deeper measure. I pray that the deeper, higher and broader measure of the Holy Ghost will be yours in Jesus Name.

3 points:

POINT 1:  OUR CONSECRATION AND SUBMISSION TO HIS TEACHING

John 14:15,21-25; 15:10-14; Matthew 24:35; 28:19-20; Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:14-16; 1 John 2:3-5; 5:2,3; Deuteronomy 4:2; 30:6,8; Psalms 119:60; 2 Corinthians 5:14

The Lord Jesus Christ expects His followers would learn of Him, receive His word and be obedient to His commandments. He wants the demonstration of love by obedience to His commandments (John 14:15,21), and not being sorrowful and crying that He was going. Heaven does not measure love by our crying and sorrowing but by our obedience to God’s commandments and His Word. He would then manifest His grace, goodness, and glory in your life.

Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament as well as what He Himself had said about His death and resurrection. However, He only manifested Himself to His disciples that loved Him and not the people of the world.  “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). Jesus wants us to know that love is practical and visible, and manifested by keeping His commandments. If you want His perpetual presence, love Him and keep His commandments, as a real child of God. (John 14:23). Evidence of your love is total surrender of yourself, will, soul and everything to the Lord, and then you pledge your willingness to really obey the Lord; that is the way the Father and Jesus recognize love. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10). Dedication to the Word is evidence of real love of God. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). This is the measure of our love for Him – obedience to His commandments; and no Word, demand or will God will pass away. His Word is valid through any generation, (Matthew 24:35). Everything Jesus taught and laid down for them are to be taught every disciple of Christ in all generations until the end of the world, (Matthew 28:19). The commandments of the Lord are still for today because Jesus is ever the same; they are not redundant, old fashioned, archaic or to push behind, they are the same every time. He commanded repentance, restitution, purity, salvation, sanctification, evangelism, water baptism, monogamy in marriage, occupy till He comes, and all these are still necessary, and we shall obey to the end. Let the commandments, word and demand of Christ dwell in you richly. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Whatever we do and say, wherever we go, all should be in obedience to the Word of God which is for every area of our lives. The Word is not just for Sundays but must have impact on our everyday life at home, workplace, market place. If you are born again, the word of God will abide in you everywhere and every time. God calls us to be holy in all manner of conduct, lifestyle, character, and everywhere you go and every time (1 Peter 1:15,16). To enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, you must be holy, not because of your denomination nor church name, but because everything about God, His nature, heaven, angels, word and streets in heaven are holy. Let your life of obedience and character show that you know Him, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3). You will not add nor diminish from The Word of God, but obey in totality. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). The Lord Jesus Christ wants us to make right our lives, correct all your past wrongs and make restitution. You will not take this doctrine away from your life. God circumcises our hearts to enable us obey the commandments joyfully, promptly, urgently and heartily; the rapture can happen at any time! (Deuteronomy 30:6,8; Psalms 119:60). Professing to love and not obeying or keeping His commandments, makes us liars. Those who say they love Christ but resist His lordship, reject His doctrines, disregard His commandments, disobey His word, neglect His ordinance on Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, despise His sent messengers, oppose His Will, avoid His standards in everything they do; abandon His work; negate His orders and discourage obedience to God in others; all these people are deluded and have no abiding relationship with Christ. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14). You are dead to sin and to the world because Jesus died for you. Pray that this evidence of death to the things of the world will be in your life in Jesus Name (2 Corinthians 5:15).

POINT 2: THE COMFORTER, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

John 14:16-20; 15:26; 16:7; Job 16:1-8; Psalms 69:20,21; 1 Corinthians 2:11,12; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 John 4:4-6

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). Jesus said, I will, making a promise unto them. Sinners cannot receive the Holy Spirit because He is holy and He wants the hearts He will inhabit to be holy and swept clean before He can come in: He cannot dwell where there is error, falsehood, sin, and iniquity. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, of Christ, Holiness, Life, Wisdom, Comfort and of Truth. Comfort will come into your life in Jesus Name. Why send the Holy Ghost and why do you need Him? When the Holy Spirit comes, He comforts, counsels and recreates. He assures, appoints and anoints. He regenerates, renews and reveals the depth and deep things of God. He instructs, illuminates and inspires us; He invigorates and endues with power, edifies and empowers. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us, interprets the word to us and invigorates us. He guides, keeps, gives gifts and glorifies Christ. He transforms, teaches and testifies. He helps, heals and harvest souls into the kingdom. He sanctifies, strengthens and separates believers making their lives distinct. He reproves, refines and revives. He cleanses, controls and confirms us. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the Comforter (John 14:16; 15:26; 16:7). You will come to a situation in this life when you need comfort, and the people will try (like Job’s miserable comforters – Job 16:1-5); even the disciples could not comfort Jesus, but the comfort of the Holy Spirit is true comfort you. He is the Spirit of Truth and Revelation (1 Corinthians 2:11,12). He will reveal more of His power and truth unto you in Jesus Name. When you need power and revelation that will make you victorious in any situation, then the Holy Spirit will come to you, and you will come out of that situation victoriously. The Holy Spirit will comfort you. He is the Spirit of Glory, and He will be glorified in your life. You are of God as you follow the footsteps of the Lord. You will not follow the spirit of error, the Spirit of Truth will abide in you, lives and guides you (1 John 4:6)

POINT 3: THE CHARACTERISATION OF THE SPIRIT AS THE TEACHER

John 14:26

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26).

The ministry of the Holy Spirit:

1. He will teach us all things ( John 14:26; Matthew 10:20; Luke 12:12; Acts 4:7-13)  When the Holy Ghost comes, He will speak through you. Your life will make them marvel because the Holy Ghost will teach you all things, and you will bring out that teaching with all boldness and courage (Acts 4:13). The boldness of the Spirit will be upon your life in Jesus Name. Things will not be as they were yesterday, and you will come back with testimony in Jesus Name.
2. He will bring all things to our remembrance (John 14:26; Matthew 26:75; John 2:22; 12:16; Acts 11:16)  There are people that do not remember the word of God in times of temptations and trials. Even if you make a mistake, the Holy Ghost will be there to remind you. This is the secret of the victorious life. When there is any challenge, temptations, interaction, dealings with others, when somebody wants to get you into an agreement/promise that is not right, the Spirit of God will bring the word of God to your remembrance and you will not fall. This is what will give you victory and make you a sustained champion.
3. He will teach you all things (John 14:26; Deuteronomy 12:32; Jeremiah 42:4; Acts 3:22; Revelations 22:14-21) You will not be ignorant, nor empty any more. He will fill your hearts with knowledge, ‘Whatsoever I have saith unto you’. You will remember the word of promises and power of God. Whatever He says of His promises, pronouncements, power, commandments, concerning you, in what directions He wants you to go, He will teach you. All that Christ has taught, we are to teach the people of God as preachers with all boldness. We are to remember whatsoever, and then to declare, do, teach, emphasis whatsoever.

 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelations 22:17). Salvation, sanctification and Holy Ghost baptism, all available, you can come today. You will not add tradition, personal opinions, and all the tribal ideas to the word of God in Jesus Name (Revelations 22:18). Don’t remove anything from the word of God, keep it as it is. Pray that God will not remove you from the inheritance of the people of God. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelations 22:21). The grace, peace, and truth of God and the Comforter will go with you. Amen.

Ponder on this! He that says that he loves God and rejects His doctrine, resists His Lordship over his life; disregards His commandments; disobeys the word of the Lord; neglects His ordinance on Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper; despises His sent messengers; opposes the Will of God; avoids His standard of the word in everything he does; abandons His work; negates His orders; and discourages obedience to God in others, such a one is deluded and has no abiding relationship with God. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Reflection – If you cannot obey the word of God, that means you don’t have grace and you are not born again. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

Words on the Marble – Sinners cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.

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