John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the God-head and has been involved with the human family from the time of man's creation, even down to our present generation. In the passage above The Lord gives us in precis form what The Holy Spirit does, and who He is. According to Christ The Spirit is actively engaged in the dissemination of truth, and He is the one who brings conviction of right and wrong to our consciences so that we can make informed choices. But the Holy Spirit is also described as being a person, not an influence as is commonly thought by millions. When someone is described as a "He", it automatically means that a person is being referred to, and not merely a pervasive influence in the atmosphere.
The Holy Ghost is a very real person of The God-head, who can be grieved, and who makes intelligent decisions in favor of the establishment of God's kingdom upon the earth. His intelligence and individuality has been manifested from creation, where He was actively involved with the other two members of the God-head in the creation of man, and also in all of the products of the earth. This point must be clearly understood, for it has a direct bearing on whether we believe He is able to perform the sacred work of regeneration in our hearts. Let's read:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Job 33:4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Then after Adam and Eve had sinned, and the human race had fallen deep into apostasy and rebellion against God, The Holy Spirit was again there to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of coming judgments, by which the earth was to be destroyed by the flood. Let's read:
Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Then on to the time of the Israelites as they wandered for forty years in the wilderness, and after when they had settled in the land of Caanan. God's Holy Spirit was also there to woo, instruct, and enable those who were willing to be led by Him, and again, the scriptures point to His good work in the hearts of God's children, long before the day of Pentecost. Let's read:
Numbers 11:25 And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
Nehemiah 9:20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
In our passage for today Jesus says that it was expedient for him to go away so that The Holy Spirit could be sent to all believers in more copious measure, because The Spirit being, invested with omnipresence, could then minister to all believers everywhere at the same time. In our day there are many vague interpretations and spurious manifestations of The Holy Spirit, and the counterfeit now closely resembles the true, so that it has become very difficult for the casual observer to discern between the true and the false.
For instance many of the modern day faith healers who are very popular in Christian circles, claim to be in possession of The Holy Spirit, who they claim are enabling them to perform various miracles. As a result, millions are flocking to these healing meetings hoping to be cured of various diseases, and if something miraculous does indeed take place, many believe that it can be none other than The Holy Ghost.
But God has issued a stern warning against any miraculous manifestation which does not bear the signet of heaven, and especially those where the people are led to disregard the authority of God by trampling upon His commandments. This represents one of the major deceptions in our day, and all Christians everywhere are cautioned to be on high alert, for in many instances, what we are seeing is not the work or presence of The Holy Ghost, but rather the manifestation of demons, masquerading under the banner of Christianity. Let's read:
Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
It is very important for us to discern between the true and the false, so that we be not ensnared by the wily arts of our diabolical enemy, for Christ has given several warnings on this issue that is soon to take center-stage in all of Christendom. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which cautions us no to be swayed by miraculous manifestations, since we are to live by the word, and by the word of God alone. Let's read:
2nd Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
May The Lord give us the spirit of discernment that we do not fall into the many errors of these last days of earth's history. God bless!