THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2
John 8:31-32
John 14:16-26

“Every day with Jesus is
better than the day before.”

OUR LORD’S TEACHING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT (I)

During World War Two, Hitler’s propaganda chief Goebbels said, “If we tell a lie often enough, people will eventually believe it.” This sort of Satanic strategy succeeds when truth is suppressed or ignored. Today a flood of false teaching issues forth from Charismatic preachers. Doctrines concerning the person, character and work of the Holy Spirit are distorted and perverted. Constantly drummed into the ears of millions of the “electronic church,” falsehood eventually is believed. Goebbels was right in his diabolical theory.

Today God’s people are not left in the dark. Unlike the Germans in the 1930s, the truth is not suppressed. God’s Word is still freely available. It is our only protection against the false teaching of the Charismatic Movement concerning the Holy Spirit. Men may blaspheme against or malign the Holy Spirit, thinking that He is absent and silent, but He is neither. The Holy Spirit of God is ever present with His people, and through the pages of Holy Scripture He speaks. He who has ears, let him hear!

Of the blessed Holy Spirit, our Lord says:
(a) He is the “Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive” (John 14:17).
(b) “…the Holy Ghost… shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said…” (John 14:26).
(c) “…the Spirit of truth ... shall testify of me” (John 15:26).
(d) The Comforter, “…when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8).
(e) “…the Spirit of truth… will guide you into all truth … He shall glorify me…” (John 16:13-14).

Here we have in summary the essential teachings concerning the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Anything which contradicts our Lord’s words is therefore false.

THOUGHT: Can I enumerate the various functions of the Holy Spirit?
PRAYER: Lord, may Thy Spirit guide me daily into Thy truth.