WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4
John 15:18-27
Jeremiah 31:31-34

“…it is my meditation
all the day.”

HE SHALL TESTIFY OF ME

It is a sad and startling statement of truth that the world hates God the Father and God the Son, and this without cause. The world also hates the followers of the Son. To a handful of disciples our Lord entrusted the Great Commission. What hopes of success could there be in such a precarious assignment? Humanly speaking, none.

But ours is a God of infinite resource and power. Against whatever violence and opposition which the Gospel was likely to meet, our Lord had made adequate provision to ensure complete success. His “secret weapon” is disclosed to us in John 15:26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth …he shall testify of me.” More than any other passage of the Bible, this verse describes the key role of the Holy Spirit in advancing the cause of Christ and in prosecuting God’s redemptive plan to a glorious conclusion.

To all Christian workers and fellow believers in the Lord; here is a vital lesson for today. In the midst of a hostile world let us have a clear vision of the Gospel work and its assured success. Oppositions and persecutions should not discourage us, but rather confirm our Saviour’s words of assurance: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Our Lord reigns victorious on high. To us He has given the Comforter: “… he shall testify of me” (John 15:26).

The Spirit of truth continues to testify on behalf of our ascended Lord. His witness is effective in preachers and hearers of the Gospel alike. When we first trusted the Lord for salvation we thanked God for the preacher. But we forgot to thank the Spirit of truth, for it was His testifying to the truth in the preacher’s message and confirming it in our hearts that effected our salvation, not the preacher’s eloquence or our penitent tears. I thank Thee, O blessed Holy Spirit, for testifying for the Lord Jesus.

THOUGHT: Is there a place for “altar calls” in evangelism?
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for the silent testimony of Thy Spirit.