Well, we have all of you brave ones today who challenged the weather and made it out here. And bless your heart. And welcome you who are with us online as well. And we're going to go to the book of John, chapter 16. John, chapter 16. And we'll begin reading there in verse 7 of John. Chapter 16. 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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment, of sin because they believe not on me, of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more, of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself, For whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you. Let's pray. Father, guide us now as we look into your word. We need you to help us to open our eyes. We need the Holy Spirit to work and illuminate us to see what we need to see. Help us to be more faithful in these last days to serve you so that when our Lord returns, he will find us so doing and being faithful. We thank you for your goodness to us. Bless now in this time together. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. I want us to notice the work of the Holy Spirit here in this passage of scripture. The Bible tells us that he will reprove, verse 8, the world of sin. He will reprove the world of sin. This word, is also translated here in our King James Bible, which sometimes we get a deeper meaning of words when we look at the way the translators translated it in different places. It gives you a fuller meaning. And it's translated rebuke, convince, tell one's fault, convict. So you can see that it is the Holy Spirit who will convict people of what? Of their sin. Look at verse 9. It says, of sin because they believe not on me. So the Holy Spirit is the one who will convict people of sin. And in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, if you just move back there for a moment and hold your place there because we'll come back to it in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14. 1 Corinthians 2, 14. It says here, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. That's why people have trouble understanding the Word of God, because it is a spiritual book. And it takes the Holy Spirit working within us to help us to understand God's word. And so he will convict of sin those who are unrighteous. The Holy Spirit works to convict them of their sin and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And then the Bible tells us that not only does he convict of sin, here in our text in John chapter 16, but it says that he will reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Now these words are interesting words because they're also translated, judgment is also translated damnation, accusation, and condemnation. So it is the Holy Spirit that brings men to see, and women, their need of Christ and the fact that they're headed for eternal judgment, eternal damnation, and a lake of fire. And it's the Holy Spirit who convicts the heart to see that. So back here in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, as Pastor Ken went through in Sunday School, we notice it says in chapter 2 here in verse 9, But as it is written, I hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. And of course we know that's referring to 2 Peter chapter 1 and verse 21 where the Bible says that there very clearly that Verse 20 says, no prophecy of scriptures of any private interpretation. But then verse 21, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And so we must compare scripture with scripture to get the message of the word of God. That's why we have so much error doctrine today. That's why Some people say, well, you have all these different churches but you only have one Bible. Well, that's the problem, you see, is we do have one Bible and that's what we have, one Bible. We have to take all of it, the 66 books of the Bible, we have to compare scripture with scripture to get the true teaching of the Word of God because holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost to write the scripture and some, Moses, he wrote the first five books of the Bible before John in the New Testament hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years before. And so we have to compare scripture with scripture as God is giving revelation through the Holy Spirit to men over this period of 1500 to 1600 years. And so we have to realize that, that we compare spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual, notice this now, judgeth all things. Yet he himself is judged of no man. Now the judgment back there in John chapter 16 is referring to the penalty for our sin, the lake of fire, the eternal judgment that will come to all who fail to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. But this word for judge is a different word. It has the meaning of, it's also translated examine, judge, ask, question, search, discern. So it says, but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. Judgeth all things. It doesn't mean like the one in John chapter 16 where it's judgment that has come, but this is discernment. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment. That's what we need to understand because it says in verse 14, because they are spiritually discerned. So the Holy Spirit gives us discernment for who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him. We can't tell the Lord what to do. He's all-knowing. But it says we have the mind of Christ. We've been given the mind of Christ. That word mind is also translated understanding. So we have the understanding of Christ. How do we have that? Right here in the 66 books of the Bible. The information we are given here is what God wanted us to know. It's what he wanted us to understand. That's why he gave us these 66 books. So it is the Holy Spirit that will convince people of their need of Christ. And back there in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 4 it says, And my speech and my preaching, this is the Apostle Paul, was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. You see, we need to realize that This book was given to us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and he gave us this book so that we could convince men and women of their need of Jesus Christ and so that we could grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and be more faithful and more successful and blessed in our lives. So back to John chapter 16 and verse 13, we notice something here that the Holy Spirit will do. It says, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, notice he's called 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 show you things to come. So the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. He will show us things to come. And notice what Jesus said in John chapter 17 and verse 17. He said, sanctify them. That's to make them holy or set apart. The word sanctify has that meaning. Sanctify them through thy, what does it say? Truth. And then, remember, the spirit of truth over there, when the spirit of truth in verse 13, and here it says, sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. Thy word is truth. And we notice also about the Holy Spirit that he will glorify the Lord. Verse 14, he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. And he's not going to promote himself, he's going to promote the Lord. That is something that ought to stand out to us because there are churches today that want to promote the Holy Spirit and the getting of the Spirit and make big to do about that. But the Holy Spirit doesn't exalt himself. He exalts the Lord. He lifts up the Lord. And that is very important for us to understand. And He, as a result, because the Holy Spirit exalts the Lord, He will bring us closer to the Lord. He will work to bring all of us closer to the Lord. He'll work to bring the lost to Christ, Then he works to bring the saved closer to the Lord. Now, what we need to understand about the Holy Spirit and his work is that we are the instruments that he uses to do his work. You say, well, Pastor, you just said the Word of God is what the Holy Spirit inspired the Word of God. 66 books in the Bible, that's true. But he has chosen us to carry the news of this book so that he can do his work. So therefore, we are all, as it goes on to tell us here, you can look back to John Chapter 14, And verse 16, Jesus said, I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. Once you're sealed with the Spirit, Ephesians chapter 1, verses 13 and 14, every believer is sealed by the Spirit at the moment of salvation. In chapter 4 and verse 30, it is unto the day of redemption. So that's why he said he may abide with you forever. Eternal salvation. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, verse 17, but you know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Jesus spoke these words before Pentecost. You know at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came. And they were told to wait there. And the church was empowered by the Holy Spirit, not started, empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. And every believer now, when they place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, is sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. He indwells every believer. And we notice there, 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." And so we have the Word of God to give us the words of Christ, give us the Word of God so that we can understand. That means that if we are sealed with the Spirit until the day of redemption and He indwells every believer, then what is the purpose of that? Well, first of all, we need to understand the Bible says we should work to be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 18 makes that a very clear command. And if you go back to the book of Psalms chapter 84 and verse 11, Psalm 84 verse 11, look here. For the Lord is a sun and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. That's a promise to walk uprightly, to try to be filled with the spirit. That's the ultimate goal of walking uprightly, is to be filled with the spirit. Chapter 86 and verse 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, I will walk in thy truth. The spirit of truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. Chapter 89 and verse 15, blesses the people that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. How do we have the light of his countenance? Through the work of the Holy Spirit in giving us the word of God and helping us to understand it. Then in Galatians chapter 5, back to Galatians chapter 5. Here in Galatians chapter 5, we have the fruit of the spirit, verse 22. And verse 25 says, if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. A lot of believers live in the spirit but they don't walk in the spirit. They don't have that mindset. Their mind is set upon earthly things. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called to walk worthy. It says in verse 2, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. And that love, we know, has been shed abroad in our hearts Romans chapter 5 and verse 5, by the Holy Spirit who has been given unto us. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 12. As usual in my messages, I'm working toward a point and we will get there, just hang on. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 12, that you would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory, to walk worthy. And then in 1 John 2, and verse 6. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 6. We must be filled with the Spirit because the Holy Spirit uses us to accomplish his work. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walks. So, if we are going to be filled with the spirit, that's going to take confession of sin on a regular basis. First John chapter 1 there in verse 8 says, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. And the truth, to keep that in the mind, the spirit of truth. And the truth is not in us. In other words, not saying we've lost the Holy Spirit, but we're not doing what we should be doing if we say we have no sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And so we need to be continually dealing with sin in our life. We say we don't sin, we're not telling the truth because there hardly is a day that goes by that in some way, shape or form we disobey the word of God. And we do things that we shouldn't do. We think things we shouldn't think. We say things we shouldn't say. We see things we shouldn't see and dwell upon. And therefore, we must be people who confess our sin and keep our heart right with the Lord. That is so important. In James chapter 1 verse 5, it says very clearly, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and abradeth not and it shall be given unto him. And so, we need to be asking for wisdom. Is there anything in my life, is there anything there that I need to change? Could you show me if there's something in my life that is keeping me from having the fullness of the spirit in my life? Please show that to me. Please help me to see it. And please help me to be willing to make the change that needs to be made in my life. Luke 11, 13 says that if we ask him for the spirit, the power of the spirit, he will give it to us. So we must be filled with the spirit. That is so important for us to understand. We must have this mindset. It's the mind of Christ. to be seeking to be filled with the Spirit, to have the power of the Spirit in our life, to keep sin checked in our life, to be asking God to show us the things that need to change in our life so that we can be a Christian who is used of the Holy Spirit to do His work. Secondly, we must use the Word of God. It's not going to be our wisdom That's what Paul said there in 1 Corinthians 2, 4. It's not going to be our wisdom that's going to reach people. It's not going to do it. It's not going to be our smarts. Some people think, well, I'm just not smart enough to witness. Well, it's not about your smarts in the first place. It's not about that. It's about just being faithful to use the word of God. You can do that by gospel tracts. You can do that by talking to people and telling them what the Bible says, quoting scripture to them. I know you've probably read stories as I have where a person has just tried to witness to a person. They wouldn't listen, so they gave them a verse and said, I'm going to quote this verse to you. And that verse just kept working and working and working on that person's mind until they finally came to Christ. The word of God is powerful. We know that. And in John chapter 16 and verse 26 here it says, let's see, is that the verse I want? John chapter 14 verse 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. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. And so we need to use the word of God. Verse 26 of chapter 15 says, But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning, the disciples. Then he told us in Acts chapter 1 verse 8 to take the gospel to the whole world. They were to teach us and we were to follow what they taught us in Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20. So we must use the word of God because it's the word of God that the Holy Spirit is going to use to convict hearts. we must not grieve or quench the Spirit. This keeps us from being filled with the spirit. If you go to Ephesians chapter 4, verse 30 and 31, the Bible is very clear here on this. And what I always say when you look at the Bible, always don't forget to check out the context. Don't forget to look at the context. Don't forget to look at what the Bible teaches on this subject throughout the scriptures. But here in the context it says in verse 30, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed under the day of redemption. So verse 31 gives us some things that grieve the Holy Spirit. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor, clamor is talk loud, complaining, speaking loud and complaining. and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you." You look up ahead in those verses and it says, verse 25, wherefore put away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. Be ye angry and sin not, be angry at the right things, And sin not, and let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Don't be a party to wrath. Neither give place to the devil. That can be done by things we read, what we watch on TV, places we go, etc. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the things which are good that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto hearers. I remember I told you this before back in years ago, one of the pillars of our church, you know, the pillars of the assembly. Sometimes you got to watch out for them. But I was in a store where he was in and he was talking up at the counter and he was just swearing away. And you know, as a young boy and a Christian, that really shook my faith. This guy is a pillar in the church and there he is swearing. in the store using foul language and that is saying it's those sins of commission that we do that grieve the Holy Spirit. We need to keep sin confessed in our life and try our best to avoid those sins of the flesh. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 19 gives us the This very short verse, quench not the spirit. And if you read the context here, the context is that we quench the spirit by not doing what we should be doing. If you're not witnessing for Christ, you're quenching the spirit. Because it's you that he's going to use to get the gospel out. Isn't that what the Great Commission teaches us in Matthew chapter 28, verses 18 to 20? And all of the gospels repeated it. As my father has sent me, even so send I you. We are to carry the good news of the gospel. And if you look at these, these are our sins of omission where we don't do what we should do, then the Holy Spirit is quenched. because he's going to use us to get the gospel out to a lost and dying world. And so we need to be careful that we don't grieve or quench the spirit. And we have to realize that the devil is a mind blinder. But I want you to see something when you go back to that scripture in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. verses 3 and 4, it says, but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world, small g referring to Satan, he's the God of this world, only temporary, not going to last. had blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light," now this is what I want you to see, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. And then he went on to say, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So how is that light going to shine to get to these blinded hearts? How is that going to work? How is that going to happen? Well, Matthew chapter 5. Jesus didn't run around the point. He made it very clear in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 16. He says here, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. You see, it is our job to let the light of the gospel shine And God, the Holy Spirit will take that and break through Satan's blinders in the heart. Matthew 28, verses 18 to 20, very clear command that we are to go and preach the gospel to the whole world. And if you go back to John chapter 14, John chapter 14, verse 16, And here he says, and I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever. This word another is allos in the Greek and it has the meaning of another of the same kind. Give you another comforter, another of the same kind. Not a different one, but it has the meaning to come alongside And chapter 16 and verse 14 says here, he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you. And so the Holy Spirit is going to work like Christ. In other words, he is the one that is going to produce Christ likeness in us. Christ likeness in us. So that is important. And there's a lot more that could be said, but he is the spirit of truth and it is so important that the word of God be preached and taught. In 1 Timothy 3, verse 15, the church is the pillar and ground of the truth. So the church should be preaching the word of God. And we as believers need to be in the word of God and we need to be involved in the local church. If we're unfaithful to church attendance, because it is the pillar and ground of the truth, if we're not faithful to church, what are we doing? Quenching the spirit in our life. because he is going to work through the preaching of the word of God to strengthen us as believers to be more faithful in serving him. There's so much more that I have here that I can't really have the time to get to, but I want to take you to this. There's a serious problem in our church if you read Galatians chapter 5 verses 22 to 23 in the fruit of the spirit. It's a serious problem in our churches today. There seems to be no power of the spirit. Romans chapter 15 and verse 13. Romans chapter 15 and verse 13, it says, now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. We fail to realize the power of the Holy Ghost. The gospel is powerful. Acts 1.8, we're commissioned to go to the whole world with the gospel. Romans 1.16, it is the power of God and the salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 3.20, if you look at this one, Ephesians 3.20, Here it says, now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. What is the power that worketh in us? If you've been paying attention, it's the Holy Spirit that worketh in us. You're able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think. Romans 8, verse 4, it says that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. So there are two ways to walk. either to walk in the flesh or walk in the spirit. Sad to say, most Christians are walking in the flesh and not in the spirit and that's why we fail to see the power of God in our churches as we should see. In Romans 13 verse 14, right close there, it says, But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof. And you remember, we're to put on. And if you go back to our text, well no, not our text, to 1 Corinthians, pardon me, 1 Corinthians chapter 2 again. And look at that last verse in the chapter, 1 Corinthians 2, in the last verse. It says, last of the verse, but we have the mind of Christ. And we are to do what there in Romans 15 verse 13? It says, 13 verse 14 in Romans. It says, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Put on the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2. And so we notice that in 1 Corinthians 2, 16, we should put on the mind of Christ. This is the problem that is with most Christians. We don't have the mindset to be thoroughly filled with the spirit and determined to allow the Holy Spirit to lead in our lives instead of the flesh. And we will do things that we know are fleshly and we shouldn't. And we will pass it off for our own desires of our flesh. And if we're going to see the power of God, we need the Holy Spirit to work. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 17, for the flesh lusteth against the spirit. Paul learned this in Romans chapter 7, verse 23, that this is a battle. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. But if you be led of the spirit, Are you not under the law? And so he makes it very clear that we need to work to be filled with the spirit. Romans chapter 8 verse 5, trying to get through this, to get this point across to you, Romans chapter 8 verse 5. It says, for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. So we must work to be filled with the spirit. Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, very familiar. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Sometimes we don't get that. It's just reasonable to serve God with all of our ability. It's only reasonable because if it were not for that, all of us would burn in hell, the lake of fire, forever. no way out, eternal suffering. And be not conformed to this world but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That's exactly what we were told there in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. You see, this is my point, Ephesians chapter 4. Verse 23, be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Philippians 2, 5, the mind of Christ, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. This is my point today. Where is your mind? What is your mind set upon? Is your mind really set upon being used of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the work of God in this world today or is your mind set upon what your own personal goals and admiration? Nothing wrong with having goals and there's nothing wrong with setting those goals but in those pursuit of goals, who is first? Where is your mind set? Do you want to make the right decisions that you should make? Do you want to be used of God in the fullest way that he can use you? That's it. We have the mind of Christ. You have it. Are you going to use it? Are you going to use it? Let's pray. Father, thank you for these few moments to consider the word of God and how powerful it is. Help us to be kind of believers that will be used of the Holy Spirit. And we will not seek our own ways and we will not seek our own just like we know the mind of Christ as it says there. But we would be surrendered to your will and be determined to allow you to work in our hearts that we might be all that you want us to be in these last days. And we could have a powerful church, a church where when people come they feel and sense the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Just thank you for your word to guide us. And we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand together. We'll sing page number 166, Cleanse Me. That's something we need to be concerned about all the time in our life. And when we realize we've gotten off track, get back on track. Confess it and determine not to let it pull you down. A lot of times what happens to believers is when they know they've done something wrong then they persecute themselves and they put themselves down and then they don't do what they should do. What you should do is realize you're human, you have flesh and you're going to fail, confess it to the Lord and get up and work not to let it happen again, try to overcome it. While we sing, whatever the need today, this altar is open.