Devotional John 16: The Work of the Holy Spirit and Prayer Reflection on John 16: how the Holy Spirit convinces us of sin, the truth about asking in Jesus' name, and the direct love of God the Father for you. Topics: Devotional, New Testament.

Devotional John 16: The Work of the Holy Spirit and Prayer

Today’s devotional follows the sequence of the book of John and was on chapter 16.

Synopsis: Jesus speaks with His disciples about the works of the Holy Spirit and bids them farewell in words.

Observations

These were my observations:

1. The Holy Spirit came to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. In this chapter, through the words of Jesus, I was able to better understand that the Holy Spirit is responsible for convicting us of our sins. Furthermore, He is responsible for fueling our thirst for righteousness and judgment. For the more we soften our hearts and leave them open to the works of the Holy Spirit, the more sensitive we become to God’s will and the more we resemble the conduct of Jesus. That is where fear and trembling before God arise. Since we are much closer to God, every time we sin and witness injustice, we become increasingly indignant and anxious for judgment.
2. When we ask in Jesus’ name, it is not Jesus who asks for us. I always thought that when we ask God in Jesus’ name, Jesus was the messenger and that He asked God on our behalf so that we might have more favor before God. But in reality, in this chapter Jesus says that He does not need to ask God for us, because God already loves us because we love His only-begotten Son whom He sent into the world to save us. That is why Jesus said that we can ask God in His name, and if we believe in and love Christ, God will hear us and answer our prayers.