An Expose’ On John 14: 16-17.
Jesus Christ promised His disciples that He’d send them the Holy Spirit after His ascension to heaven to be with His Father, God Almighty. However, while the average Christian faithful generally thinks that the Holy Spirit, on His arrival, will automatically dwell in the Believer’s heart, a careful consideration of the Lord’s words show that the Holy Spirit will come to the Believer in two stages, depending on their response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let’s reproduce Jesus Christ’s words in John 14: 16-17 below and carefully dissect it and bring out the truth enshrined therein, which has eluded so many of God’s children and may also put to jeopardy their hope of going to heaven to be with Jesus Christ and His Father forever.
John 14:16-17:
” And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth WITH you, and shall be IN you. “
The two words, which are at the heart of this expose’, are WITH and IN. They are both prepositions.
Our Lord and Messiah, Jesus Christ, could have simply said that the Holy Spirit would be WITH the disciples or IN the disciples when He comes down to the earth from the Father, but He didn’t: rather He demonstrated clearly by those two words that the Holy Spirit would connect with them in both ways.
To better understand the context of that scripture, it will be necessary to explain those two prepositions, namely:
- With: indicates association, accompaniment, or instrumentality (e.g., “I’m going with him”)
- In: indicates location, direction, or involvement (e.g., “the book is in the bag”)
If you incorporate the dictionary meaning of those prepositions above into the words which Jesus Christ spoke in John 14:17, you will begin to understand how God actually meant the Holy Spirit to connect with His children. For instance, when Jesus Christ said that the Holy Spirit would be WITH His disciples, He simply meant that He would accompany or associate with them in their walk and work for God, with no regards to their personal virtues and/or level of commitment to God . This is more like a collaborative effort by two different persons on the same work. This preposition does not denote intimacy in the Believer’s association with the Holy Spirit; rather, it simply connotes a sense of duty. By this divine arrangement every born-again child of God is entitled to have the Holy Spirit with them in order to guide them in their walk and work with God, whether that walk or work is pleasing to God or not is immaterial to His presence with them as long as they have not renounced their allegiance to God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Another better way to explain this relationship is by using the last sentence Jesus Christ spoke in verse 17 of the scripture under review, which is as follows:
” … but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. “
Very clearly, Jesus Christ was telling them on the first half of the sentence that they had already experienced the Holy Spirit, and that in fact He was WITH them at that material time of His conversation with them: FOR HE DWELLETH WITH YOU meant that the Holy Spirit was already accompanying and/or associating with them like in the works they had earlier performed for God in the following instances below:
1.Luke 9:1-2:
“Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.”
2.Luke 10:1, 17 :
” After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.
And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.”
Let us, however, consider the second half of that sentence and see what it reveals.
The phrase AND SHALL BE IN YOU describes a future and more intimate and personal experience which none of Jesus Christ’s disciples had experienced at that material time that He was having the discussion with them.
Whereas their first experience of the Holy Spirit was as a result of their association with Jesus Christ, the second experience, which is deeper, was to be as a result of each person’s personal commitment to Him and the work which He had entrusted to them. In this second experience there was to be nothing like a blanket or corporate anointing of the Holy Spirit, as it was the case with their first experience: here each man was to experience Him on a personal basis because the Holy Spirit, when the time comes, was supposed to be IN them. This was the reason why in Luke 24:49 Jesus Christ strictly charged them as follows:
” And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. “
Are you wondering why I’m taking the pains to break down this scripture? I promise you that very soon you will see reason with me! As I’m writing under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God I can tell you that much of what we have heard being taught to people in the local churches of Christendom is nothing but an adumbration of the real message of the Holy Bible on the person of the Holy Spirit and His connection with God’s children: whether this is due to careless ignorance or wickedness compromise, we must agree that the teaching on the person and ministry of the Holy Ghost in the church has not been properly handled by God’s ministers for a long time now, and the resultant effect is there for any concerned child of God to see! Some of them are as follows:
- These days we often witness some noisy and rowdy sessions of praying in tongues with no accompanying power of the Holy Spirit. See 2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
As a matter of fact, speaking in tongues nowadays has become a symbol of spiritual status, to some Christians, instead of the evidence of the Holy Ghost’s fullness and power. They flaunt it during prayer sessions as evidence of their spirituality, even when they are deeply aware that their lives are bereft of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power! They cannot boldly declare with Prophet Micah and say:
“But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. “ Micah 3:8.
No, they cannot bring sinners to conviction by virtue of their own personal lives because they’re not faithful in their walk with God; however, they would gladly put up an outward show of spirituality to make people think that they’re all aflame with the Holy Ghost fire and power. God is calling all such persons to repentance today!
- Another disturbing observation are the powerless and unconvincing messages from the pulpits which leaves the congregation wondering why they came to church at all! A Holy Ghost-filled preacher’s message is bound to produce the opposite result! John 16:8 : “And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ” 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 : “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Having said all that, I must also be quick to point out that a spiritually vibrant church is not always as a result of a spiritually disciplined and gifted Pastor, even though that is the basic requirement of God for all Ministers of the Gospel. Of course the, pulpit should exude the raw power of God at anytime and at any day, not necessarily because of the personal Spirit-filled life of the local preacher alone, but because of the truth which the whole church stands for and upholds consistently. If for any reason the preacher is not there to deliver, God, whose Word and truth the church consistently honours, should be there to show Himself strong and mighty on their behalf, irrespective of who takes the place of the preacher. This is so because the church’s spiritual success is not solely tied to her local Pastor’s life but to the presence of Jesus Christ our Lord who walks in the midst of His churches as Lord, head and defender, as we see vividly portrayed in Revelation 2:1.
The truth just revealed above, while heart-warming and relieving to the children of God who are genuinely concerned for the progress of the church in her battle against the gates of hell has, nevertheless, been misunderstood and relied upon by some compromised preachers as proof that God is still with them even when their errant lifestyle and character screams the very opposite!
When Jesus Christ said His Spirit would be WITH and IN His disciples ( the church), it was to ensure the continuity of His presence with His church in the following way:
The Holy Spirit, through God’s supreme command, is given to the church to be WITH her, while through His Grace and mercy He is gifted to live IN anyone who separates themselves from sin and all unrighteousness to serve God in true holiness.
So, if the Holy Spirit cannot live in anyone because they’re not holy, yet He must remain with them on the outside because He has a duty to guide and direct them as long as they have not renounced their faith and allegiance to God and His Son Jesus Christ. I will, sadly, explain to us how Satan has deceived some Christians to use this Grace as a license for continuing in their sins; however, when God visits their sins upon them, He will swiftly do so without any consultations with them, unless they repent at once!
No doubt, we must have seen God’s evident power manifesting in ministries where , by our own spiritual judgments, we think that it ought not to be seen. Let me share a personal experience to help explain this.
Some years ago, during a revival and deliverance church service, I was confronted with a situation where I needed the manifestation of God’s power to urgently handle the issue at hand, but I knew deep within me that I was not in tune with the Holy Spirit at that material time as I was ordinarily supposed to be. Actually I had carelessly sinned against God earlier on, and although I had asked Him for mercy, I was having a hard time regaining my spiritual composure again because the Holy Spirit was seriously grieved and that left me with an empty feeling in my heart.
This was what actually happened during that revival and deliverance service: while I was ministering, the devil suddenly attacked a child with a violent convulsion. His eye balls rolled and the pupils disappeared into the sockets and the child went limp and looked as though he was dead. The mother was hysterical and there was pandemonium around the section of the pew where this was happening.
As I have already said, I wasn’t feeling that much Spirit-filled since when the program began. As a result of this I simply lacked the spiritual boldness required to confront such a situation, so I began to pray silently for God’s help and then asked everyone to calm down as God was in control of the situation. Then they rushed with the child to the alter to meet me as I was already praying, trying to draw back the Spiritual strength I felt had left me. But as they approached the altar something remarkable happened: the power of God hit the mother of the child, as she approached me, and spun her around before she was quickly caught by others members. Luckily, a spirit -filled sister was the one holding the child otherwise she would have flung him into the air and , thus, worsen an already delicate situation. The power of God touched that limp child and he revived instantly. All of this didn’t last more than five minutes. Halleluyah!
Thereafter the revival and deliverance service went on joyfully with the assurance of God’s presence and power. But in the midst of all this I was greatly humbled. Some people may have thought that they saw a “powerful man of God” taking charge of the situation that day, but I know for sure that I saw a merciful God standing strong for His church at a time when His servant was vulnerable. And because I know the truth, I did not justify the sin I had earlier committed before that program by citing that spectacular display of power as an evidence of immunity for my carelessness. I knew that God was WITH me right there on that podium, though not necessarily IN me, and that He fought that battle to glorify His name and save that child.
Such things still happen with the ministers of God, but how many of them have rightly distinguished truth from error at the time of such happenings? I have heard some people say, in the defence of some manifestly compromised ministers of the gospel, that if God was not with them how could they do the mighty works and miracles that manifest in their programs!
Well, God knows better; but I also know God’s Word, that He could intervene in the church for His name’s sake alone!
“Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. “
Ezekiel 36:32.
How often have God’s servants ridden loftily in the chariots of His own glory over a miracle that had nothing to do with their spirituality; either because they had fallen into sin or were lacking faith in God when it happened, and yet they didn’t humbly admit it but rather usurped that power and glory for their own gratification!
How often has arrogance and pride blinded some sinning Pastors or ordinary believers into thinking that because they still see the signs and wonders around them, then it must be that their sins are tolerable!
” And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Matthew 7:23.
Dear friend be warned that God’s Spirit can work WITH you and yet not necessarily be IN you.
Do I hear you question whether it makes any difference? But yes, of course, it does! God’s Kingdom is greater than any one person and His mission to get every willing sinner into it is so important that He will not abandon it because one man has sinned! God will move anything and anyone to glorify His name and His Kingdom even if it is just so that one soul could be saved. Yes, He would go to that length even if it means manifesting His power WITH some unlikely vessel with whom His Holy Spirit has no portion or dwelling place. The point is simple: God can use anyone to achieve His purpose, and that not because they’re necessarily worthy! God’s ministers must be careful with this attribute of God so that they do not ascribe God’s manifestation in their ministry to their holiness or worthiness!
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell IN you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:9.
” Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
2 Timothy 2:19 .
God’s enduring love, patience and presence WITH the unworthy Christian is not intended to give them comfort in their unrighteousness, but to give them a beacon of hope that He is still within reach of true communion with them if only they can amend their ways and return whole heartedly to Him.
Take, for instance, the case of the lukewarm and backslidden Laodicean church in the book of Revelation 3:14-22 ; although Jesus Christ the head of that church could no longer be IN the midst of them because of their terrible spiritual state, yet He was still WITH them from without, asking to be let in once again provided they were willing to repent.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come IN to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20.
In conclusion, let me do a recap of the main issues of this expose’, which are:
- God’s Holy Spirit is sent to be WITH anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour.
- If they live a consistent life worthy of God’s own standard of truth, righteousness and holiness then His Holy Spirit will live IN them.
- Having the Holy Spirit of God living IN His children is the ultimate purpose of God for sending Him to them as He is the seal of their final redemption.
Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” - That the proof that anyone belongs to God is seen in the evident manifestation of the character ( fruit) of the Holy Spirit IN their life. Galatians 5:22-24:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” - That the absence of these fruit/character of the Holy Spirit in the life of anyone is sufficient to conclude that they do not belong to God Almighty, the fact notwithstanding that they could perform some signs and miracles because of the presence of the Holy Spirit WITH them.
Matthew 7:22-23:
” Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Romans 8:9:
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell IN you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” - The ultimate goal of every child of God should be to have the Holy Spirit live IN them by completely surrendering their lives to God in truthful, righteous and holy living. MAY ALMIGHTY GOD GRANT THE READER THE GRACE TO THIRST AND HUNGER FOR A GENUINE EXPERIENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN JESUS CHRIST’S MIGHTY NAME