* You can now watch a video of this message at: https://new.livestream.com/rickpina/live.
(Read John 14:22-26)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to teach on “Minimizing Your Humanity and Maximizing Your Divinity.” Let’s pick up the story where we left off yesterday. Jesus said, “Every man who knows my commandments and obeys them is the man who really loves me, and every man who really loves me will himself be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and make myself known to him.” The Holy Spirit gave me the words to share with you about that passage and I believe He will give me the words to share with you this morning as well.
In response to Jesus’ statement, Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but his other disciple with that name), said to Jesus, “Sir, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us disciples and not to the world at large?” Jesus replied, “Because I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn’t obey me doesn’t love me. And remember, I am not making up this answer to your question! It is the answer given by the Father who sent me. I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.”
So what does this mean to you today? Let’s find out.
1. There may be a reason why you are not hearing the voice of God. I routinely get asked, “Rick, why can’t I hear from God? I want to hear His voice, but I don’t. Why?” I’m not God and I can’t really answer why, unless the Lord tells me why, but it may be because of what Jesus said in our text. Read Jesus’ words carefully. He said, “I will only reveal myself to those who love me and obey me. The Father will love them too, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone who doesn’t obey me doesn’t love me.” Jesus promised that both He and the Father would love and live with those who love and obey Him. I know lots of people who claim to love God, but Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” In other words, “If you really love me, you will do what I say.” If you are one of those who are struggling to hear the voice of God, it may be because you are not DOING what He tells you to do. The more you obey, the more He will reveal Himself to you.
2. The Lord will give you the words if you take the time to listen. Jesus received a question from one of His disciples and He answered the question. But I like how Jesus came back and said, “Remember, I am not making up this answer to your question! It is the answer given by the Father who sent me.” Jesus provided the answer, but then attributed the words to the Father. Jesus provided the mouth, the Father provided the words. The Father will do the same for you. So no matter what you are facing this morning, no matter how big the challenge, or how hard the test, the Father will give you the words and He will perform the work, if you take the time to receive and repeat what you hear.
3. God gave you His best when He gave you Himself. Jesus said, “When the Father sends the Comforter instead of me—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything.” God can give you His love, His mercy, His peace, His power, His blessing, and many other good things, but He gave you His best when He gave you Himself. The Holy Spirit Himself lives in you and He is there to teach you everything. He will give you the words to say when you don’t know what to say. He will perform works that exceed your ability, when you are at the end of your rope. He will move on the hearts of others and favor you in ways you could never help yourself. The Holy Spirit is IN you and He is the best God has to offer. Jesus was the Father’s best sacrifice, and through Him you have eternal life. Because of Jesus you are going to heaven. But the Father does not want you to just make it to heaven. He wants you to enjoy the ride and to maximize your purpose and potential in the earth. To do so, the Father gave you the best He had to offer, and that is Himself. He personally lives IN you, in the form of the Holy Spirit, to equip, enable, empower and employ you for His glory! The more you minimize yourself, with all your failures, faults and flaws, the more God can maximize Himself through you.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for loving me with an everlasting love. By faith I declare that I love You with every ounce of my being. I am only able to love You, because You first loved me. I could not even love You without Your grace. Your grace is amazing and it has changed me from the inside-out. I now see You as the loving Father You are. You sent Jesus to die in my place, because You love me, and purely by Your grace. I did nothing to earn Your act of Fatherly love. Jesus also loved me by grace and He willingly died in my place. The Holy Spirit now loves me by grace, and He lives in me, looking past all my mistakes, in order to teach me how to live. I die to self. I seek to DO what You lead me to do. And as I do, You Father, along with Jesus, come to me and You reveal Yourself to me, through Your Holy Spirit who lives IN me. The more I obey, the more You reveal Yourself to me, and the more I become the man/woman You have called me to be. I appreciate Your Holy Spirit. He is the best You have to offer. Because He lives IN me, I know I will maximize my purpose and potential before I die. Not because I deserve it, because only because of Your grace! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
