Day 16...Evening Devotion

John 16:1-33 Read today's scripture here

"Promises You Can Count On"

Pain is inevitable, power is available and problems are transformable. Those are the three movements of John 16. It's a passage that teaches us that God's promises can be trusted. Our society is filled with false promises, vain words and intentions that are void of sincerity. But you can depend on God! As I pen these words, they excite my spirit and stimulate my faith. God will never, ever let you down!

Pain is inevitable (verses 1-4, 33). This Christian life comes with pain and it's often caused by people who are serving God ignorantly. You must remember this divine warning, because being on Jesus' side will not be a road easily traveled. That's a promise. So, the inevitability of pain isn't a device of destruction but of development. Allow pain to build your faith instead of turn you away from believing in God. Even though you may deal with persecution, excommunication or even crucifixion, don't let anything separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39)! God is for us! Here's what really encourages me, the things that cause our pain as believers, Jesus has already overcome (verse 33)! You can endure these light afflictions (2 Corinthians 4:17) because Jesus is King and our coming glory is worth our painful story!

Power is available (verses 5-15). The term 'the world' scripturally can refer to three distinct understandings: creation, humanity or in the case of our text the world system. Note that when Jesus says that after his departure from earth that he'll send us the Spirit, that it's not coming to 'the world' but to us/the church. Why? Because the Spirit isn't a ghostly presence that floats around but he needs the body of the church. We are the Spirit's tools to accomplish the work of building God's kingdom and we're his temple of residence.

The power of the Spirit is available to us to reach the world! It is senseless for us to operate (preach, pray, sing or work) independent of his power. Our effectiveness as tools of the Spirit depends on being empowered by him. This power is offensive (verse 8), because it confronts sin but thank God it's also gracious, in that no matter our sin, it gives us an opportunity to get right!

Problems are transformable (verses 16-32). God does not seek to turn you into a spoiled brat kind of a Christian. Where every time something painful happens that he takes the pain and replaces it with something more pleasant. However, God is a transforming God, that will turn your sorrow into joy! The same child that causes a mother pain in labor, brings her joy when it's over. The same Jesus that the disciples knew died on a Friday, which broke their hearts also brought them great joy on Sunday morning, when he rose from the dead. I'm suggesting to you, that your problems is nothing but a cocoon. If you just wait, "in a little while" (verse16) your problems will transform into a butterfly! I wish I had a microphone and an organ playing behind me right about now. If I did, I'd be whooping saying that "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5)! God be praised for making us promises that we can count on!

Good night y'all! I pray that the Lord God blesses you real good and that you rest well in the promises of our God.

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