John 15:26-27, 16:13-15, 33

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 

³³ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Some years back I was preaching a Sunday to-Sunday revival in New Mexico, a very rare opportunity for me as an evangelist. As is the case with much of that region, there was a significant wrestle throughout the week in spiritual warfare. I had preached each service on salvation, as the Lord would not release me to preach anything else. In each service, while the few precious saints had been faithful in attendance, the crowd never grew, leaving the same congregants to hear my call for salvation on repeat.

With a few hours left before the Saturday evening service, a deacon from the host church had gone out to invite some from the area to join us. That evening we gathered for a prayer meeting before the service. I plead with God to allow me to preach on a different topic. “Lord, you see who has been here each service. They are all followers of Yours. Surely another message would serve them better.” Still, He impressed me to continue in my pursuit for the lost. As the service time approached, I stood up from my place at the altars to see the very same faces as in previous services. With a deep sigh and resolve to obey the Lord, I followed through with His directive. These people will think I don’t know how to preach on anything else.

Following a few songs of praise and worship, the pulpit was offered to me and I began to sing a few songs before the message. Despite the intensity of our prayer service, the atmosphere remained somewhat tense. Spiritual warfare was engaging on an even greater level. I began to preach and about fifteen minutes in to my message, the deacon who had been out and about, inviting those in the area, walked in with a Hispanic family and they filed in to a pew toward the back.

Initially they were not responsive and sat with blank faces as I continued to preach. However, about halfway through my message, I noticed that the mother of the family began to almost shine with a glow on her face. She looked straight ahead and began to smile. The family seemed to listen intently as well. I finished my message and began to make a plea for those who had yet to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Savior to join me at the altar for prayer. Within only a few moments, the entire family stood to their feet and filed down the center aisle toward the altars, the mother leading the way. As they knelt down, she motioned for the deacon to assist her in speaking to me.

They spoke no English but as the deacon translated to me, she began to weep as she expressed that they had only been passing through town and had stopped to do some laundry at the laundromat across the street from the church. At the invitation of the deacon, they had joined the service. However, as they spoke no English, they were uncertain if they would understand. During the preaching of the Word, a bright light shone in front of their faces and a voice began to speak. “I am God and I send My Spirit to let you know that what this man says is true. My Son, Jesus, died on a cross thousands of years ago and rose again to life to bring you Hope and a future by forgiving your sins. You can know Me and be set free this very day.”

The Holy Spirit was dispatched from Heaven on special assignment to equip this saint, draw this family, and testify to their lost hearts by providing translation in their native tongue–Jesus Christ was Lord and desired a relationship with them.

That day an entire family surrendered their lives to Christ and they did so at the bidding of the Holy Spirit and His supernatural work. The Holy Spirit did as Jesus said He would in the book of John, chapters 15 & 16. “He will testify of Me, He will guide you into all truth, whatever He hears He will speak, He will glorify Me, and He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

I love how potent the Amplified translation brings out the full extension of victory that comes from letting the Holy Spirit do His job in John 16:33: “For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” When we let the Holy Spirit have His way and are faithful to obey even the slightest nudge He sends to our spirits, we can know and utilize the overcoming power that Jesus Christ possessed on this earth! Jesus Himself let us know in verse 7 of chapter 16 how vital the Holy Spirit’s work would always be to the believer and disciple of Christ. ⁷ But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. (John 16:7 AMP)

Oh, may we ever endeavor to grow in our ability to hear the Holy Spirit, operate in His power, and fulfill His command. We need the Holy Spirit.