The Advocate (John 14:16-18)
If you’re in a situation where you can’t emphasize all the points, you can tell them importantly how to be a child of God, and once you begin doing this, you will advance as you continue, because you guys can be people who share the gospel even better than me. You did very well.
When you apply today’s Word to your life, there will be great changes. In John 14:16, “I will ask the Father and He will give you an advocate to be with you forever.” What is this advocate? We have two lawyers. You need to know what an Advocate is, in order to enjoy this. God did not say He would give us money, power, or health, but He would give us this Advocate. If we’ve received this, how will we enjoy it? How much will this influence us?
The Bible also uses the word, “Counselor.” It’s ultimately talking about the Holy Spirit. When Jesus went to Heaven, He promised to give us the Holy Spirit, and when God gives us something, we must receive it. When you know this well, you can enjoy many things.
In John 14:16, it says He will be with us forever. Do you believe this, that He is with you right now? Even in difficult times, He is with me. Even when shaking, He promises to be with you. As He is with me, what is He going to do?
John 14:17, “He is the Spirit of Truth.” I hope you will reevaluate the word, “Truth.” Imagine you have a problem, what is the truth? Solving the problem is not the truth, but what is the Truth within it? What do I need to do in the future? That isn’t the Truth; what is this Truth? There are many happenings and incidences in the world, but what is the Truth? This Spirit of Truth is with me. So, whatever circumstance I’m in, I can know the Truth.
Why am I living in America? That’s the reality of the situation but what’s the Truth within that? Why am I born into my family? That’s the reality but what’s the Truth within that? The Spirit that reveals this Truth to us is with me. What happens when you know the Truth? John 8:32 says the Truth will set you free. When we know the Truth, that is when we are free. When you know the Truth about your future, you’re free from your future. Some people are mentally afflicted and that’s just the reality of it, but once you know the Truth, you will be freed from it. This Spirit of Truth is with me eternally, forever. Those who know the Truth will not be shaken by what other people say. If you don’t know the truth, Satan will deceive you in your circumstances. What is this truth? He is the Spirit of Truth and that Truth will set us free, then we can live a life of freedom all the time.
It says in John 14:17, “The world cannot accept Him,” it cannot accept the spirit of Truth, but instead, it accepts the spirit of lies. That’s why in problems and crises, they cannot find the truth but they are caught within the lies. Solving the truth isn’t the truth; that’s the problem, but what is the truth within that? When we find that, we have freedom, and when we find that, then the forces of Satan’s lies will be broken down. That’s the life we live. Because the world cannot accept Him, we reveal it to them, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you.
Where is He? In me. Then it doesn’t matter what situation I’m in. The problem isn’t the problem, there’s a separate Truth, and when I find it, I’m free from problems. Some people have a difficult time because of the diseases or illnesses, but once I find the truth in my disease, I can be liberated from my disease. They’re freed whether their disease is healed or not. “God has given me this illness and disease so I can focus on God,” that’s spiritual strength and freedom. He is within me.
How can I enjoy this every moment of my life? Because He is with me, I can enjoy Him in my thoughts, heart, spirit, and especially my brain. Let’s say I’m the interpreter’s friend, then I affect my friend. God is with me, but it’s different when God works in me. God needs to work. If God doesn’t work, then I have to put in my own effort to work by myself, then God cannot have free time. God can’t be playing. We must enjoy Him where He continues to revive us. If you’re just friends, even when they’re having a difficult time, you can leave them alone, but you can also influence them.
We need the Lord to work within us, so we ask for faith because we cannot pray without faith. Some remnants write down their notes, but others don’t. Those who write it down will be rooted all the more. Even for me, if I just listen to the Word, some things will pass over me. For successful people, they always have a memo pad to write things down so they don’t miss the things they hear. It’s the same for me. As I prepare for the sermon throughout the week, I have a notepad to write things down as I think of it otherwise I lose hold of it. These are not thoughts from my brain but revealed by the Holy Spirit so I have to write it down.
All successful people write things down and leave a journal or memoir. If you don’t want to succeed, don’t write down anything as there’s nothing to write down or to leave behind. Because the Holy Spirit is within me, we must pray so He works upon my thoughts, heart, mind, and brain. We don’t use 100% of our brain; Einstein didn’t use 100% of his brain, either.
In John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans.” Our remnants may experience being alone. The fact is that you are alone in that moment but there is a different truth because the Holy Spirit is within you. You only need this, He has created all things. We need to be satisfied and complete by having only the Spirit within me. When we think this is lacking, we must think of other things and put in this action. God is with me and He is complete and sufficient, but why don’t I feel that way? I feel He is lacking so I look for other solutions. There is a great difference between “only” and “not only.”
All the remnants have the Holy Spirit within them. It’s not that they are lacking in their walk of faith because they don’t have the Holy Spirit, but the moment these remnants realize having the Holy Spirit is complete and sufficient, everything will change. When I think, “I only need the Spirit within me,” that’s when we pray. The more alone you are, the better it is for you, for you can enjoy that all the more. I’m not telling you to not meet your friends, but do it while you’re studying. Pray so that The Spirit works upon you and you will receive answers like Joseph. In the Bible, it doesn’t say what Joseph said, but there’s one verse.
Genesis 41:38, the unbeliever says about Joseph, “I have never found someone like this who is as filled with the Spirit of God.” What is the difference with him and his brothers? Joseph was satisfied with this but his brothers were not satisfied with only the filling of the Holy Spirit. Joseph had the answer, “It is sufficient with only Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit.” His brothers were children of God but they were not satisfied with only that, and that’s the difference.
You might be tired at this time, it’s normal. For those who have been active since the morning, they may be tired as they eat lunch, and that’s normal but you cannot become a slave to your sleepiness. You become sleepy because you lack oxygen in your brain, so do deep breathing to fill yourself with oxygen. Change that into a chance where the Spirit fills your body, heart, mind, and spirit. The body has limitations so we don’t have renowned abilities, then we will have no choice to become a slave to the physical body.
How can I overcome this? Pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit. When you lack oxygen, breathe in oxygen and concentrate. Deep breathing, that’s what we learn at 11am in the Prayer Summit School. Rather than giving a new Word, we hold onto the Word and practice holding onto the Word with deep breathing until you can do it on your own.
I’m going to organize the word again. When you believe in Jesus Christ, the Advocate is within you. In John 14:26-27, “The Advocate will teach you all things.” In John 14:26, “The Advocate will teach you all things,” that’s what we call, “Only.” You pray for the Holy Spirit to work upon your thoughts, spirit, mind, and heart. Because He is the spirit of Truth, He will lead you to the Truth, and because the Truth comes upon you, you’re free.
Now He is with you eternally. That is why, moment by moment, we need to pray. He will start to work upon all the things connected or related to you. So, pray even now. Pray so that the Holy Spirit will work in advance upon your field and school fields. There is a huge difference between those who do this and those who try to live their lives with their own effort. Those who live with their own strength will ultimately become a slave. But those who enjoy the working of the Holy Spirit will be free. It’s the time schedule where you realistically enjoy these blessings in your life.
If you do it yourself, it’s hard; but when God does it, it’s easy. That’s why God gives it to us so we can enjoy eternally. Practice this today. At this time, The Holy Spirit is within me, within my heart, thoughts, brain, and Spirit, and we pray for Him to work upon that. He is within me so that He can work upon our families, academics, business, field, friends, and meetings. We pray for this.
When the Holy Spirit works, He can work through the angels or work by Himself; God could do all of this by Himself. Moment by moment, enjoy this through prayer. Enjoying this in concentration is what we call “Sunday.” You do several things at church but you will lose your strength later on. But instead of you being the master, pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit because as you work in the field, you will also lose strength. That’s why, as soon as you wake up, you need to receive this strength. As you read the Sunday message you’ve received, pray so that the Holy Spirit will work upon you today.
Upon your meetings, upon your school, upon your field, pray so the Holy Spirit will work in advance. What happens in Matthew 12:28-29? The Kingdom of God will be established and the evil spirits will be cast out. Demons are the spirits of lies, but we’re deceived by that, so it’s difficult. Are your academics lies? No, but Satan tells us three lies. “Focus on things you eat, that’s how you live.” He also deceives you with selfishness and self-esteem, or worship. “Focus on all that instead of worship.” He allows you to make money and study, but all those are changed to lies. It’s the opposite for you. You pray so that the Holy Spirit of Truth comes to you, then the spirit of lies will all disappear. That’s how the Kingdom of God will be established, and these are your God-given blessings.
We can enjoy these blessings as Samuel, Joseph, and David did. Do you know someone who’s kind of strange? Pray so God works upon them as well. Don’t focus on strange things or difficulties, but instead, pray about it. That’s how you enjoy freedom. “I’m going to change my parents,” how are you going to do that? “I’m going to change my child,” how are you going to do that? “I’m going to change my company, my workplace, and America,” how will you do that? Pray so that God’s Spirit comes upon it and changes it.
The problems of your parents are no longer your problems, enjoy this through Christ. Your parents may abandon you but God will never abandon you like an orphan. Even though your parents may be lacking, God says He is sufficient and complete and even if your friends leave, the Holy Spirit is with you eternally. If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it’s possible to break up with them, but God says He will never leave you. Ultimately you will meet people in life, but then you’ll separate. You’ll separate from your friends as you go to different schools. You can’t control when your parents may pass away, so the only eternal thing is God, the Holy Spirit being with me.
Today, right now, may the Holy Spirit work upon my thoughts, heart, mind, spirit, and brain. That’s the only thing that is complete. Then pray for the working of the Holy Spirit upon your friends, your school, your academics, and your studies, then the invisible Holy Spirit will realistically work. It’s not what you do, it’s what God does, so there’s freedom. Freedom doesn’t mean you don’t need to study, but do it with the strength of the Holy Spirit. You pray so that the Holy Spirit works upon your brain and you have the willpower to study. So, don’t rely on yourself, rely on the Advocate, the Holy Spirit within you, and that’s enough. It’s so simple and then we can do world evangelization. If we have to do something complicated, we can’t do world evangelization. Joseph did Egypt evangelism with this, the Early Church did world evangelization with this.
If it’s complicated, we can’t do it; we can do simple things. Prayer is simple and powerful. You don’t need this or that, you need one thing. Don’t ask for this or that, but when God works? “Please restore my relationship with my friend,” God works in a sufficient way, the Spirit of Truth. He gives us freedom and peace, that’s why He is enough for us. I pray the remnants enjoy this one minute a day. Especially on Sunday, remaining here is a great blessing. Pray one minute a day, then great works like Joseph will happen. Ip ray you enjoy these blessings right now.
God we thank You. Bless the remnants. Help us to enjoy this truth and this freedom through the spirit of Truth. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.