Topic: THE COMPASSIONATE PROSECUTOR
Memorise: And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:8
Read: John 16:7-11 (KJV)
16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
MESSAGE:
Looking at the title of today’s study, you may begin to wonder how a person can persecute a case and be compassionate at the same time. This is ironic because a prosecutor is expected to press the case for the law to have its full course. Open Heaven For Today. Who then is this persecutor who manages to indict and show compassion all at once? The Lord Jesus Christ answers this question in today’s memory verse. The person He refers to is the Holy Spirit. Based on this revelation of the Lord, let us consider the there-pronged strategy by which the Holy Spirit carries out His assignment of prosecuting the world. Note first of all that it is compassion that motivates the Holy Spirit to prosecute the world while there is still time to make amends. A time will come when the whole world will stand before the throne of Christ to be judge of all their works (2nd Corinthians 5:10). There will be no excuses permitted on that day, because the Compassionate Prosecutor would have already given each man a dress rehearsal of what will happen in heaven’s court.
The first of the Holy Spirit’s three-pronged strategy is to make the world aware of the destructive nature of sin and cause each and everyone to run away from it. Open Heaven For Today. This is why those who preach the gospel must allow the Holy Spirit to use them to read the “riot act” to their audiences and not shy away from the reality of the pending doom that awaits those who will not believe in or accept the Holy Saviour of mankind. The early disciples allowed the Holy Spirit to do this work through them and a sample of the result is glaring in Acts 2:37:
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
The second arm of His strategy is to make the world see the need to be upright in heart, and the need to be in right standing with the righteous God through the Mediator of the new covenant, Jesus Christ. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit works to make the world aware of the judgement and punishment that awaits the devil and his cohorts. Open Heaven For Today. He does this so that men may be wary of listening to the devil and avoid being condemned along with him. The Compassionate Prosecutor speaks truth to all those who will listen and be free from the eternal consequences of God’s judgement (John 16:12, John 8:32). How friendly are you with the Holy Spirit? Do you only love Him because He comforts you in times of distress, or do you still love him when He probes into your life and reproves you? I encourage you to make the Holy Spirit your Senior Partner, Guide, Mentor and Confidant; He will never lead you astray.
Prayer Point: Compassionate Holy Spirit, please strongly reprove the people in my locality of sin, of righteousness and of judgement, and let Your work of conviction have free course in their hearts in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye, The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
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