Joel M Bradshaw

 7But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I [Jesus] am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”–John 16

1. Jesus did ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, but chose to ascend to Heaven before sending Him in the manner He is with Christians today.
2. The Holy Spirit convicts about sin. When someone hears the Gospel message and their inability to save themself or pay for their own sin and feels convicted about that is the Holy Spirit at work.
3. The Holy Spirit encourages righteousness. When someone makes a difficult, but God honoring choice, that is the Holy Spirit at work.
4. The Holy Spirit reminds about the final judgment. When life gets too hard and evil seems to be winning, the Holy Spirit reminds us about the victory over Satan upon Jesus’ cross and empty tomb. That great perspective provides comfort as we suffer. That is also the Holy Spirit at work.
5. The Holy Spirit communicates the words of Jesus and gives Jesus glory in all parts of His ministry.
6. I believe this communication to be in and through the Bible that the Holy Spirit inspired and authored and NOT in extra utterances outside of the Bible. The Holy Spirit uses the verses of the Bible to speak to people’s hearts and to do numbers 3-5 of this list above!
7. How do these verses in John 16 challenge and encourage you regarding the person and work of the Holy Spirit?–JMB