What is the Holy Spirit? He is the Paraclete, which means a helper, comforter or advocate. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit,
“…He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:8b-11).
There are things you will never know, until you lay your pride in the dust and let God the Holy Spirit speak to you. Here are three of these truths:
The Sinner’s Problem
Jesus said the Holy Spirit convicts the world “of sin, because they do not believe in Me.” (See John 16:9.)
We are sinners because of what we are.
We are born with a sinful nature. Therefore, unless there is a change, we are hopelessly lost.
We are sinners because of what we have done.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). One day, you will meet every word you have said, every disobedience, every dishonesty. (Read Matthew 12:36, Revelation 20:12.) You hated; God called it murder. (See 1 John 3:15.) You lusted; God called it adultery. (See Matthew 5:28.)
We are sinners because of what we have not done.
God made you to know Him, love Him, and serve Him. If you have not, you have been walking on God’s earth, breathing God’s air, and not returning to God what is His—glory.
We are sinners for not believing.
God says unbelief is the greatest sin. It is the parent sin, from which all other sins come. It is the sin that will damn you forever. Unbelief is refusing Almighty God. A man is not eternally condemned because he lied, stole, or committed adultery, but because he did not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (See John 3:18.)
The Savior’s Provision
Jesus said the Holy Spirit convicts the world “of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.” (See John 16:10.)
What did Jesus provide? Healing? Teaching? Not primarily. Jesus came to provide righteousness. (See Luke 19:10.)
When you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ:
Jesus changes what you are.
Christians are not just nicer people; they are new creatures. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.)
Jesus forgives what you have done.
Every stain, blot, and blemish is washed whiter than snow, buried in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. (See Psalm 51:7, Isaiah 1:18.)
Jesus gives what we need.
We need righteousness. “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).
Satan’s Broken Power
The Holy Spirit convicts the world “of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (See John 16:10; also 12:31.) Notice the past tense—Satan is already judged.
You either believe in Christ, or you do not. If you believe in Christ, one day you will be like Him. (See Romans 8:29.) But if you trust your own self-righteousness, you will be the perfect image of Satan, and you will go to the Hell prepared for him and his angels. (See Matthew 25:41.) Choose sides carefully.
The Spirit’s Three Truths
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of the sinner’s basic problem, the savior’s provision, and Satan’s broken power. (See John 16:8-11.) Notice the order.
Usually, first the crime is proven, then there is punishment. With God, the order is different. First sin, then righteousness, then judgment. God has interposed the precious blood of His Son between sin and judgment.
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