Create Beautiful DesignsSometimes I just come across an article that is moving, inspirational, and/or pointed that I just have to share it. The following article comes from https://wels.net/teen-dev/td20180114/#gsc.tab=0
“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But 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. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All 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 16:12-15 Ally #1 – The Holy Spirit Having a bad day? Feel like God has abandoned you? Does it seem like God says one thing but does another? The devil will try to make you feel like that. The devil will try to get you to doubt God and that God is truthful. But you don’t have to be afraid. Take these verses from John 16 as your encouragement. You aren’t alone. Jesus’ disciples were afraid. He had just told them that he was going to leave them. This man who could drive out demons, calm storms, and raise the dead was going to leave them. They were frightened and felt alone. They felt abandoned. But Jesus gave them encouragement. He told them that they wouldn’t be alone. He promised and sent the Holy Spirit to be their ally, to fight the devil with them and for them. The Holy Spirit would show what is good and truthful. He would tell them exactly what the Father told Jesus, and what Jesus told them. That promise and encouragement is for you too. At times, it can feel like you have no help, and are battling the devil alone. By yourself, you can’t do it. None of us can. By ourselves we all would fall victim to the devil’s lies and tricks. The devil’s lies are attractive. They sound very similar to what we believe is true. They look like things that please others around us. They seem good to us as we try to figure out our life and the meaning of life. But they all lead us away from the truth. The Holy Spirit speaks only the truth and only what he hears from Jesus, who heard it from the Father. The Holy Spirit will never try to trick or trap you. Instead he fights for you by pointing to what Jesus did. It’s good that we have such an ally in the Holy Spirit. In baptism God sealed you with the Holy Spirit who now lives in you. Your baptism snatched you out of the devil’s grasp and put you behind the shield of God’s truth and love. So no matter what happens, you are now on the Holy Spirit’s team. The Holy Spirit will always tell you the truth through God’s Word. He exposes the devil’s lies and traps and gives you the ability to say “No” to sinful desires. The Holy Spirit strengthens you in the faith. He fights with you, and for you, by swinging the sharp sword of the Gospel.
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