Reading Through John Devotionals – Week 15
See all Devotionals: https://graceforohio.org/category/reading-through-john-devotionals/
Day 99
16 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
In this passage, Jesus is warning his disciples about future turmoil they might experience because of their faith. However, Jesus makes his purpose to them clear in verse 7, “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
Like we see at the end of John 15, the “Advocate” here is the Holy Spirit. Another word for Advocate is a “Helper.” We see that the Holy Spirit has been sent to assure us that we won’t be alone when we face our spiritual battles and that He teaches us truth!
Reflection Questions
Re-read verse 1. How does the Holy Spirit’s guidance help you “not fall away” from Jesus?
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to “prove the world to be wrong about sin…” in verses 8-9. What sin has the Holy Spirit convicted you of that you need to confess to the Lord in prayer?
Prayer
Take a moment in prayer to thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to continually guide you into looking more like Jesus, and for Him to reveal to you areas where you can grow your faith.
Day 100
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 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. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 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.”
Jesus was preparing His followers for the day when He would no longer be with them. Their teacher would no longer be around one day to teach them! Jesus had a plan. He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them and teach them even though He would later ascend into heaven.
If you have chosen to give your life to Jesus, that same Holy Spirit lives inside of you!
Reflection Questions
We continually learn under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
Re-read verse 13. What are the different ways the Holy Spirit “guides you into all the truth” that God wants you to learn?
Several times in this verse, the Holy Spirit is described as “He” not “it.” How does it shift your thinking to know that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a thing? How does that change the way your faith impacts your life?
Prayer
Pray and ask God to guide you into HIS truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you humility when learning about the truth of God’s Word, and insight for how it should impact your life.
Day 101
16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
After Jesus warns His followers about a time of grief, he says something remarkable in verse 23. That whatever they asked for in Jesus’ name, the Father will give it to them! Oh, how I wish that when I pray, God’s will for me would be to pay off my mortgage, experience healing from a broken relationship, or even pursue a new hobby like owning a jet ski!
When we read “ask and you will receive” in verse 23, we can be tempted to turn God into a genie who serves our every wish. When we truly desire God by having a heart to seek His kingdom grow, and when we ask for things that give Him glory, He is eager to answer our prayers.
Reflection Questions
If you were to honestly assess your prayers, are they what you want or what the heart of God desires?
How can you change your heart posture to pray and ask God to move according to His will?
Prayer
Ask God to help you pray for what is in His will. Ask Him to reveal areas where He may want to change the way you view prayer, and that your heart would be sold out for His will in your life.
Day 102
25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Jesus was preparing His followers for a time when He was going to leave them. He explains His entire mission in verse 28 by describing His divine origin (I came from the Father), His incarnation (and entered the world), His death and resurrection (now I am leaving the world), and His ascension (and going back to the Father). Jesus had come from the Father and was going to return to Him.
Before then we see that the Father loves the disciples because they love Him. God loves everyone, but here we see that the Father has a unique intimacy with believers who love Him with all of their heart.
Reflection Questions
If you take a step back and analyze your life, would you say that you truly love God? Why or why not?
In what ways can you be more obedient to God and love Him?
Prayer
Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you ways you can be more obedient to Him. Share with God that you are thankful for the ways He is working in your life, and reveal to Him the love you have for what He’s done.
Day 103
29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
Instead of acting in faith, Jesus predicted that the disciples would “scatter” away from Him in fear when He would go to the cross to be crucified. Perhaps little things are worse than when a person is alone. I remember getting lost in the store as a child, or roaming in my backyard at night, wondering where my parents were because I was alone and needed their presence – yet we are often guilty of doing life alone without Jesus.
Reflection Questions
When have you been guilty of going through life without Jesus at the center of what you are doing? Why was that so?
Our natural response in many cases can be fear. When you experience fear, what can you do to ensure that your response is to go to Jesus?
Prayer
Pray and share with God any areas where you are experiencing fear and invite Him into them. Confess to God where you may be doing life without Him, and ask God to be present in those areas.
Day 104
Read John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
After all of the warnings Jesus gives His disciples, He encourages them with this verse. They could find peace when they chose to abide in Him. Despite the inevitable struggles that lay ahead, they would not be alone.
Jesus does not abandon us in our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.
Reflection Questions
In your life, where does it feel like you are struggling to find peace?
How does knowing Jesus is the provider of peace change the situation?
Prayer
Pray and thank God for the peace He gives that passes all understanding. Ask God to fill your life with peace and that you would see your life differently because of it!
Day 105
Read John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
The peace that Jesus offers allows His followers to have courage when they need it! Courage is defined as “the ability to do something that frightens one,” or “strength in the face of pain or grief.” Whenever I think of courage, my mind goes to the lion from the Wizard of Oz. He found that courage wasn’t a magical gift, but it was shown through acts of bravery and came from the help of the Wizard.
As believers, our courage comes from the power that Jesus displayed on the cross. No matter what lies ahead, we can be confident that Jesus is with us and that He gives us everything we need to go through life!
Reflection Questions
Is it hard for you to feel courageous when times are tough? Why or why not?
How does the peace of God give you courage during tough times?
Prayer
Pray and thank God for how He has overcome the world, and because of this, you can have courage no matter what! Ask Him to give you courage when you face the trials of life and stand against the enemy’s schemes.
Days 99-105 Provided by Grace Church
See all Devotionals: https://graceforohio.org/category/reading-through-john-devotionals/