## A Courageous Heart

## John 14:16-31

REALIZING THE NEED OF A "WHOLE-HEART", JESUS BEGAN TO INSTRUCT HIS DISCIPLES CONCERNING THEIR HEARTS. HE HAD TOLD THEM HOW TO GET AND KEEP CLEAN HEARTS, HOW TO HAVE CALM HEARTS, AND HOW TO HAVE PRAYING HEARTS. THIS MORNING. WE WANT TO CONSIDER A PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE WHICH DEALS WITH WHY WE CAN AND SHOULD HAVE COURAGEOUS HEARTS IN THIS WORLD.

THERE IS NOTHING QUITE SO UNSETTLING AS WALKING IN DARKNESS, NOT KNOWING THE WAY. HOW MUCH BETTER TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH US WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO PROTECT US FROM HAZARDS ALONG THE WAY. FOR THREE YEARS, THE DISCIPLES DEPENDED UPON JESUS CHRIST FOR EVERYTHING. HE TOOK CARE OF THE STORMS, SUPPLIED THEIR EVERY NEED, AND ANSWERED THE CRITICS. IT WAS EASY TO BE HIS DISCIPLE AS LONG AS HE WAS BY THEIR SIDE, BUT NOW JESUS WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE THEM. HE WOULD NOT BE THERE TO TALK WITH THEM AND HELP THEM IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. THE DISCIPLES BEGAN TO FEEL LONELY, WEAK, AND WITHOUT DIRECTION.

JESUS CAME TO THEM WITH WORDS OF ASSURANCE. NOTE: VL8 CHRIST WOULD NOT ABANDON HIS CHILDREN. HE WOULD SEND THEM ANOTHER (OF THE SAME KIND) COMFORTER. WITH THIS NEW COMFORTER, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WOULD COME THE COURAGE TO FACE WHATEVER NEED BE. CONSIDER WITH ME THIS MORNING WHY THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD BRING COURAGE TO THEIR HEARTS AND OURS TODAY.

I. HE IS A "LIVING HELPER".

A. 'COMFORTER' = ONE CALLED ALONGSIDE.

1. NOT JUST TO CONSOLE US IN OUR SORROW

2. BUT ALSO, TO MAKE US STRONG IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION.

3. HE INTERCEDES FOR US.

4. HE DEFENDS US AGAINST THE ATTACKS OF SATAN.

5. HE CONVICTS US OF SIN.

6. HE BECOMES WHATEVER WE NEED AT THE MOMENT TO LIVE A SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE.

B. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US THE STRENGTH AND BOLDNESS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD.

1. CHRIST WOULD NEVER HAVE PLACED UPON THE DISCIPLES THE TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY OF WORLD EVANGELISM WITHOUT COMPENSATING FOR THEIR OWN WEAKNESSES.

2. THE DISORGANIZED, WEAK-WILLED DISCIPLES WERE CHANGED INTO A WORLD-CONQUERING FORCE THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

3. COMPARE THE SCENE IN THE UPPER ROOM PRIOR TO THE HOLY SPIRIT COMING; TO THE SCENE JUST A SHORT TIME LATER WHEN THOUSANDS WERE SAVED.

C. THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS, AND IS, THE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.

II. HE IS A "LIVING COMPANION".

A. NOT ONLY IS HE ONE WHO IS ALONGSIDE US, BUT HE IS ONE WHO DWELLS WITHIN US. CF. V17

1. IN THIS VERSE, JESUS DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE O.T. AND THE N.T.

2. FREQUENTLY IN THE O.T. IT IS SAID THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME "UPON A PERSON".

3. THAT INDICATES THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THE SPIRIT'S MINISTRY. (THE SPIRIT IS ALSO SPOKEN OF AS DEPARTING FROM A PERSON)

4. HOWEVER, TODAY BELIEVERS ARE INDWELT BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD FOREVER! CF. V16

B. HE LITERALLY TAKES UP RESIDENCE WITHIN THE BODY OF THE BELIEVER.

1. THE WORD "ABODE" IS THE SAME WORD TRANSLATED "MANSIONS" IN V2

2. WE WILL ONE DAY ABIDE WITH GOD, BUT GOO MAKES HIS 'DWELLING PLACE' WITH US TODAY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. CF. V23

C. CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS.

1. CHRIST IS CLOSER THAN A FRIEND WHO IS AT OUR ELBOW LOOKING OVER OUR SHOULDER.

2. WHEREVER WE GO, HE GOES WITH US.

3. EVEN WHEN WE SIN!

4. THE SPIRIT OF GOD DOES NOT LEAVE A SINNING CHRISTIAN, BUT HE IS GRIEVED THROUGH OUR DISOBEDIENCE.

5. PAUL WARNS US ABOUT GRIEVING HIM IN EPHESIANS 4:30.

6. HE THINKS, FEELS, KNOWS, AND EXPERIENCES HURT.

III. HE IS A "LIVING TEACHER".

A. ". . HE SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS...

1. THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL NEVER TEACH OR DIRECT US IN OPPOSITION TO GOD'S WORD OR HIS WILL.

2. NOTE: JN. 16:13

a. THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS SUBJECT TO THE "TRUTH" OF GOD'S WORD

b. AND THE WILL OF GOD'S WORD.

1). THE DISCIPLES WERE UNABLE TO COMPREHEND MUCH OF WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TAUGHT BY CHRIST.

2). HOWEVER, PART OF THE SPIRIT'S TEACHING MINISTRY WOULD BE TO ILLUMINATE THEIR MINDS WITH THE TRUTH WHICH THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN TAUGHT.

3). THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL NOT BRING ANY NEW REVELATION APART FROM THE WORD OF GOD, BUT HE WILL INSTRUCT US THROUGH GOD'S WORD.

IV. HE IS A "WELL OF WATER".

A. NOTE: JN. 7:37-39.

1. THE BASIS FOR THE OFFER IS ON THE COMPLETED WORK OF CHRIST.

2. AS CHRIST DIED, WAS BURIED, AROSE FROM THE GRAVE, AND ASCENDED UNTO THE FATHER, AND THEN SENT THE HOLY SPIRIT THE PROMISE WAS FULFILLED.

B. WHO COULD RECEIVE THIS?

1. THE BELIEVER WHO THIRSTS AFTER THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

2. THE BELIEVER WHO CLAIMS THE WELL.

CONCLUSION: A HELPER, A COMPANION, A TEACHER, AND A SOURCE OF FLOWING REFRESHING WATER. IT IS OURS TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH. WITH SUCH A SUPPLY OF ENERGY, THE DISCIPLES WERE MORE PREPARED TO FACE THE DARK NIGHTS AHEAD OF THEM. THEIR FEARFUL HEARTS WERE STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED WHEN THEY HEARD THAT CHRIST WOULD STILL BE WITH THEM IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. CHRIST BY HIS SPIRIT IS WITH US. COURAGE DOES NOT DEPEND ON WHO YOU ARE BUT ON WHO IS STANDING BESIDE YOU.