Greetings again my Brethren. Let us continue to consider the LORD’s visit among us. Last month we finished talking about how God is seen to be visiting His people in Scripture and in real life and we finished up looking at a few verses in John where Jesus was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Now to do this thought proper justice we will have to look at a few verses prior to where I would like to settle in. Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21) Now the verse I would like to look at in more detail is John 14:21 and the word in John 14:21 I would like to look at in more detail is the word “manifest” which is Strong’s #G1718 and is also translated as: show exhibit, reveal, and disclose. It is so strong that it implies manifestation perceivable by our human senses. So the manifestation of the Holy Spirit to us individually is not depending on some wind or sound from heaven as it happened in the Book of Acts, but the coming of the Holy Spirit, the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives depends on us keeping His commandments and loving Him. If we do these two things then Jesus said He will “manifest” Himself to us. Now this sets up a read a real brain teaser for us to work though in our mind and heart. In verse 18 Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” Now we know Jesus was talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16) Jesus lays it out quite clear, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:15-17) You can also see this truth in John 14:26 and 15:26. But did you get verse 15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” It is almost the same wording. The condition for the Holy Spirit to “manifest” in our lives is simple we MUST keep His commandments. Now do not lose the point we are discussing, the LORD visiting us. So in John 14:18, Jesus says, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” I hope you all see what I am talking about here. Jesus said He will come to us. He said He will not leave us comfortless. Well, how is He going to do that if He goes to heaven? (see verse 19) In the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. So, would one be correct in saying the coming of the Holy Spirit is nothing more than Jesus returning in Spirit? After all is not the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity? Yes! You know when Jesus told the Disciples He would be with them always He meant it. In Matthew Jesus said, “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: (our mission making disciples, and teaching not making denominations to divide the Body of Christ) and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) You know Jesus never left the disciples even when He went to heaven. He visited them, He manifested Himself through His Spirit, He was right there with them every step of the way. Jesus was with Paul as he was heading to the chopping block. Jesus was with Peter, James and John in all of the things they did that were recorded and not recorded. Now I like that, because if Jesus was with the disciples as He said at the end of verse 20, “lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world” then I know Jesus will be with us too if we meet the requirement for His manifestation in our lives, to keep His commandments and love Him. have you ever been to the end of the world? Oh my friend I have been there a few times and do you know what? Jesus was there with me.
Next month we will begin to look at more diverse attitudes towards the Lord’s visit. Do you see Him draw near? Please know God is near to them who are near to Him. Do you feel His presence? Do you see His hand in your life? He is waiting on us to make our first move. Written by David Stahl
