John 16:13-15 NLT‬
[13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [14] He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

What powerfully loaded words!

The disciples had spent years in the company of a man who had said and done things way beyond their ordinary human experience. Slowly but surely, they began to realise that they were walking with none other than the Son of God. In a sublime moment, Peter expressed this conviction on behalf of the others (barring Judas Iscariot, since he betrayed Jesus to His enemies. Would he have done so if he believed Peter’s confession?).

‭Matthew 16:16 NLT‬
[16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

However, did they really understand the implications of Peter’s words?

More years passed, more experience gained, but how much insight was cemented into their understanding of their experience? At this point, in the Upper Room, was Jesus just adding information to all the information they had already received? So much new knowledge running headlong into years of ingrained brainwashing by religious bigots who ruled their religious understanding.

What did Jesus’ disciples think when they heard Him say these things? How familiar were they with any truth He had taught them about the Holy Spirit?

Of one thing Jesus was confident. When the Holy Spirit finally came, He would transform information into knowledge and experience. So, He encouraged these men to expect the Holy Spirit’s arrival with keen anticipation.

Word upon word, Jesus built a picture in the disciples’ minds of the difference the Holy Spirit would make to them when He, Jesus, was no longer with them.

They should not mourn His going. As a man, He could not be to them what the Spirit would be when He, Jesus, returned to the Father. He was with them now. The Holy Spirit would be in them then.

‭John 16:5-7 NLT‬
[5] “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. [6] Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. [7] But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”

How much did they grasp? Jesus said, “Don’t worry. I know it’s a lot to take in, but the Holy Spirit will bring everything I’ve taught back to mind when He comes.”

Jesus was fully aware that the spirit in the disciples at that moment was not the Spirit of truth. Quarrelling, dissention, competition, spiritual misunderstanding, doubt, fear, unbelief, even greed and betrayal, dominated them. These were not the work of the Holy Spirit in them. Despite momentary flashes of understanding, they were still very much “in the flesh”.

“So,” Jesus urged them, “the Holy Spirit is coming. Wait for Him. He will complete the work I’m doing now. He will light up everything I’ve taught you and been to you with insight and understanding. He’ll even remind you of what you have forgotten.”

‭John 16:12-15 NLT‬
[12] “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [14] He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. [15] All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ “

How would they know that what they were hearing in their innermost being was the voice of the Holy Spirit? After all, as God’s messengers, they would be the target for Satan’s deception! Get them to believe the wrong message and thousands, even millions of people would be deceived.

How could they test the voices they heard? Only one focus…. Jesus!

So many persuasive voices today, especially from inside the church, clamouring for our attention. How can we test their source? How can we identify the spirit who is speaking in us?

Let’s get this straight, once and for all.
The Holy Spirit’s focus is on Jesus. That’s what Jesus told His disciples. “He, the Holy Spirit, will speak from me and through me, about me.” Yes, the Holy Spirit does do amazing things but He is not about spiritual “goose bumps”. He is about Jesus. Everything He says and does should point us to Jesus. If our experience is about us, our feelings etc, if Jesus is not magnified and glorified, beware!

What about those who claim authoritative prophetic insights into current events in the name of Jesus? How do we know that the Holy Spirit is speaking through them?

In his visions on Patmos, John tried to worship an angel but the angel cautioned him,

‭Revelation 19:10 NLT‬
[10] “Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”

Any so-called extra-Biblical prophecy that does not focus on Jesus is fake. God has spoken through His Son. He has nothing more to say. Jesus told His disciples everything that God wants us to know and recorded for us in His Word.

‭Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT‬
[1] “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. [2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.”

During His time on earth, Jesus was the focus of the Father’s full attention. The Father spoke of Him, to Him, and through Him, to reveal who He was and why He came.

When Jesus left, the Holy Spirit came to continue the message of the Father. Its all about Jesus, from cover to cover. When we inject anything else, we are doing the devil’s work – deception.

Jesus had to get that message across to His disciples lest they lose focus and go off on some deceptive detour. How important it is that we, too, Jesus’ messengers, internalise Jesus’ instruction lest we also take people down the wrong trail as many have already done and are still doing.

When He comes… the Holy Spirit finally came on the day of Pentecost. He came in power and glory, and filled the disciples with His presence, never to leave again.

What did He do?

Through Peter, He gave a powerful witness to Jesus and drew three thousand people into a faith-union with their Messiah. Jesus’ body, the church, was born. Jesus’ mission was complete and His ministry to build His church was kick-started and continues today. Through the Spirit, Jesus is gathering people into His body one by one until the full number have come in, and He is transforming them into His likeness.

The Holy Spirit has come, and comes to every believer to make Jesus real. That’s His ministry until Jesus comes again.

‭Colossians 1:18-20 NLT‬
[18] “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. SO, HE IS FIRST IN EVERYTHING . [19] For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, [20] and through Him, God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

How can we stay on the path that will take us to the Father?

‭Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT‬
[1] “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. [2] WE DO THIS BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”