John 15:26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.”

Two things strike me from this verse. The first is that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. In a sense, all genuine truth is imparted from Him. As Jesus had said earlier, the devil is “a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) He hates truth in all its forms, and is constantly working to deceive and obfuscate. The Holy Spirit, in contrast, always speaks the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) When we lie, we are serving the devil. When we speak the truth in love, we are operating in the Holy Spirit. The second thing from this verse is that the Spirit bears witness about Jesus. If something seems spiritual but doesn’t exalt Jesus, then the spirit involved isn’t the Holy Spirit! It’s not wrong to appreciate the Holy Spirit and desire to be filled more and more by Him, but that must always increase our love for and focus on Jesus. There are some churches that seem to reduce Jesus to a secondary role, they are so focused on the Spirit, but I think that’s a deception of the devil. Genuinely being filled with the Spirit means being filled with Jesus, making us more and more like Him. Yes, we are to seek the Holy Spirit and His gifts, but never at the expense of our devotion to Jesus.

I have been involved in the Charismatic Movement since 1973, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1974, and I have seen countless violations of the principles I have just delineated. I can’t say I haven’t violated them myself! However, I have also seen countless believers so in love with Jesus that they radiated His presence. That is my goal! Last night Cathy was used by God to talk a woman down from suicide, and that was totally unexpected. However, it was Jesus, manifesting Himself through her by the power of the Holy Spirit. I don’t know how Jesus wants to use me each day, but I am to hold myself available to Him at all times. I don’t know when or how He will bring me into contact with a need He wants to meet. Whatever and whenever that is, I want to be His agent for His glory.

Father, thank You for this strong reminder. Thank You indeed for using Cathy to save that woman’s life. Thank You for the communication opportunity You gave me while she was on the phone. I pray that I may be sensitive and available to You continuously, doing Your will whether it seems “spiritual” or not, so that the lies of the enemy may be exposed and defeated and people be set free by Your truth, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!