7.6 Experiencing the conviction of the Holy Spirit
When the Holy Spirit comes to abide in us, we will experience His presence. We will also experience His ministry in our hearts. One of the important functions of the Holy Spirit is to bring forth conviction in our hearts. What kind of conviction is this?
We must understand that the Holy Spirit indwells us to testify to the finished work of Christ. He was sent as a direct result of Jesus’ finished work in washing away our sins. The fact that the Holy Spirit can indwell the New Covenant believer already bears witness to the fact that we have been made righteous in Christ.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit has come to convict us that we are already righteous in Christ. This seems contradictory to much of what we hear in the Christian world. People are always taking about the Holy Spirit coming to convict us of sins. They paint a picture of Him as a person who nags us and finds fault with us. When we have such a wrong impression of the Holy Spirit, it would be difficult to have close communion with Him. We will not be able to be led by Him. We will live under condemnation.
Let us go to the Bible to find out what it says.
(John 16:8-10)
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more…
The above verse tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts the world (unbelievers) of sin – because they do not believe in Him. He tells them that they need Jesus so that they can accept Him as Savior. In an evangelistic meeting, it is the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts of the hearers causing them to respond to the altar call.
What happens when we have received Jesus? The Holy Spirit then lives in us to convict us of righteousness – because Jesus has finished His work on the cross, and has gone to the Father to present His blood for our redemption. After He had done so, He sat down at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest and intercessor – to uphold our righteousness in Him. The state of the people is now wrapped up in their High Priest.
Today, we can breath easy. We can enjoy the Holy Spirit. We can hear Him encouraging us even when we fall – reminding us of our righteousness, and restoring us in Christ. He is our helper and our friend. He is not a nagger or a fault finder.
So why are so many people experiencing conviction of sin. This is because many Christians are living on the basis of the law instead of the grace of God. They are listening to the condemning voice of the law rather than the conviction of righteousness by the Holy Spirit. The law only shows our failures in order to bring us to Christ. Now that we are already in Christ, we are no longer under the law but the Spirit. Gal 5:18 says, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Today, the Holy Spirit is always convicting you of righteousness in Christ, so that you can walk victoriously in its reality. Start to experience His conviction today.
We must understand that the Holy Spirit indwells us to testify to the finished work of Christ. He was sent as a direct result of Jesus’ finished work in washing away our sins. The fact that the Holy Spirit can indwell the New Covenant believer already bears witness to the fact that we have been made righteous in Christ.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit has come to convict us that we are already righteous in Christ. This seems contradictory to much of what we hear in the Christian world. People are always taking about the Holy Spirit coming to convict us of sins. They paint a picture of Him as a person who nags us and finds fault with us. When we have such a wrong impression of the Holy Spirit, it would be difficult to have close communion with Him. We will not be able to be led by Him. We will live under condemnation.
Let us go to the Bible to find out what it says.
(John 16:8-10)
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more…
The above verse tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts the world (unbelievers) of sin – because they do not believe in Him. He tells them that they need Jesus so that they can accept Him as Savior. In an evangelistic meeting, it is the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts of the hearers causing them to respond to the altar call.
What happens when we have received Jesus? The Holy Spirit then lives in us to convict us of righteousness – because Jesus has finished His work on the cross, and has gone to the Father to present His blood for our redemption. After He had done so, He sat down at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest and intercessor – to uphold our righteousness in Him. The state of the people is now wrapped up in their High Priest.
Today, we can breath easy. We can enjoy the Holy Spirit. We can hear Him encouraging us even when we fall – reminding us of our righteousness, and restoring us in Christ. He is our helper and our friend. He is not a nagger or a fault finder.
So why are so many people experiencing conviction of sin. This is because many Christians are living on the basis of the law instead of the grace of God. They are listening to the condemning voice of the law rather than the conviction of righteousness by the Holy Spirit. The law only shows our failures in order to bring us to Christ. Now that we are already in Christ, we are no longer under the law but the Spirit. Gal 5:18 says, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Today, the Holy Spirit is always convicting you of righteousness in Christ, so that you can walk victoriously in its reality. Start to experience His conviction today.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 12:29 AM
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