Jesus Revealed Pt. 14 - Why Do They Hate Me?Sample

The Spirit helps us in times of attack  

Thoughts on the Passage

Jesus tells them about the world hating Him – and them – so that they will not fall away when problems come.

Jesus called them to be witnesses of Jesus – they saw everything that Jesus did and how He responded to life’s challenges. In addition, the Holy Spirit will bear the same witness to all people. 

The challenge today is dealing with the responses people give to these witnesses. Some will receive, but Jesus warns that some will openly attack this witness. We need to hear this today. The walk of the child of God is not easy, nor should we expect it to be easy. We like to hear the promises of blessing and peace that come with walking with Jesus. Those are true. So is this promise!! 

In yesterday's reading we learned the world hates us

Religious people will consider us heretics – and expel us from places of worship.

The world thinks that they are serving God by killing and persecuting us.

These promises are just as real, but hard to accept.

Jesus chooses to wait to tell them this because He is with them. Right now, Jesus bears the attack and it is not directed at the disciples. The time is coming when the offense will be directed at them. They have the Holy Spirit – the One sent to be just like Jesus for them – and He will be with them through the difficult times. The Holy Spirit will be with us giving the same testimony as we give.

Second, Jesus tells them so that they remember when the difficult times comes. They need to know the cost of following Jesus. The time will come, and they will face what Jesus faced.

It will come for all disciples of Jesus. 

Application

Have you purposed in your heart to follow Jesus even when the difficult times come?

Have you purposed in your heart to walk in step with the Holy Spirit when the difficult times come?

Time to Pray

Father, I never saw this before in this passage – Jesus making sure that the disciples knew that the trouble they would face and the role of Your Spirit to help them through it. Today I purpose in my heart not to be discouraged by difficult times. I purpose in my heart to be prepared for difficult times. I purpose in my heart to rely not on my human wisdom, but on Your Spirit for wisdom to deal with any challenge that I may face. Your Spirit with me is the same as the presence of Jesus was to the disciples. I refuse to allow any difficult times steal my joy and my peace because Your Spirit gives it to me, not the situations I face. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.