Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 29

January 29;   John 16:7;   84/260(VI);   ‘The Sent One’

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

The Lord Jesus is spending time with His disciples, telling them that He will soon be going away.  He is about to suffer humiliation and the crucifixion for us, and redeem us from sin and sickness.  It is critically important that we know that the Lord Jesus came to earth and ministered as a Man.  Relationally, He remained the Son of God, but He functioned on earth as a Man.  The blessed truth is that Jesus ministered as a Man, empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we could become Born Again and Spirit filled, having the Holy Spirit empowering us just as He did Jesus.  The Lord did this so that we could continue His ministry anointed by the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus was.  He tells His disciples this amazing truth, that it is vital for Him to go away, because when He does, Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to indwell them (and us) and empower them (and us).  While Jesus ministered on the earth, He was the only One who had the Holy Spirit in Him and upon Him for ministry.  Once Jesus returns to heaven, He will send the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer and empower them (the baptism in the Holy Spirit) to continue His work.  The Holy Spirit is God and He can indwell and empower every Christian at once.  Therefore the capacity of the Church to reach multitudes is greatly enhanced.  Today millions of Christians have the Holy Spirit in them and upon them to empower them to do the work of the ministry.  We are everywhere. The Holy Spirit is the Sent One.  The infinite genius of God.