The Conviction For the Righteous John 4:39-42NLT
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” (I Jh.4:14 Proclaims Jesus as Savior of the world!)
Listen, Jesus knew all that this woman had done in her life; however, He focuses not on her sins, but on her need. Moreover, because of our relationship with God (Being born again) God doesn’t judge us, on the contrary, He loves us, and smiles on us with His conviction of righteousness.
Jesus Christ isn’t focused on your sins and failures, no, He focused on your needs.
For those who will believe, He settled the sin issue.
For every lost person, God heard His Son praying for help, so He sent the Holy Spirit to convict the world of its sin.
*Before we go back to our text this evening lets look at this farther. Listen to John 16:8-11 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
Most teachers and pastors in the body of Christ have taken these verses out of context. The first question we should ask is, “Who was Jesus speaking to?”
*When it comes to convicting the world of its sin, Christ is speaking unto the unsaved. (The world- unbelievers)
Notice in verse 9, that the Holy Spirit does not convict the world of ‘sins’ (plural). It is only one ‘sin’ (singular). The sin of unbelief, the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ, and not believing in His finished work.
Jesus died for the whole world, but that doesn’t mean that the whole world is automatically saved. Each individual must make a personal decision to believe.
The question is, if the Holy Spirit never convicts you, the believer, of your sin, then what does He convict you of?
*Listen to John 16:10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.
This verse is written with the use of the second person pronoun “you,” Jesus was referring to His believers, as represented by His disciples whom He was talking to.
Therefore, this verse tells us that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict believers of righteousness. So, when a believer sins, the Holy Spirit comes to convict and remind you that you are the righteousness of God because of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is present to remind you of the main clause of the new covenant.
*Listen to Hebrews 8:12NKJ For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
*According to John 14:16 the Holy Spirit is your helper. He didn’t come to nag you about your short comings, no, He came to convict you of your everlasting righteousness.
*1 Corinthians15:34aKJ Awake to righteousness, and do not sin;
The more a believer realizes that he or she is indeed righteous, the more he or she will start to behave like a righteous person. (Say, Awake to righteousness!)
Commit this to memory: “Right believing always leads to right living.” (Say it out loud)
If you have wrongly believed, are you willing to change what you believe? You have to realize that everything you see in creation came out of the Spirit realm. God, who is a Spirit, spoke into being all the things that He created.
*In the same way, long before your blessings manifests physically, it is first in your Spirit.
Q. What does that mean to you? The more you believe you are righteous, the more you will start to behave like a righteous person.
It’s time to awake to righteousness! Say it, “Awake to righteousness!”
Testimony about a man who smoked: Christian smoker, always felt condemned. He begin to confess that he was the righteousness of God. ( The devil condemned him, while the Holy Spirit convicted Him of His righteousness!)
Say, Hallelujah three times.
Now, Go back to the text in John 4, Jesus was focused on this woman’s needs. He didn’t condemn her, no, He worked on changing her belief.
Moreover, when you are born again Jesus focuses on your needs. (Begin to confess them)
*Remember what Paul wrote in Philippians 4: 15-20NLT As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
In context, Paul is speaking to Christians who have been faithful in their giving, so he simply prays a prayer over them asking God to bless, and be their Master supplier.
*John 4:39... “He told me everything I ever did!”
This water-bearer rocked her world, He unplugged the respirator of her male-dependency problem. This Wellspring of life gave her a cool drink of everlasting life. No more dirty water, but now rivers of living water!
He gives back, according to His glorious riches, which has been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Remember this, always give your first and best to God!) Remember this, Jesus is focused on your needs.
Listen to Proverbs 3:9-10NLT 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.
Honoring God first brings prosperity and satisfaction.
