Just One Word.
John 14.26
Rev. Brian Brown tells the story of being at the community pool with his family. Kids were screaming, playing, and splashing in the pool, music was playing, the lifeguard whistles were blowing and in the midst of the conversation, his wife shooshes him. He said, "What are you doing?"
"Shoosh, did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" he said.
"Listen!"
And over all of the noise, she had heard their youngest daughter screaming. As she listened to it, she then said, "OK, everything's alright. That's a happy scream."
He said he was blown away that, over all of the other voices, she not only recognized her child's voice but was able to identify what type of scream it was. Why? Because every day she talked with them and in the process learned the sound of their voices. And then he writes, Maybe that's what it takes for us to understand His voice, that every day communication and spending time saying to God, "Speak to me." This is why it's so important spending time in prayer. The only way you will be able to hear the voice of God is if you spend time together.
With Holy Spirit leadership, the next movement and or, decision you make can be realized through your belief in the Bible, while learning Gods voice. The Holy Spirit becomes your go to, He selected you to live through. PH.
Jesus states in, John 14:26AMP “But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.
The Holy Spirit will point to Jesus. The Holy Spirit will quicken you, He will make alive that which is dead, or dormant.
John 14, is based upon a promise. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things, He will help you.
The Father will send a comforter. He won’t leave, He has power, and He loves to give His authority to Jesus followers.
According to, Hebrews 4.12 God’s word is sharp, quick and powerful. God’s word is a discerner of thoughts, it cuts and divides the soul from the spirit, and the joints from the marrow.
Although Jesus is leaving, He desires for his disciples not to be in the dark, but to be in the know, You are not to be alone, just one word can put you in the know. -As believers we have the representative of God the Father. PH
Therefore, Jesus gave His church- authority in His name. Authority to walk, talked and listen in His name! PH
Hear this poem, ”Lord, I’m so discouraged I don’t know what to do. I have so many burdens, And I gave them all to you. But you didn’t take them, Jesus. Will you tell me why that’s so?" "The answer’s simply, Little One, Because you won’t let go."
It’s time to let go, let go of what you know, for you have authority to believe, authority to speak, As a believer you are called His ambassador, 2 Corinthians 5.
John 14, begins by Jesus giving His followers a farewell, mixed with many powerful promises.
Just listen to, John 14.1-3NASB “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.
Therefore Jesus is leaving and His disciples were probably terrified, after three years with the Son of God, He proclaims His own departure.
That is why Jesus states in, Acts 1.8AMP But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus states, the comforter will guide (His) church into continue victory!
2 Corinthians 2.14AMP But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us spreads and makes evident everywhere the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
How? Jesus has overthrown everything you once were terrified of. PH.
I John 5.4-5NKJV For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
So the Holy Spirit longs to be trusted, and He is trusted best when believed on, and listened to.
I said all of that to give you my main point this morning, I believe after 37 years in the ministry the true sign of respect is to become an active listener to the Holy Spirit.
3 things I know about the Holy Spirit:
1. The Holy Spirit won’t lie, He can be trusted. -Will you trust Him?
2. The Holy Spirit gives power and authority. -Will you receive His powerful help?
3. The Holy Spirit desires to be listened to. -Will you hear and obey?
Just one word- Go, Stay, Move, Be Still, Yes, No, wait, Help others, Let go, Fight, Love, Pray, and there are thousands more.
Question, are you willing to listen? (Let your plans and ways go, receive His?
1 Samuel 3, Samuel’s mother, ‘Hannah’, fulfilled her promise. -Give me a child, I’ll give him back and I will allow him to be raised in the temple, and given to the priest, Eli.
So here is hunger, or desperation, Samuel sleeps in the temple of the Lord where the Ark of God lives.
Maybe what Samuel did not realize, if you sleep near God you’re probability of hearing His voice increases dramatically. PH.
Samuel is called 3 times, Samuel is awakened with his name called. -Each time Samuel goes to find Eli the priest and asked him why he had called him? Eli, tells him he did not call him, go back to sleep.
Eli was old, his sons refused God’s goodness, they refused just one word from God.
Moreover, by the fourth call to Samuel, Eli tells Samuel to say to the Lord, “Here I am, I’m listening.”
Following the Lord’s direction should be a must for every disciple of Jesus, thus the promise Jesus gave to His followers before departure.
In John 14.26, Jesus states from this morning’s text, the Holy Spirit will teach all things, the Holy Spirit gave ability and power to overcome and be victorious!
Acts 1.4AMP While being together and eating with them, He (Jesus) commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.”
Just one word from the teacher, can change your direction, give new hope, keep you from misdirection.
One word from the Holy Spirit, can multiple favor, One word from Him, can become life changing. -Just one word!
After Pentecost the Holy Spirit came into the apostles to help them remember and write about the teachings and life of Jesus and the instructions for the church.
J.I. Packer, the famous theologian of the second half of the 20th century said this about the Holy Spirit: “It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder, onto Jesus, who stands facing us. The Spirit’s message to us is, ‘Look at Jesus; listen to me; come to me; get to know me,’ but always, ‘Look at him, and see his glory; listen to him, and hear his word; go to him, and have life; get to know him, and taste his gift of joy and peace.’ ”
Matthew 8.5-8NASB And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, begging Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, terribly tormented.” 7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
One word heeded to, listened to, can change everything! PH.
Did you know that it is okay for you to ask God to speak or say a Word, maybe someone you know, or yourself will be healed! PH.
Vs 26 of John 14, The Holy Spirit brings all things to your remembrance, the apostle John’s mind was quickened to enabled him to write down accurately the historical stories and statements of Jesus.
Again, just one word heeded to, can change everything. PH.
Jesus states in, Matthew 5.18MSG I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working.
Just one word. Just one word heeded to, just one word listened to, can change life as you know it.
Here are some important words:
Trust Me. Stop your ways, follow mine.
Listen to Me. Hear Me.
I’m here for you. Go, I’m with you!
Speak the word, speak faith, keep a good confession.
I’ll change everything. I’m with you! Hebrews 13.5
Again, just one word from Jesus and you will conquer! Your future can change with the drop of a hat! PH.
In closing, Thanksgiving has arrived, how thankful will you be?
Luke 17.11-19NKJV Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”
Just one word from Jesus, vs14, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”
Vs 15, just one of them, when he saw that he was clean, came back with a loud voice!
Vs 16b, ...And he was a Samaritan.
-One of ten heard just one word... This word spoken into this former leper, made him come back with a thankful heart. PH.
Jesus’ reaction, “Where are the other nine?”
I would submit to you that the other 9 weren’t listening for a word, a reply from God, so they missed the best from God!
When we aren’t listening we miss out! PH.
Luke 17.17-19MSG Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”
Benediction. Just one word from the Master will turn out to become many words as the recipient keeps on hearing.
