Judged By The Spirit | John 16:8-11

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. — John 16:8-11 There is no doubt we have seen courtroom proceedings lately. They serve as an educational reminder for those of us who haven't seen a courtroom proceeding in a while. They include charges based on standards that result in verdicts. And this is the same image Jesus presents here. In the courtroom of the world, the Helper presents charges based on standards that result in verdicts. And the Helper functions as Prosecutor, Judge, and Jury concerning the charge of sin, the standard of righteousness, and the verdict of judgment. The Holy Spirit has essential work in the believer's life. And the reason this is important is that without the Helper, it would not be possible for us to spiritually judge righteousness from unrighteousness. But Jesus gives us the discerning ability to do this. It dwells within us and is always present in us. But we have to consult Him. Again, as I said yesterday, I don't think many believers ever get to know the Holy Spirit. We trust our judgment over the Spirit's judgment. We live spiritual lives, trusting only in our ability, wisdom, and experience over trusting the Spirit's ability, wisdom, and experience. We never consult God's Word nor invite the Holy Spirit to judge. So try this today. Make your first judgment today a judgment by the Holy Spirit. Take a moment to pause before making your next decision. Reflect on the choice you would make based on your ability, wisdom, and experience. Then set this aside for a few minutes. Consult the Scripture for the standard. But before you act, ask the Spirit to help you judge in the matter. And if the Scripture and the Spirit have adjustments for you, do this instead. And then you have taken a step of the Spirit. And then keep doing this, one decision, one step, and one day at a time, and soon you will watch as his righteousness becomes yours, which leads to a whole new verdict. ASK THIS: In what ways have you relied solely on your own judgment rather than seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit? How can you be more intentional about inviting the Spirit into your decision-making process? Reflect on a recent decision you made. How might consulting the Scriptures and asking the Holy Spirit for discernment have changed or affirmed your choice? What steps will you take to include the Holy Spirit in your judgments moving forward? DO THIS: Make a judgment of the Spirit. PRAY THIS: Holy Spirit, guide me in my daily decisions, helping me to recognize Your wisdom and align my choices with Your will. Teach me to pause and seek Your guidance so that I may walk in righteousness and truth, one step at a time. Amen. PLAY THIS: Spirit of the Living God. Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller