Day 18

16 Feb Day 18

Spirit of Truth- Divine truth revealed to man

WRITTEN BY: Rita Palko

Scripture: John 16:13-NLT– “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” 

Read John 16 for more insight.

Observation: God is three persons united as one being: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. One of the Holy Spirit’s roles is to guide us by speaking God’s truth into our lives. 

Application: Have you ever been in a situation where you were in desperate need of comfort, truth, and direction? Maybe you lost your job or got divorced and no longer have the same access to your children. Maybe you lost a loved one and are experiencing grief.  Or maybe mental illness has a foothold on your motivation to get through your day. In times of anguish and uncertainty, how comforting would it be to know that we have an Advocate who is all-knowing and all-loving looking after us?

For most of my life, I‘ve battled severe depression and thoughts of suicide. Growing up in a household of complete chaos and separation, I felt isolated from everyone. I never fully felt love and true guidance from my parents. This left me feeling like my life had no meaning or purpose, and I got to a place where I wanted to end it.

My experience during this battle was that life had no purpose for me. I had no source of strength or help on my own. Everything changed when I stopped believing in my truth and began to experience the truth of the Holy Spirit once I gave my life to Jesus Christ.  What that looked like for me was laying my battle of depression at the feet of Jesus—replacing feelings of unworthiness, selfishness, fear, and worry with God’s Word. A verse that brought me peace through the Holy Spirit is, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’ ” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). During my slot and spot, I’d journal the burdens I felt were holding me down, writing to God, “These are the burdens I am carrying today, please take them from me and fill me with the fruits of your Holy Spirit.” Once I made this a habit, I saw God bless my faithfulness in trusting that he is the ultimate healer. I still have days when depression makes an appearance, but it no longer has a chain on me because I am free by the power of God’s grace and mercies.

God sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, so we could have a relationship with him. When Jesus ascended to Heaven (Luke 24:51), he was no longer physically on earth, so God sent the helper, the Holy Spirit, to be in the hearts of believers, leading them to truth and to perform acts that matched the desires of God’s heart and God’s will.

The Holy Spirit provided me comfort and peace in times when it made no sense. He showed me that I am not defined by my depression but rather by being a daughter of Christ. He revealed that God knows the plans for my life, and they are good and not for disaster (Jeremiah 29:11). He saved me from constant thoughts of death and replaced them with the purpose of a rich and satisfying eternal life through Jesus Christ.

God desires to help us in every aspect of our lives: spiritually, mentally, physically, relationally, and financially. God knows the truth of our future—he has written it from beginning to end. If you’re experiencing uncertainty or anxiety around your future, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. A practical way to do this is to meditate on God’s Word. John 16:13 is a powerful verse when we understand that the Holy Spirit will guide, judge, and speak truth to us in order to bring glory to God’s plan for our lives. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, I thank you for the knowledge that the power of your truth has taken residence in my life. Thank you for bringing me to the deliverance of comfort and guidance. I am grateful for the miraculous functions you perform. I am blessed to have the Holy Spirit dwell with me forever, never leaving nor forsaking me. I pray that your Holy Spirit continues to fill me and create in me a clean heart and a joyful spirit. All for the glory of your presence. Amen.

Rita Palko/Journey Students High School J-Group Leader

Rita has been gathering at The Journey since 2018 and is currently enrolled in JLI (Journey Leadership Institute). She began a relationship with Jesus Christ through her experiences and community at The Journey. Rita is a senior nursing student at the University of Delaware and plans on working in the progressive care specialty upon graduating with her BSN degree. Rita enjoys spending time with friends, going on outdoor adventures, and making jokes about anything she can.

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Next Steps:

Invite the Holy Spirit into the areas of your life where you are in need. Pray and ask God to deliver the Holy Spirit to help guide you toward truth. 

Worship here with Vertical Worship, “Spirit of the Living God”

Dive deeper into the works of the Holy Spirit by studying John 16.

Check out this devotional from YouVersion: “Holy Spirit- My Help”.

Check out Day 19’s devotional as part of your slot and spot.

If you struggle with anxiety or depression, or if you are experiencing a challenging season, please reach out! There are people on the Care Team ready to talk to you! NOTE: This is NOT a crisis hotline! If you need immediate attention, please reach out to a hotline. There are a couple listed below.

If you have thoughts of or ideologies of suicide, please seek immediate help:

•  988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline
• Delaware and Suicide Crisis Hotlines