Author: iolaHC

I am an Artwork in progress

The Comforter

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John 15:26-27 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceed from the Father, he shall testify of me: And you also shall bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

The 37th New Testament prophecy in John that is fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4 when they and others (120 Acts 1:15) were baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

‘I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth’ Jesus is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11; John 1:31-33).

‘Proceed from the Father’ the Father will send forth in Jesus name or by His authority (John 14:26).

‘He shall testify of me’ The Holy Spirit bears witness by anointing men: for the Apostles who were to preach the gospel (Luke 4:18; Acts 2:11-39; 1Cor. 1:17-18, 23; 2:1-16). In prophesying by edifying, exhorting and comforting (Acts 3:21; 13:1, 32; 21:10; 1Cor. 12:10, 28; 14:3). In the exercise of other gifts (1Cor. 12:10, 30; 14:5, 13, 27). In making audible intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered in words (Rom. 8:26). He will teach us all the words that Christ spoke, therefore He is called the Spirit of truth, He will guide us into all truth [the Word]. He will not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear of Christ He will speak and show the Apostles the things to come. He shall glorify Jesus Christ for He shall receive of Him, and show it all unto us (John 16:13-14).

‘You also shall bear witness’ The disciples also were to speak for Jesus (Acts 1:8, 22) so that others may know Him (Isa. 43:10) and believe in Him and may understand that He is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. They shall witness that He is God (Isa. 43:12).

The Hatred of the World

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John 15:18-25 If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hate you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hate me hate my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. 

The 36th New Testament prophecy in John [vv.18-21] is fulfilled.

‘You were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world’ Three times Christ testifies this of His disciples (John 15:19; 17:14-16).

Expect the world’s hatred because: Jesus predicted it; the world hates reproof (John 3:19). Its evils are exposed by true Christian living (Rom. 12:2; Tit. 2:11-12). Its darkness is exposed by Christian light (John 3:18-20; Php. 2:15). It is blind (2Cor. 4:4). Christians are not of it (John 17:14-16). It is at war with Christians (John 16:33; Eph. 6:12; 1Jn. 5:4). It has natural enmity against God (Jas. 4:4; Mat. 18:7). Christians hate its ways (1Jn. 2:15-17). Christians live separated from it (Jas. 1:27; Rom. 12:2; 2Pet. 2:20). It is ignorant of Christian experience (Gal. 2:20; 2Cor. 5:17). It is ignorant of God.

‘For my name’s sake’ on account of Christ or His authority (Acts 4:7, 17-18; 5:40-41; 9:14-16, 21).

‘Sent me’ Jesus claimed that the Father sent Him 43 times in John. Only 4 times is it referred to in the other gospels.

If Jesus had not come and proved to them beyond doubt that He was the Messiah they would not have had the sin of rejecting Him, but now they have no excuse for this sin. They willfully hate both Jesus and His Father (John 15:22-24).

‘They hated me without a cause.’ The 10th Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in John (Psa. 35:19; 69:4; comp. Psa. 109:3; 119:161).

Commandments

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John 15:11-17 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant know not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that you love one another. 

‘That your joy might be full’ Getting complete answers to prayer is associated with this idea in John 16:24. Would not joy be full if one lived in perfect obedience to God as did Christ? Contrast “my joy” (John 15:11; 17:13) with “your joy” (John 15:11; 16:22, 24). The conditions of joy and peace (John 14:27) are both based upon perfect obedience (John 15:9-14).

‘This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.’ Christ’s commandment to us is the same as His Father’s commandment to Him. We must love one another to the extent that He loves us. He laid down His life for us; we must lay down our lives for each other.

‘If you do whatsoever I command you’ If we obey we are His friends; but if we do not obey we are not His friends.

‘Henceforth I call you not servants’ He did not make us bondslaves. He made us full partners and His personal representatives on earth. We are to represent Him and reproduce His works as He represented God and did His works (John 14:12; 17:18; 20:21-23). We will share equally with Christ in His inheritance if we share in sufferings and work (Rom. 8:17). We are to share with Him all things the Father has made known to Him.

‘Chosen you, and ordained you’ we were chosen and ordained to go and bring forth fruit, produce eternal works and get an answer to every prayer.

True ministers of the Word must be united [of one mind] to the vine, chosen by God to do the work and ordained for the work: Laborers to bring forth fruit, not idlers (John 6:27). Goers to the work, not waiters for the work (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 4:35-38; 16:15-20; Acts1:4-8). Preservers of their fruit, not destroyers of it (John 6:27). Prayers that get results. Lovers of all men (1Jn. 3:4-18; 1Cor. 13:1-13).

Abide in Me

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John 15:7-10 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue you in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 

‘If you abide in me, and my words abide in you’ Note the conditions of this chapter (John 15:6, 10, 18-20, 22, 24).

‘Ask what you will’ the promise is “ask what you will,” plainly teaching that answered prayer is up to the child of God as to what he wants. This is in perfect harmony with the promises of both testaments. A true Christian can get what he wants as well as what he needs (Psa. 23:1; 34:9-10; 84:11; Matt. 7:7-11; 17:20; 18:18-20; 21:22; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; John 14:12-15; 16:23-26; Eph. 3:20; Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8; 1Jn. 3:21-22; 5:14-15). A prayer saying, “If it be Thy will” concerning anything God has already promised, and therefore has already made it clear that it is His will (providing we ask in faith, nothing wavering), is really a prayer of unbelief. It is like saying, “I know You have already promised and You have made it very clear by Your Word that it is Your will, but do You really mean what You say? We insult God by constantly questioning His will that is already revealed by His word. It is no less insulting to Him than it would be to a human friend who had promised something and we continued to question him about his will in the matter.

Branches must not only remain in Christ but must have His words abiding in them or prayers will not be answered. God can only be glorified by the branches when they remain in Christ and produce much fruit.

‘So have I loved you’ The Father heard Him always, so Christ promised to answer all prayers prayed in His name (John 14:12-15; 16:23-26).

‘Keep my commandments’ is found 359 times in Scriptures and over half of these most certainly command men to keep the commandments of God. This is not only true of the Old Testament, but of the New Testament. Therefore, Christians are under obligation to obey the gospel throughout life, not only during one brief act of faith.

‘Even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love’ Emphasizing to what extent one must render obedience to God by keeping His commandments. If we are to be as righteous as He was in the world (John 17:14-16; 1Jn. 2:29; 3:7-10; 4:17; 5:1-5, 18), then nothing short of complete obedience must be rendered. It is impossible to retain a sense of pardoning grace without continuing in obedient grace.

The True Vine

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John 15:1-6  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that bear not fruit he take away: and every branch that bear fruit, he purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abide in me, and I in him, the same bring forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 

 ‘True vine’ Israel turned out to be a false vine producing wild grapes (Isa. 5:1-7). Christ as the true vine brings forth good fruit.

‘Every branch in me that bear not fruit he take away: and every branch that bear fruit, he purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit.’ Every believer in Christ is referred to by this illustration or it is meaningless. If the believer is fruitful he is purged to produce more fruit. If he is fruitless he is taken away or removed from being part of the vine. The Father does this, not man. No man is able to pluck one branch from God’s hands, but if we say that God cannot cut off any branch that is fruitless, then we limit God and make the dead, fruitless, and useless branches to be more powerful than He is. To take this position would be like saying to the vinedresser that it would be unlawful to prune the vine and remove the dead branches. No man can cut off any branch that is not actually in the vine. It is absurd and contrary to the letter and spirit of the parable here to talk about branches that are cut off as merely professing to be branches. If the idea here is only professed union of the vine and branches then there could only be a professed cutting off and burning; so the passage would mean nothing because it would have said nothing to any purpose.

God is the husbandman and Christ is the vine and believers are the branches in Christ. Every fruitless branch “in me” is cut off, withered, gathered with other dead branches and cast into the fire and burned. Every fruitful branch “in me” is purged that it might be more fruitful. Every branch “in me” is clean (pure in heart by the Word if walking in the light, Matt. 5:8; Eph. 5:26; John 3:5; Jas. 1:18; 1Pet. 1:23; 1Jn. 1:7). Branches must “abide in” Christ and Christ in them to produce fruit. The branch is helpless to produce fruit of itself. Christ is helpless to produce fruit through the branch unless it remains in Him. Branches must abide in Christ or be cut off and burned.

‘Now you are’ Now – not, “you are going to be.” The cleanliness referred to here was a present experience before the cross and before Pentecost. They were clean because of the Word that was spoken by Christ that washed them (Isa. 1:18).

‘Clean’ the Greek word katharos means pure, clean from anything that soils or corrupts. Real heart purity is meant (Matt. 5:8).

‘Abide’ the Greek word meno meaning remain, continue, dwell, and abide. This is a command to remain in Christ. The reason is given here as not being able to bear fruit otherwise. Without following in His example and footsteps when He lived on earth, one cannot remain in Him (1 Pet. 2:21-23).

Nothing in Me

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John 14:28-31 You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. 

This is the 35th New Testament prophecy in John fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection and ascension and being fulfilled in that people will read these facts in the Word and believe in Him.

‘Greater than I’ The Father is the head of the Divine Trinity (John 14:16; 16:23-26; 1Cor. 11:3). Christ is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit.

‘Prince of this world’ refers to satan (John 12:31; Eph. 2:2; 2Cor. 4:4).

‘Nothing in me’ No relationship, no sin, no nature, and nothing of satan was ever in Christ. He was not subject to death because He had not sinned. In the fall satan gained a pseudo-sovereignty over a man on the principle of possession and consent of a responsible agent, or government by consent of the governed. God recognized this and decided to permit Satan to defeat himself by causing him to kill an innocent victim over whom he had no claim. When he inflicted death on Christ, he forfeited all his claims, rights, and authority, including his right to liberty itself. He lost the right to inflict death on all others who became the property of Christ by virtue of His redemption for them.

‘I love the Father’ the only place where Jesus speaks of loving the Father. Six times the Father is spoken of as loving the Son (John 3:35; 10:17; 15:9; 17:23-26).

‘Gave me commandment, even so I do’ the Father gave Jesus commission, so He obeys.

‘Arise, let us go hence.’ John 14:1-31 was spoken before leaving the supper-room, and John 15-17 was spoken on the road to the garden.

Peace

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John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world give, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

As the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6), Jesus leaves us with His peace that passes all understanding. We must permit this peace to garrison or keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ (Php. 4:7). Start with renouncing all worry and then by prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving, make all your requests known to God (Php. 4:6; Jas. 4:7). We must always think on the right things (Php. 4:8) and keep our minds stayed on God (Isa. 26:3). Use the weapons of spiritual warfare (2Cor. 10:4-6) when the enemy attacks your mind and put on the whole armour of God so that you are able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:10-18). Have faith in God (Matt. 6:25-34; 7:7-11; 17:20; 21:22; Mark 11:22-24) and live and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26; Rom. 6:14-23; 8:1-13). Do not cast away your confidence in Him (Heb. 3:6, 12-14; 6:11-12; 10:19-23, 35-39) but cast all your cares upon God (1Pet. 5:7).

According to 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, love, and of a sound mind. He gave us a Spirit of boldness (Rom. 8:15); a Spirit of power (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 1Cor. 16:10; 1Tim. 4:14); a Spirit of love (1Cor. 13:4); and a Spirit of a sound mind, understanding, and judgment (Gal. 5:22-23). The spirit of fear mentioned here is the Greek word deilia meaning cowardice. When we do fear we lose our power, love and sound mind. That’s why your mind becomes frenzied in fear or with worries. This is one of the first stages of backsliding. What you fear will come over you. You give permission to fear to manifest it in the physical reality. That is the enemy’s greatest power against all men. He brings the thought, we think upon it and make it ours and it will come to pass (Job 3:25).

‘Power’ the Greek word dunamis means a power to reproduce itself, implying the need for constant activity and use for continued reproduction. From this word, we get our English dynamo and dynamics – the branch of mechanics dealing with the principles of motion or active operation. Just as a dynamo needs to be in motion to produce power, so one needs to stir up into flame the gift of God in his life (2Tim. 1:7; 1Tim. 4:14).

Keep His Commandments

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John 14:20-26 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He that has my commandments, and keep them, he it is that love me: and he that love me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas said unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou will manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loves me not keep not my sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 

‘At that day you shall know’ the disciples knew after Jesus was resurrected that He was in union with the Father. ‘I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.’ This passage refers to being in union with, being consecrated to the same end – one in mind, purpose, and life.

Not only must we have His commandments, but we must also keep them = obey them. We have to follow Christ, not only at the beginning of a Christian experience but daily and throughout life. When we live in obedience to the Word, God will know that we love Him and we shall be loved by the Father. Jesus will also love us and manifest Himself to us. This is a promise to each believer (John 7:37-39; 14:12-15; 15:16).

Judas, one of the apostles, who was the brother of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13) and who was also called Lebbaeus and Thaddaeus (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18), asked Jesus how He will manifest Himself to them and not to the world?

Jesus answered that someone who loved Him, will obey His Word and by doing so allow the Father’s love and They will be with you in union as they are made alive to others through your life that must be according to Biblical standards as given in 1 Peter 2:21-23.  Someone who does not obey God’s Word loves Him not and rejects the Word from the Father. The plural pronouns of this verse assert the unity in work and omniscient abiding of both the Father and the Son. This refers to the time when He would leave them and after the glory would be restored to Him (John 17:5). Now He is omnipresent, but in the days of His life on earth, He was localized as all other human beings and limited in knowledge and other powers.

The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name, shall teach us all the things written in the Word, and bring them to our remembrance. This is the 34th New Testament prophecy in John fulfilled and being fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is called ‘Comforter’ in John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7, and ‘Advocate’ in 1Jn. 2:1. It means one called to the side of another for help or counsel. The Spirit is our Paraclete or Helper on earth and Christ is the Paraclete or Helper in heaven.

The Holy Spirit Promised

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John 14:15-19 If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.

If you love Jesus, keep His commandments. Be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. (Jas. 1:22) Live in obedience to the Word.

‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you …’ The 33rd New Testament prophecy in John fulfilled and being fulfilled. Jesus became the Mediator between God and man (1Tim. 2:5), and through His mediation and intercession, all blessings of grace shall come to us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). ‘Another’ not Christ, but another divine person – the Comforter is the Holy Spirit who is our helper.

‘Abide with you for ever’ for those who stay in Christ, there will always be access to the Holy Spirit who is the one that convinces of sin and reminds us of the Word as long as we don’t quench Him (1Thess. 5:19) or grieve Him (Eph. 4:30) by living in sin. He is the Spirit of the truth because He teaches the Truth [the Word]. The world – unsaved – cannot receive Him. Therefore, all men do not have the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9, 14-16; Gal. 4:6; 1Cor. 3:16-17) because they refuse to “see” or understand Him (1Cor. 2:14) or become acquainted with Him by receiving the gospel and permitting His work in their lives (John 1:12; 3:5, 16-20, 36; 5:24; 16:7-15).

‘You know him’ You disciples know the Holy Spirit or have experienced Him, for He dwells in you in a measure and He shall come into your lives in all fullness when you are baptized in the Spirit [that happened about 50 days later]. (John 7:37-39; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8)

The word ‘with’ in verse 17 is the Greek word para which means beside, alongside of, proving that the Spirit was with the disciples. He was even “in” them (Matt. 10:1-8, 20; cp. Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-10; 10:1-20). If He was in them and yet shall be in them it could only refer to receiving the Spirit in greater, baptismal measure as Christ had (John 3:34). Christ came to give all disciples this fullness of the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; John 1:31-33; 7:37-39; Luke 11:13; 24:49; Acts 1:4-8; 2:16-21, 33, 38-39; 5:32; Gal. 3:14). The doctrine of interpenetration does not mean physical entrance into, but union with, so the idea is that there is a measure and a fullness, a partial union with and a complete union with the Spirit.

‘Comfortless’ is the Greek word orphanos. Disciples of a particular teacher were called his children and upon his death, they were considered orphans. Christ calls His disciples children (John 13:33) and now promises that He will not leave them orphans.

‘I will come to you’ He did so as promised after His resurrection (John 20:1-31; Acts 1:3). ‘Yet a little while’ it was about 20 hours when He would be taken down from the cross. Because He was resurrected they will also one day be resurrected. His resurrection will be a pledge and proof of ours (1Cor. 15:1-58).

Greater Works

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John 14:8-14 Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how say thou then, Show us the Father? Believe thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwell in me, he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believe on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 

Philip asked the Lord to show them the Father, but Jesus explained that by knowing Him, the Father is also known to them.

‘In the Father, and the Father in me’ This speaks of union with, not physical entrance into. The Bible does speak of the Corinthians and Philippians being in Paul’s heart (2Cor. 7:3; Php. 1:7); God being in Christ (2Cor. 5:19); Christ being in God (John 14:20); God and Christ being in each other (John 14:10-11); men being in both the Father and the Son (1Jn. 2:24); men being in Christ (2Cor. 5:17); men and the Spirit being in each other (Rom. 8:9); Christ being in men (Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:10); man and Christ being in each other (John 14:20); all creation being in God (Acts 17:28); and satan entering into men (Luke 22:3; John 13:27). However, these passages refer to being in union with, being consecrated to the same end – one in mind, purpose, and life. They do not teach physical entrance of one being into another. It may be best understood by a man and woman becoming one in life together, being in each other’s plans, life, etc.

‘Works’ refers to His miracles, healings, signs, wonders, and mighty acts of power (Matt. 11:20-23; 13:54-58; 14:2; John 5:20, 36; 9:3; 10:25, 32). His works consisted of healing all manner of sickness and disease, casting out devils, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and doing innumerable acts of deliverance from all the works of satan (Matt. 4:23-24; 9:35; Acts 10:38). He controlled the elements, multiplied food, walked on water, restored a severed ear, turned water into wine, accomplishing anything He undertook to do in the material and spiritual realms.

‘Shall he do also’ the promise here is that each believer can be endowed with power (Luke 10:19; 24:49; Acts 1:4-8) and receive the Spirit without measure (John 7:37-39), so he can do all the works of Christ and even greater works than what He did. To make this a promise of spiritual works only when He did material and spiritual works is a poor excuse for unbelief. To make it refer to saving souls is to ignore facts because He did this also. To limit it to the works of the apostles will rob other believers of the benefits of the promise.

‘Greater works’ The thought is that each believer can have equal power with Christ to do what He did as well as greater things if and when the occasion requires it. Reasons for greater works: satan was cast out (John 12:31) and defeated on the cross (Col. 2:14-17; 1Pet. 2:24). Redemption was completed (John 19:30; Col. 2:14-17; 1Pet. 1:10-12) and Spirit baptism came after Jesus was glorified (John 7:37-39; Acts 1:4-8; 2:33). Christ now intercedes for believers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). Completed victory over death, hell and the grave (Heb. 2:14-15; Rev. 1:18; Col. 2:14-15). The fullness of grace is now possible in Christ (John 1:17; Col. 2:10).

‘That the Father may be glorified in the Son’ this is the purpose of the Christian’s power of attorney. It glorifies God to answer all prayers and save, heal, and bless all people materially, but He cannot do so unless they “ask in faith, nothing wavering” (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8; Mark 11:22-24).