When a person dies, he usually leaves a will. This is an explicit directive to a trustworthy friend as to the distribution of his estate. In this way, the wishes of the deceased are carried out. The document is signed, sealed, and witnessed by another person.
Before Jesus died, He also left a will. In it, He promised a "Comforter" a "Counsellor..."the Spirit of truth" to anyone who wished to receive the bequest. Jesus knew, however, that not everyone would want it (John 14:16-17 KJ & NIV).
The Spirit Jesus promised to His followers was His own Spirit, the Spirit which burst open His grave that first Easter morning and the Spirit who has penetrated the hearts of men and women throughout the world ever since. Jesus told His followers to wait in an Upper Room in Jerusalem until they received their promised inheritance (Acts 1:4-5).
On the anniversary of the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, Jesus' will was carried out when the Holy Spirit fell on His followers (Acts 2:1-4). That day the Christian church began.
Isaiah had predicted hundreds of years prior to Jesus' birth that a baby would be born and His name would be "Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." (Isa.9:6). Isaiah said that this Counsellor would be God Himself--the Messiah who would bring peace to the earth when He returns. How exciting that Jesus Christ is God, and also the Counsellor or Holy Spirit who now lives within the hearts of believers (I Cor.6:19)
Those who have accepted Jesus' Spirit are able to discern truth from error because He IS a Spirit of truth. The churches who are changing their doctrines to suit people's itching ears (II Tim.4:3) do not understand spiritual birth. Only God's Holy Spirit left by Jesus can change a life. Jesus said, "You must all be born anew from above (John 3:7 Amp V). This indwelling of the Godhead is the inheritance Jesus gives to those who love Him.
Jesus knocks on the door of every heart, hoping to be invited in (Rev.3:20). To those who do invite Him in, He has also made another provision in His Last Will and Testament. He gave His power of attorney to use His Name to drive out demons, speak in new languages, and lay hands on the sick to heal them (Mark 16:17-18). God's `new language' is a special prayer language to pray perfect prayers (Rom.8:26-27).
We can receive our inheritance of life eternal, His comforting presence in this life, His power of attorney to heal sickness and overcome evil--IF WE ASK (Luke 11:13).
Jesus' will is "signed" by Him in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev.21:27), "sealed" by His blood (2 Cor.1:22), and "witnessed" by "a great cloud of witnesses" (Heb.12:1). It is the greatest legal document of all time!
© 1999, Doreen Palmer