John 16:13 KJV
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Jesus had reached the end of his earthly ministry and was about to go the way of the cross. He was about to fulfil the purpose for which he had taken on human form, in order to provide us a way back to God. Sin had become a hindrance to the full realisation of God's will for man, but here was Jesus offering his life as the full payment for sin, so that man could be reconciled to God. Of course, the disciples were sad when they heard all that Jesus said, but the greater news was coming. Jesus had to leave, but He was going to send yet an Advocate, one who speaks on behalf of another person. The Advocate knows the law, is able to present his case clearly for the defence, and because His testimony is based on truth, He will always overcome. That is the promise in the verse above.
He is called the Spirit of truth, because there is no lie or falsehood in Him. He is a guide as well as the mouthpiece for God in the lives of those who have decided to follow Jesus. The picture of a 'guide' is one who knows the way and is ready and willing to lead all who are also ready and willing to follow. A guide does not compel you to listen and follow; that is a personal decision the one being guided must make. I cannot turn around and blame the guide for how my life turns out, if I have decided to ignore the guide and do my own thing. He is not the author of confusion; He is the guide into ALL the truth that is of God, not just the convenient ones that make me very comfortable, but even the hard truths that will propel me to discover God's perfect will for my life.
He is also the One whose hearing is perfect, because He is not limited by selfish ambitions or personal grievances. He takes of the Truth, makes Him known to as many as would seek Him, and promotes Truth at all times. He is not seeking compromise, and He cannot be fooled by eye-service or hypocrisy. He is also the one who knows what lies ahead, so He can guide the right way. Man is not given the power to predict the future with much sense of accuracy; a few things can line up when certain things happen, but overall, God still shows Himself to be in charge of the affairs of the world. Nothing happens without His permission, and even the greatest tragedies can work out His perfect will. He is available for all who desire Him, whose lives He can take over and direct. Would you allow Him work? God's time of favour is here.
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