There are no mistakes in God’s timing. You might try to refute God, but His very character is irrefutable. What God does and when He does it is purposeful. There’s nothing unintentional about His Word. But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)

John records Jesus speaking on the last and most important day of the feast. The timing is significant. Jesus stood and spoke in a loud voice. The delivery was significant. What He was about to say was important, and Jesus wanted everyone to hear. The subject of His promise was “anyone.” His inclusion is significant. He spoke about something familiar to everyone: thirst. Everyone has experienced and seeks to quench thirst. Jesus spoke in declarative sentences. He often used questions to teach. Jesus wanted people to process the content of what He was teaching. He wanted people to draw parallels of common, everyday life into spiritual lessons of faith in order to challenge growth. In this case, He spoke with authority as He delivered a promise. He wanted everyone to understand the important truth of what He was promising.

Jesus spoke where, when, and to whom He spoke in order to deliver a promise about the Holy Spirit. It was significant—not only to those listening that day but to us today. God gives us Himself in the Holy Spirit to reside within us to guide, encourage, and convict us. The Holy Spirit equips us to live out our faith every moment. The Holy Spirit nourishes, but you must listen, yield, and obey. You can refute your response, but you will not successfully refute the truth of God.

Challenge:

List the questions you often hear from people (or yourself) about the Christian faith. Consider the hypocrisy people might see in Christians that lead them to have the doubts or questions they have. In what situations do Christians teach one thing but do another? What’s one piece of advice you’ve given someone else, firmly believing it was the right thing to say, but you’re unwilling to apply it into your own life? Ask God to reveal hypocrisy in your own life and trust him to grow you into a mature faith in the most prominently hypocritical area.