We are admonished in 1JO 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." It is very important that we "try the spirits" with the "...washing of water by the Word," EPH 5:26. I want to identify the Holy Spirit with the Word of God. Jesus tells us in MAT 7:15-20 that these false prophets, or false spirits are to be identified by their fruits, or their works. Jesus very clearly lists the works of the Spirit of truth in Joh 16:7-15.

The first work of the Spirit of truth is to "...reprove [or convince], the world of sin." When Jesus "...opened His mouth, and taught..." the way of salvation in His Sermon on the Mount, He most blessedly set forth the work of the Holy Spirit in the beatitudes, MAT 5:3-11. Each of the seven succeeding beatitudes rise above the one preceding it. We learn our spiritual poverty, and we mourn over our sin when the Spirit of truth reproves, or convinces us of sin.

The second work of the Spirit of truth is to, "...reprove [or convince], the world of...righteousness." In the third and fourth beatitudes Jesus pronounces His benediction upon the meek, and those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness." No person will ever possess these two graces until they have been convinced of sin, and learn to mourn over sin. These four graces, are the work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

The third work of the Spirit of truth is to, "...reprove [or convince], the world of judgment." In the second four beatitudes Jesus pronounces His benediction upon mercifulness, purity in heart, peacemaking and suffering for righteousness sake. These four graces are the conversion worked in our lives, as the fruit of the first four graces. When the "...prince of this world is judged," JOH 16:11, "...our old man is crucified with [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin," ROM 6:6.

Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit, JOH 4:10; JOH 7:37-38. When the Spirit has worked regeneration in our soul, we will learn to cry out with David in PSA 63:1, "...my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." Then our heavenly Father sends the Spirit, and His, "...speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass," DEU 32:2.

The soul who has a true hunger and thirst after righteousness will say with David, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I," PSA 61:2. Then the Spirit's "...speech shall distil as the dew," and "...He shall glorify [Christ]: for he shall receive of [Christ's], and shall shew it unto you."

It is when the soul's eye is fixed on that Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ, that the Spirit shall refresh the soul with some revelation of Christ in God's Word,"...as the small rain...and the showers," refresh "the tender herb" and "the grass." When you have experienced these works of the Spirit, then, and only then, you can claim you have received the Spirit of truth. Amen.